A snapshot into the past

[Gingerella72]

I work at the University of Nebraska at Kearney (UNK), and just discovered the library has archived scanned images of almost 50 years worth of yearbooks, ranging in date from 1908 - 1980's. What's even better, is that those scanned images are available to look at online! (UNK began as "Kearney Normal School" in 1904, then became "Kearney State Teacher's College", finally ending up as part of the University system in the 90's.)

It's been a really slow day here in the office so I've spent most of it browsing through the years. It's an awesome way to see "real" people doing "real" things from the past.....hairstyles, clothing styles, sense of humor of the era in photo captions, exterior shots of places around town (REAL soda fountains!) and around campus, blurbs on current events of the day....of particular interest to me was the book from 1942, talking about WWII and the effect it was having on the campus and community....

Of course, it's more relevant to me because I've lived in Kearney all my life AND work on the campus, and can recognize places as they used to be, BUT even for non-natives, it's fun to look at this snapshot into the past. If you're bored like I am, check it out!

http://www.unk.edu/acad/library/ref/index.php?id=33946

 

[Undertow]

Wow, that is fascinating!

This might be good for anyone interested in vintage hair cuts.

Great resource, thanks! :cool2:

 

[Fletch]

IIRC, it was still called Kearney State (University) in the 80s. I think Jeff Daniels' character taught there in Terms of Endearment (1984).

 

[Foofoogal]

I love old yearbooks. I picked up one from 1964 for .25 recently. Neat graphics.
That is very neat. I have alot of old magazines and like to look at them when I want to get away from 2008 for a bit. Like the last 2 months. lol

 

[CaddyKid21]

Thats Super cool. I looked at the 1956 book, and I must say I've never seen so many flattops!

 

[Gingerella72]

IIRC, it was still called Kearney State (University) in the 80s. I think Jeff Daniels' character taught there in Terms of Endearment (1984).

Hmm, I thought that all took place in Lincoln at the University there. I haven't ever seen it all the way through, though, so I could be wrong.

 

[Gingerella72]

I love old yearbooks. I picked up one from 1964 for .25 recently. Neat graphics.
That is very neat. I have alot of old magazines and like to look at them when I want to get away from 2008 for a bit. Like the last 2 months. lol

I hear ya!

I loved looking at the photos from downtown Kearney, and lamenting that it doesn't look like that anymore and none of the cool shops and cafes remain. How I wish I could go back in time!

 

[Gingerella72]

Thats Super cool. I looked at the 1956 book, and I must say I've never seen so many flattops!

LOL! And many of the girls have almost identical hairstyles as well....

Ever notice how in those photos of kids in their late teens and early 20's, they look so much older than that? It's always seemed that way to me, anyway.

 

[ScionPI2005]

Amazing! That must have been some task to get all those yearbooks online.

I really like the 1946 one...the memorial pages to the Veterans is very nice.

 

[AmateisGal]

Ooh! As a fellow Nebraskan, I can't wait to look at these. What a neat idea!