The perception of the yearbook as a scrapbook is actually founded in its history.
In the 1600s students pasted their mementos (notes, programs, locks of hair)
onto pages which were bound. Two hundred years later, the autograph book and
scrapbook combined to give seniors a memory book to which were added poetry
and short essays.
According to Quill and Scroll Society, in 1806 Yale University published a booklet
entitled Profiles of Part of the Class Graduated at Yale College. This
might be considered the first senior section.
In 1845, according to Quill and Scroll Society, "the first high school
yearbook printed in the United States made its debut: The Evergreen,
published by Waterville (N.Y.) Academy. The second was The Annual, published
in 1846 at Hopkins Grammar School in New Haven, Connecticut.
Visit these lessons and activities for use with your yearbook staff.