November 2003 – February 2004
The university yearbook—a popular way to chronicle student life—has faced extinction on some campuses in recent years. The University of Iowa’s yearbook, The Hawkeye, began in 1891 as a project of the junior class and ceased publication in 1992, when it fell victim to rising costs and declining interest.
Despite its demise over a decade ago, The Hawkeye remains the most-used reference source in the University Archives. Through photographs, illustrations and prose, it captures many aspects of the student’s world: academics, athletics, social life, political activism, work, and residence life. While not a complete or in any way official record of university life, The Hawkeye nonetheless serves up rich and rewarding memories for those who seek them.
Fleeting Are the Shadows: A Century of Yearbooks at the University of Iowa borrows its name from the text of the 1952 edition of The Hawkeye: “No matter how fleeting are the shadows which we as individuals cast upon this campus — the buildings, the people, the ideals, are all permanent facets in our memories.”
From 1892 until 1946, The Hawkeye was published by the junior class and named for its year of graduation. For example, the 1900 edition of The Hawkeye actually chronicled the 1898-99 school year. From 1946 until 1972, Student Publications, Inc., publisher of The Daily Iowan, assumed responsibility for the yearbook. During this period, the year of the annual referred to the previous school year. For example, the 1958 edition covered the 1957–58 term. Following a six-year hiatus in the 1970s, The Hawkeye resumed publication in 1978 as a project of the Student Activities Center until it ceased publication in 1992.
In addition to the University Archives, Department of Special Collections, a set of The Hawkeye is available for check-out from the Main Library stacks in the folio section of the fifth floor, west area: fLD2577.H3.
Prepared by Stephen Dew, David McCartney, Kelly Rohder, Duncan Stewart, Kathy Wachel, and Carlette Washington-Hoagland, with the assistance of Kristin Baum, Julie Smith, and Kelly Avant.