March 29, 1951—The Ontarion publishes its very first issue
Out of the wings of the Ontario Agricultural College came the first ever issue of The Ontarion. Though the paper served the OAC, OVC, and the Macdonald Institute, the paper’s name is derived from the hope that the three schools would merge into the University of Ontario. One imagines a different world where The Guelphite publishes every Thursday.
Sept. 24, 1964—The Ontarion becomes the official independent sudent newspaper at the University of Guelph
As the OAC, OVC, and Macdonald Institute united to form the University of Guelph in May 1964, The Ontarion became the university’s official school paper the following term. To this day, The Ontarion strives to cover a wide variety of issues that are important to all members of the university—and local—community.
June 21, 1968—The Ontarion joins the electronic age
As 1968’s editor so aptly put it, “The hardware is the new IBM typesetter equipment. The software is none of your business.” By adding advanced tech to the inventory, The Ontarion was able to pump out more content, while simultaneously being able to put out more than one paper a week.
Oct. 16, 1970—RCMP raids The Ontarion at the presses
Student newspapers are, by definition, forces that challenge authority. On Oct. 16, 1970, The Ontarion quickly learned that challenging authority comes at a cost, especially when that authority is the Federal Government of Canada. RCMP officers seized Ontarion printing plates, after the paper published a flyer containing the Front de Liberation du Quebec’s (FLQ) manifesto. The Ontarion released a new issue to make sure that the University of Guelph knew about the raid.
Sept. 3, 1974—The Ontarion forced out of office in Massey Hall
Believe it or not, The Ontarion wasn’t always based out of the second floor of the UC. After all, the paper is over 20-years-younger than the University Centre. When the editorial team was first issued notice of the move, the team insisted on remaining in their old offices. Eventually, however, the paper’s home changed. Thankfully, the paper’s goals, beliefs, and ideologies remained the same: Deliver the news.
Oct. 27, 1983—The Ontarion hosts media hub for pierre Elliott Trudeau’s press corps
When former prime minister Trudeau visited the University of Guelph for a lecture, an international team of reporters came in tow. For a brief day, The Ontarion office transformed into even more of a hub of political jargon, reportage, and mass media. The Ontarion’s editorial team—as well as a group of volunteers—were afforded the opportunity to literally rub elbows with reporters and editors involved in covering the former PM’s movements.
Feb. 25, 1997—First colour photos printed in The Ontarion
While The Ontarion had been publishing issues with colour before this day, images and graphics were typically lacking in colour. Prior to featuring colour photos, the paper printed black and white images with a colour wash. While colourful, images were not in colour.
Sept. 2002—Transition to fully digital production and layout
As any member of this year’s team will attest, digital production has immensely sped up workflow and increased efficiency and productivity. You don’t need to be a third-year economics major to appreciate the positive changes—like synergy—brought on by a complete shift to digital production.
Nice story. I was EIC in 1983-84 when Trudeau the elder was here. Not only did we host the media, we set up a bar in the office and sold them beer for the princely sum of $2 a bottle and made a tidy profit. Which we spent on a party.
One correction: the first full colour photos appear in 1984, the final edition of the Winter Semester. They were rare and expensive to do, but the technology was there long before it became common place to see full colour.