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Student Newspapers Collection

 Collection
Identifier: RG 5.15.1

Scope and Content Note

Of interest is the final May 1936 issue of Dee N Ess that contains a foreword written by the school's president, Ralph C. Jenkins, entitled "What's In a Name?" In the piece, President Jenkins discussed the meaning of the word "normal" in the school's title and its implications for the school's mission. It was at this time that the school's name changed to Danbury Teachers' College. The newspaper reflected the changes taking place at the school by changing its name in the fall of 1936.

Volume and issue numbering is inconsistent throughout the first twenty-year-run of the newspapers. Volume numbers stop and start at random and the number of a particular issue is sometimes duplicated or left off all together.

As of the first publication of The Echo in 1955, issue and volume numbering is normalized, and the Archives holds a complete set. Issues after 2002 have not been processed but the Archives holds copies.

Dates

  • Creation: 1931-2002

Creator

Access Restrictions

Open for research without restrictions.

Use Restrictions

Permission to publish materials must be obtained in writing from the:
Ruth A. Haas Library
Archives and Special Collections
181 White Street
Danbury, CT 06810
Phone: 203-837-8992
E-mail: stevensb@wcsu.edu

Historical/Biographical Note

The Western Connecticut State University (WCSU) student newspaper went through several incarnations before it became The Echo in 1955.

The oldest surviving student "newspaper" dates from October 16, 1931. However, the masthead indicates that this was the first issue of the eighth volume of Dee N Ess (phonetic spelling for "DNS" -Danbury Normal School) and was a mimeographed publication more akin to a newsletter. It may be that the first issues were published in the early 1920s. The publication contained campus news, student writings (essays and poetry primarily), comics, and artwork. In 1936, the Danbury Normal School became the Danbury Teachers' College. The newspaper reflected the changes taking place at the school by changing its name in the fall of 1936. Dee Tee Cee continued Dee N Ess. In 1941, the name changed again to Campus Crier. The Archives does not have any copies of newspapers from 1942 through the spring of 1944. This may be due to the fact that student organizations curtailed their activities during the war years. In March of 1944, the student newspaper reemerged, this time under the name: The Inkling. The Inkling took on a more professional look, was typeset and contained photographs.

In 1948 when the college adopted a new constitution and emerged as the Danbury State Teachers' College, the student paper repositioned itself again as The Courier. This was another step toward becoming a more professional publication and, for a while, it even adopted the more traditional newspaper-style tabloid format. However, The Courier evolved into a more literary publication and in the spring of 1953 a group of students started publishing a second newspaper, The Supplement . It operated as a more informal but carried on with more student-newspaper-like content than The Courier.

In 1955 The Supplement took on a new and enduring moniker: The Echo. From November 23, 1955 to the present, this has been the primary student newspaper for the university.

Extent

26 Linear Feet (17 boxes)

Language of Materials

English

Abstract

The collection includes newspapers published by student through the history of Western Connecticut State University and its institutional antecedents.

Arrangement

Folders are chronologically within each subject/author heading.

The files are grouped into 1 series.

Missing Title

  1. Inventory

Provenance

Ongoing transfer to the University Archives.

Title
Guide to the Student Newspapers Collection Student newspaper publications of the Danbury Normal School, Danbury Teachers College, Danbury State Teachers College, Western Connecticut State College and Western Connecticut State University
Status
Unverified Full Draft
Author
Meg Moughan and Mary Rieke
Language of description
English
Script of description
Code for undetermined script
Language of description note
Description is in English.
Edition statement
This version was derived from Student Newspapers.doc

Repository Details

Part of the Western Connecticut State University Archives and Special Collections Repository

Contact:
Haas Library
181 White St
Danbury 06810 USA US
203.837.8992
203.837.8322 (Fax)