PRINTA Brief History of MU’s Savitar Yearbook
1929 Savitar courtesy of MU Archives
The rich design of the Savitar lost its flair through the years as campus enrollment grew. This illustration is one of the divider pages from the 1929 volume.
July 15, 2009 | 12:00 p.m. CST
1894
First edition of Savitar prints multiple-page essays about each school and includes poems and a listing of every student.
Pre-World War II era
A richly designed book contains photos of a majority of the student body and acts as a social barometer. The book documents maps of fraternity houses at the time, as well as how the houses were used as barracks during the war.
1950s-1960s
Campus enrollment grows exponentially, and the book is unable to encapsulate the experience of so many people.
1970s-1980s
The yearbooks are still rich with text and maintain records of residence halls, organizations and Greek life, as well as records of academic departments and buildings.
1990s
The aesthetic and documentary values of the book weaken as student interest wanes. A couple of thousand copies sell annually.
2005
Diehl leads a final effort to revive the book in a magazine-like format. But with a staff of seven and little connection to the campus, they are unable to produce a creative product that appeals to students. In the fall, the Missouri Students Association cuts funding for the book.
2006
The final edition prints in the spring. A student edits an online version in the fall, but it only lasts only one semester.
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