By Jim Killam
Star Adviser
Tim O'Malley made a great observation at our recent Northern Star Alumni
Board meeting. Looking back at the Feb. 27 Centennial Dinner, he remarked
that the evening captured the dichotomy that makes the Star such a great
experience. One side offers the fun and camaraderie of a nose-thumbing group
like Tri-Swine Omega. On the other side lies the seriousness of chronicling
history and serving as the NIU community's watchdog.
This year at the Star, we've been thinking about ways to mark the 100th
year of a student newspaper at NIU, and to reflect the Star's unique atmosphere
and culture.
The first happened Feb. 27, with a great turnout at the centennial dinner.
We're also looking at holding a big open house this fall to coincide with
the actual anniversary, the first week of October. And there's been a daily
item on page 2 of the paper noting an event or two from the Star archives.
Maybe the most visible thing we're doing -- and the project that best illustrates
Tim's point to those outside of the Star "family" -- is the centennial
magazine that's due out this fall. It combines Star history and NIU history,
since they coincide. There will be famous front pages, memories from Star
alums, history of the student newspaper and big events in NIU history as
seen through the eyes of the Star.
There's a practical side to planning something of this magnitude and quality:
The Star's staff is stretched to its limits just to produce a daily paper.
We didn't want to harm the daily paper or overburden our students by taking
on a project this size. Here's the solution we arrived at: This spring I
taught Journalism 461, specialized press editing. About 75 percent of the
class members were Star students anyway. So, the Star's Management Board
voted to commission the class to do the magazine. The Star gets final editorial
control and can reject or change any part of it. And, we have been clear
with the journalism faculty that this doesn't represent a change in the
Star's general policy not to accept class assignments as news stories.
That said, let me preview of what we think will be a great keepsake ...
and another example of the Star's combination of fun and serious business.
There are stories and memories, of course, of Roy Campbell and Jerry Thompson.
Tri-Swine Omega makes an appearance. So do Clyde Wingfield, Richard Nelson
and others who wish Star reporters had majored in anything but journalism.
The infamous "blank issue" from 1984 resurfaces, as do the editorials
from the first issues of the Northern Illinois (1899) and the Northern Star
(1954).
Of course, we'll miss some people and events. No single magazine can cover
100 years of history. But we do hope the publication conveys the Star's
personality and rich history, and that it brings back some great memories
for alums.
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