Several centennial anniversaries are set to take place this year. The highest recorded temperature in the US (134 degrees Fahrenheit in Death Valley, Calif.), the return of the Mona Lisa after it was stolen from the Louvre two years prior and the printing of the first crossword in The New York Times. But for LHS students, this year marks another anniversary: The 100th edition of the Red & Black yearbook.
The first yearbook, paperback and a little over 100 pages, was produced in 1913 by The Budget staff. In the book, the editors explained this inaugural yearbook was “an undertaking of infinite details” that was meant to serve as “a record of our school life and work.” That year, the football team won three games, the drama department put on the production “Merchant of Venice” and the tallest senior was 6 feet and 2 inches.
Although the yearbook is now produced by yearbook staff members who use computer design software instead of typewriters and LHS is home to students taller than 6’ 2”, the aims and ideals of the yearbook have remained the same.
“The yearbook is very important,” junior staff member Gage Nelson said. “Without the yearbook everything that happened that year wouldn’t exist. There wouldn’t be a way to record or remember the year.”
Though every year the yearbook has a theme like “Converge” or “Designing Us,” the staff noted the historical significance of the book in this year’s theme. Originally entitled “Unparalleled,” the staff changed the theme to “Intersecting Our Past” in order to focus on the tradition of LHS as a school and the Red & Black yearbook as a school publication.
“The best part about being on yearbook this year is being a part of the 100th book,” said senior editor-in-chief Abby Gillam. “Since we are incorporating pictures from old books, I’ve been looking through all these old yearbooks. It’s really the definition of tradition and the fact that we are producing the 100th yearbook is awesome. It’s such a reward at the end of year.”
Many staff members agreed that working on the 100th edition was an honor, but also noted new challenges surrounding this year’s book.
“There is some pressure for it to be really good just because of how important tradition is at LHS, but I definitely think that it will be,” sophomore staff member Lizzy McEntire said.
And McEntire was right. Yearbook staff members said this book is one of the best in recent years.
“The cover and design elements are really good this year, way better than last year,” Nelson said.
This year’s book covers the usual events like homecoming and sports, but also included many new elements, like a feature on student mustaches and teachers’ high school pictures.
Gillam shared that her favorite page this year was one that traced fashion and trends throughout the ’40s, ’60s and ’80s.
“Acid-washed jeans and sweaters were everywhere,” Gillam said with a laugh.