The annual, or yearbook was a popular element of student life at many colleges and universities during the 20th century. It has become less common in the past thirty years, but some institutions continue publication of yearbooks into the 21st century. Eastern Washington University has not published a student annual since the 1980s, and the large yearbook ended publication with the 1971 edition of the Kinnikinick. Between 1903 and 1984, a student annual was published, with the bulk of the publication occurring under the title Kinnikinick between 1923 and 1972.
There is no indication that the Benjamin P. Cheney Academy ever published a yearbook. The earliest student annual was produced after the academy had become the Cheney State Normal School (CSNS). The early yearbooks of the CSNS were published between 1903 and 1908, under different titles. Between 1914 and 1922 an annual senior issue of the Kinnikinick magazine was published to highlight the events of the previous year, and the achievements of the graduating class. In 1923 the Kinnickinick became the annual, and the magazine was discontinued, much of its function having been assumed by the weekly student newspaper which began publication in 1916. As an annual, the Kinnikinck published until 1972, with the final edition being a small, paper bound volume. Several small yearbooks were published between 1972 and 1984. The last yearbook departed from the tradition of highlighting graduates, and was focused on the entering freshman class of 1984.
Over its history, Eastern Washington University has appropriated various parts of American Indian culture, which are reflected in many of these documents. This manifests in everything from the name of the yearbook itself to examples of students “playing Indian” as part of club activities and the annual “Passing of the Arrow” where a female senior student dressed in buckskin would symbolically pass an arrow to a female student from the junior class symbolizing the passing of leadership from one class to the next. From 1923-1973, the school nickname was the Savages, almost exclusively represented as a male American Indian. These representations range from caricatures to more lifelike images to students wearing redface during events. The University no longer condones the appropriation of Indigenous nor any other marginalized cultures, while at the same time promoting honest discussion about University history. The online presentation of University publications containing images of the Savage and other representations of American Indians are intended to provide evidence informing such discussions.
The yearbooks have been scanned and placed on this site as PDF files. Not all yearbooks are available online. If you have questions or need information from a yearbook not available here, please contact the EWU Archives and Special Collections.
| Title | Publication Dates |
|---|---|
| Green & White | 1903 |
| Rhododendron | 1904-1908 |
| Kinnikinick | 1923-1972 |
| Graduate Record | 1975/1976-1981 |
| New Student Handbook | 1984 |
