Annual publication has always been a sign of the times

In the first years of the University of Connecticut, the closest thing there was to a yearbook was a keepsake edition of the student newspaper.

Starting in 1896, seniors looked forward to the final edition of The Lookout and then later to Connecticut Campus as each featured photos and profiles of the graduating class. In 1915, that changed with the first edition of Nutmeg, which for more than 35 years profiled members of the junior class, who could then have the yearbook available during their entire senior year for signing by friends and faculty. Seniors became the focus of Nutmeg in 1952, around the time that color photographs were introduced into the yearbook.

The design of Nutmeg has changed considerably over the years—from the Pilgrim-themed and hand-illustrated edition in 1931 and the pop-up of the Wilbur Cross Library in 1958 to the 1971 multi-volume paperback edition that mimicked Time and Sports Illustrated magazines. What has remained constant is the effort to provide a chronicle of the life and times of UConn students as they pursued their educational goals.

Above, left:Traditional 1931 and artsy 1979 editions. Above, right: Parodies of Time and Sports Illustrated. Below, the design and layout of the Nutmeg yearbook has reflected the changing times over the years.

-- Mark J. Roy '74 (CLAS)