Voice From the Past

Silently, with its eyes demurely downeast, the '46 Album has joined us three and a half years late. The men it depicts at work and play have graduated, of course, but perhaps they will be interested. The advertisers have probably gone out of business, but those that remain will be interested to see what they were selling in 1946, and will no doubt be stimulated to advertise in later yearbooks by this display of kept bargains. The Corporation will have a chance to weigh the Album in one hand against the stub of a $5000 check in the other.

While the '46 Album is hastening to join the '47-'48 Album in the better-late-than-never department, the '49 Album, a veritable tyro in the field, has announced a tentative publication date of April 1, 1950. April Fool's Day being what it is, however, there is no reason to expect any new speed records in Album production.

All this calls attention to the next entry, the '50 publication. There is more hope here, though. The Council has shrewdly plucked the album portfolio away from the annual class committees and handed it over to a permanent self-producing group which hopes eventually to achieve independent status. The Council also agreed to make the thing a yearbook, aimed at all classes rather than an album confined to seniors.

There are many reasons for thinking that this new system will be a success. Not the least is that everyone is tired of flopping albums, and may be roused to more drastic action by further failures.

Albums are a tricky business--that is quite apparent. Perhaps yearbooks will be better.