Berntsen Library Blog

Homecoming Spotlight: 80 Years of Yearbooks

The Berntsen Library recently finished digitizing all of Northwestern's yearbooks dating back to 1922! The yearbooks are fully represented in a digital archive accessible here. The yearbook was originally an offshoot of the school's Pilot magazine, and it held the same name for four years before being branded The Scroll. 

Though the inception of the yearbook was 97 years ago, it experienced a gap in publication from 1967-1972 due to the closure of the College at the time. This is why we only have 82 issues of the Scroll to share with you. The last yearbook was produced in 2009, when Northwestern, like many other colleges and universities, ceased publishing a yearbook.

Each yearbook is fully searchable, so feel free to explore! Are you a second or third generation Eagle? You can read about alumni generations back, experience UNW's legacy of ministry and growth, or just get photographic proof of your dad's 80's hair! Just find the year you're looking for, click on the cover, and enter keywords or names in the "search inside" bar. 

To celebrate Homecoming, we thought it would be fun to look back on the festivities of previous years. 

Twenty years ago in 1999, Homecoming was hopping! Besides the Big Game, there was a parade, a relay race involving Jello-O, and a Concert of Prayer. 

 

Homecoming '83 boasted the theme of "Sail On," and students had fun with it! "Dress like you're on a cruise" day was a hit all around, as were the concert and banquet. 

 

In 1979, the Lady Eagles beat Bethel in a "tough volleyball confrontation." There was a spaghetti feed, a victorious football game, a disappointing soccer game, a huge cookout, a "Sadie Hawkins" style country music fest, and our own beloved President Berntsen announced the Homecoming Court on stage. 

 

What a blast from the past! Did you see any festivities that you think should be brought back? Have you searched out some of your own that aren't posted here? What is your favorite thing about Homecoming? We'd love to hear from you about how you're experiencing our newly digitized yearbooks. Reach out to us on social media or use our feedback form to let us know!