From 1915 to 2007, the Alfarata served as Juniata College's visual record of each academic year. Each edition held snapshots of the year's traditions, athletic events, candid moments, and portraits of the senior class.
The Alfarata's first edition was released in 1915 as a senior project and was dedicated to college president M.G. Brumbaugh, whom the students credited as having helped them to realize what the college motto, "Veritas Liberat," meant in application to life and character. No Alfarata was published in 1916, but it returned the following year in 1917. The yearbook disappeared again from 1918 to 1920, then finally reappeared with annual permanence in 1921.i
Purchasing an edition of the Alfarata was possible only through a high-cost subscription until 1935, when a student vote determined that the cost would be included in the "incidental fee," lowering the cost to five dollars. The campus weekly Juniatian, reported that the change formally transformed the Alfarata from a "class book" to a "college annual."ii
Until 2007, the Alfarata printed annually, each edition capturing yearly trends, events, and changes. Major campus changes like the construction and remodeling of campus buildings made the pages of the Alfarata. In 1964, the construction of Beeghly Library was featured as students were photographed carrying library books in sequential order from Carnegie Hall to the new construction. Long forgotten traditions such as the Raft Regatta and All Class Night are recorded in the yearbook, as well. While longstanding traditions such as Mountain Day and Storming of the Arch feature in almost every edition. The ever-controversial mascot change from the “Indians” to the “Eagles” was recorded in the pages and on the cover of the 1995 yearbook.iii The cover of each yearbook gave a significant impression of the contents inside. From 1915 to 1959, the only colors used were navy blue, dark green, brown, or white. The 1960 and 1970 yearbooks broke the trend by using a bright, eye-catching red and a lime green cover, respectively. Only one edition of the Alfarata used a photograph to completely cover the book. An autumn scene of picturesque cliffs, a popular hiking spot near Juniata's campus, envelops the 1981 book and evokes a strong feeling of nostalgia for both alumni and current Juniata students for whom the cliffs are well known. Juniata's first fighting mascot, the Indian, made its first appearance on the cover in 1921 and appeared only twice after. In stark contrast, the official college seal can proudly be seen on twenty-nine of the eighty-four editions. Other symbols of Juniata's school spirit such as Founders Hall also appear on several covers.iv
As popularity and creative ability expanded, the Alfarata staff often chose a theme for each edition that captured the essence of the academic year in the opening pages. The 1991 Alfarata was the first to creatively incorporate the theme, "It's Just a Label," into the cover design. Subsequent years followed suit choosing equally creative and uplifting themes such as "Improving Excellence," "Impressions," and "Off the Record."v
The Alfarata held the responsibility to record the clubs and their members each year. Many clubs still in existence today such as Laughing Bush, Campus Ministry Board, the American Chemical Society, the Juniatian, and even the Ski Club have their long histories recorded in the Alfarata. Other clubs like the Men's and Women's House and Pep Band have come and gone as the social dynamic of Juniata College has changed. Most interestingly, the class of 1972 created their own senior portraits and did not alphabetize class members by their last name, a definite contrast to the more traditional and organized portraits from previous years. Candid shots in various yearbooks show Juniatians' trendy hair and clothing styles that were popular in each decade.vi
The first edition of the Alfarata to be published in complete color released in 2006. In the previous years, only the senior portraits section included color. However, the very first addition of color fell on the introductory pages of the 1981 yearbook. The first senior portraits to feature color belonged to the 1985 edition. Thereafter, only the senior portrait section featured color.vii
Responsibility for producing the Alfarata initially fell to the junior class but occasionally switched to the senior class. In the early 2000s, under the direction of Professor Amy Mathur, the Alfarata became a for-credit class open to all students every semester.viii
As the digital age commenced, purchasing the Alfarata became less of a necessity for students. Digital photography allowed Juniata students to take limitless photos, and the popularity of social media also allowed students to share and store personal photos. In 2007, the decision was made to cancel the production of the Alfarata. Its absence was most strongly felt by staff members who devoted significant time to photographing, designing, and creating the pages of the Alfarata. The establishment of a digital version of the yearbook was proposed but never came to fruition.iv
Today, copies of the Alfarata sit on bookshelves in the homes of alumni and the college archives serving as records of the social and academic history of our beloved Juniata College.
Andrea Zilch '19
Bibliography
Amy Mathur. Interview by author. Juniata College, Feb. 13, 2017.
Kaylor, Earl, C. Juniata College: Uncommon Vision, Uncommon Loyalty: The History of an Independent College in Pennsylvania Founded by the Brethren 1876-2001. Huntingdon, PA: Published by Juniata College, 2001.
The Alfarata. Juniata College. All volumes, 1915-2007.
Notes
i. Earl, C. Kaylor, Juniata College: Uncommon Vision, Uncommon Loyalty: The History of an Independent College in Pennsylvania Founded by the Brethren 1876-2001 (Huntingdon, PA: Juniata College, 2001), 132.
ii. Kaylor, 181.
iii. Alfarata. Juniata College. 1964, 140; 1995, 2.
iv. Ibid., 1960, 1970, 1981.
v. Ibid., 1991, 1995, 2000, 2007.
vi. Ibid., 1972.
vii. Ibid., 2006, 1981, 1985.
viii. Amy Mathur. Interview by author. Juniata College, Feb. 13, 2017.
ix. Ibid.