The Ontarion, autonomous and independent turns 65
In preparation for the winter semester, I had the staff at The Ontarion provide a number article pitches that would potentially become a centre story. Specifically, the pitch that stuck out in my mind the most, without a doubt, had to be celebration of The Ontarion’s 65-year anniversary.
Since taking over as Editor-in-Chief in May 2015, I’ve been constantly fascinated by the history of the paper—looking through forgotten drawers and dusty filing cabinets in search of any memento that could tell a story.
When the 65-year anniversary of the paper rounded the corner, the opportunity to research, learn, and embrace the history of The Ontarion came forward. The staff and I spent the ensuing week going through all of the archives that we could get our hands on. Seeing old advertisements for Rush concerts at the U of G, reading abrasive and sexist letters to the editor, and looking at crucial historical moments through the lens of former writers of The Ontarion all served as highlights. While writing the article and commemorating 65 years of student journalism brought up sentimental feelings, perhaps what I will remember most fondly was the time spent in the office with the staff, leafing through the archives one page at a time.
-Emilio Ghloum
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