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Writer's pictureGuild Gazette

200 Years of Picture Days



3…, 2…, 1…Flash! Every student is familiar with the annual click and the bright lights that capture your yearbook photo. While millions of schools around the world look and work differently, one thing most have in common are picture days for the yearbook. Yearbooks are one of the most detailed ways to capture your school experience, the culture around it, any advances in technology, and the state of our planet. But how long has this been a tradition? 


Way back in 1806, the students at Yale University created the first official book filled with events, classes, faculty, and attendees. Since the photograph had not been invented yet, the book featured silhouettes of the students. What do you think your silhouette would have looked like back then, and do you think we should bring silhouettes in yearbooks back?


Before this ancient time, it was normal for students to make scrapbooks or memory books from the school year that included school mementos, newspaper clippings, and personal items. The tradition of signing your name in your classmate’s book became a custom during this time as well! Ask your parents or relatives this week if you can look at their old school yearbooks and look for the differences and similarities you see between their school experiences and yours. 


Don’t forget to purchase your 2024-25 Scholars Guild yearbook HERE. You are one of the millions of students participating in a generationally loved tradition!

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