For some of you this will be slightly old news, but for those not on the alumni email list, we have a fun announcement. The college yearbooks – Quips and Cranks – from 1895 to 2009 are now available online.
The Library undertook this digital project not just for trips down memory lane, but because yearbooks are serious resources for understanding changes in student life and culture. While they do not represent the complete history of any year or the experiences of all students, they do provide an essential window into the history of education.
Along with the photographs, researchers can find useful information through class histories, lists of clubs and activities, calendars, poems, advertisements, and even the cover designs.
Take these two covers for example. The 1895 cover has faded from its original colors of pink and blue – colors chosen to represent the role of the two literary societies in publishing the volume. By 1898, the cover colors have changed to reflect the arrival of intercollegiate athletics.
To learn more about the history of Quips and Cranks (including why this blog starts with Haste thee, nymph) and to explore the digital copies, use this link Quips and Cranks .
And if you’re curious about other North Carolina college yearbooks, check these out:
Elizabeth City State University
Speak Your Mind