A History Lesson: Why publications started at Clark and what kept them going
By Ashley Klann
Editor-in-Chief
We’ve been stickin’ it to the man since 1927, but over the decades, The Scarlet has changed in many ways since it was first published. But then again, some things never change. “From the Archives” will be a semester-long look at when things were different and how The Scarlet became what it is today. Clarkies of the past have Spreed like the best of us, enjoyed nice weather on the Green, and sweated to death in the JC, and although we are all intrinsically linked by our alma mater, Clark and its students have changed over the years. And The Scarlet has served both as a record and a changing entity of its own.
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Throughout the archived student publications in Goddard, roughly 100 years are enclosed. The title, cover stories, concerns, and opinions of the writers have changed drastically over time, but as I perused the archives, I found things that could have been written yesterday. Some things are timeless. Clarkies will always be Clarkies, but The Scarlet has served unique purposes in its time.
From 1918 to 1919, The Clark College Reveille was printed to cover various campus news, but predominantly that relating to WWI. Cover stories included images of the College Commandant, Col. Thomas W. Griffith, a graph of Clark’s contribution to the United War Work Campaign, and various opinions from students and faculty about the financial struggles therein and the 54 students who left to join the war.
Imagine picking up The Scarlet and seeing any of these topics, or a piece announcing a memorial. Unfortunately, this wouldn’t be the first time war was a large influence on the student publication.
During this time, the Clark College Quarterly (which eventually became a monthly) was also being published. Unlike the Reveille’s more formal broadsheet layout, the Quarterly and Monthly were a smaller, less serious publication and continued from 1911 to 1931.
The first issue, published in September 1911 announced a subscription price of $2.00/yr and 25 cents for one issue. If that sounds a little steep, consider that each edition was roughly 50 pages.
The opening material these journals was creative or non-news material. Past the Frontispiece and Editorials one finds titles such as: “The Gypsies, A Thesis,” “A Word, A Story,” and “The Song of Ajah, The Lame Armorer, A Poem” among others. The closing half of the text was divided into the categories of news, athletics, alumni, and university.
Photos included in the later issues offer a glimpse into what campus looked like in the early days – empty and even smaller. It’s strange to see the JC surrounded by the houses of once functional end of Woodland Street and commencement speeches given to a handful of people. While Clark seems small now, it’s still the largest it has ever been.
Essays in the Monthly covered social topics, like “The Responsibilities of the College-trained Man or Woman,” and more pertinent issues like the President’s opening speech of the year and changes to buildings on campus.
The Clark News was the publication that would eventually become The Scarlet, but not before lots of changes to it and the surrounding culture came to pass.
When The Clark News first came out in 1926, it was mimeographed and typed on a typewriter exclusively by the freshman class. As seen in the examples, it was very flimsy but earnest, asking readers for their feedback immediately. This publication offered something the others hadn’t: a “Forum” or space for criticism and letters to the editor. Here we see the newspaper becoming more like what we expect today – a place to learn about pertinent information and comment about said information.
“Howdy!” it reads. “This little paper is the initial attempt of the Freshman class to start a news sheet. It is given to you on the theory that the more you know about what is going on at Clark, the more you will feel a part of the institution and the more you will put into it of loyalty and cooperation… We now ask you only to read these sheets – read them from beginning to end and see if there is anything in them you like. If you like it, tell us! If you have any suggestions, they will be gladly welcomed. Remember that this is your paper! If you like this composition—support it. Help us grow. So, once again—Howdy, lets get acquainted.”
Again, this sounds like something we would urge today.
The Clark News continued in that same format, covering sports, the annual rope pull, and receiving “deconstructive criticism” until fall 1927 when it was reformatted into a legitimate newspaper, complete with all the stylistic embellishments that are expected of a newspaper. It continued its self-proclaimed role of “that of advertiser, informer, and commenter.”
At one point, an editor thought it part of the student newspaper’s job to encourage a cultural engagement from the students, suggesting that The Scarlet arrange a trip to see the Boston Pops, showing how the role of the student newspaper has been debated throughout the years.
In its first broadsheet edition, The Clark News delivers a front-page story about its own beginnings.
In fall of 1939, the Clark News suddenly becomes The Scarlet, accompanied with a few remarks from editors about the process and letters to the editor wishing the staff the best under their new name.
Since this change, the name has fluctuated back and forth over the decades, coming with a new outlook, outcry to the community, or viewpoint.
In the late 40s, it became The Clark Scarlet, dropping the “Clark” in the 70s. The typeface of the name has also changed drastically, reflecting the shifting aesthetics from serif, gothic style to curvy, groovier fonts in the 60s and 70s.
From these examples, it’s plain to see that what constitutes our newspaper today is unique. Why did all of this happen? What makes a medium change in the context of its time, culture, and location? As we will see in installments to come each period had a specific tone and purpose, reflecting changes in student opinion, changes in American culture, and changes in what was considered taboo.
Next week, we’ll hear from Al Southwick ’41, the newspaper’s managing editor when the name first changed from The Clark News to The Scarlet. President Atwood hated the idea, but what did Southwick and then Editor-in-Chief Ben Baghikian do to convince him? Find out next week!
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