Typically, a newspaper’s job at a birthday party is wrapping for the packaging, never the present itself. While this may be true for most cases, there is an exception for Norwich’s student-run newspaper, the Guidon. The Guidon is celebrating its 100th birthday this year. Though the students and academic advisers of the program celebrated in Mack Hall with cakes, balloons and a speech from President Anarumo, they may all be most excited about the possibility of a printed version of their newspaper. At the same time, this may seem a relatively small event; instead, it is an old tradition brought back to the Wick. The importance of the Guidon being heard and seen through a printed edition is imperative to preserving the legacy and tradition of Norwich.

The use of a printed newspaper started in Germany in 1609 and was a fundamental way to move information quickly from one place to the next. Now, 413 years later, a printed newspaper is starting to become extinct with the fast-coming digital media age. People no longer sit down and read the paper; rather, they use their thumbs to scroll through article after article with no end in sight. Many now rebuke the news due to the lack of foundation and trust in electronic information companies. There are so many articles to sift through that people need help to know what true journalism is. Unlike the clickbait articles of the internet, we dedicate the Guidon to giving hearty journalism to the students and faculty of Norwich. In which the first step in this process is to get back to a printed newspaper.

The Guidon was silenced during the Covid-19 pandemic, as with many other clubs and organizations. Without a newspaper for two years, Norwich yearned for a journalism program that brought a voice to the students. This voice would be best represented in a world that lacks the chaos of a device. The importance of the Guidon in print involves the ever-distracting use of our phones and computers. Digital media platforms constantly fight for our attention when we read their articles and receive different notifications. A print newspaper will never have this problem. Instead of fighting the temptations of checking our recent like on Instagram, having a printed newspaper will ensure that those reading the Guidon get the whole experience. It will be easier to be invested in the stories and journalism provided about the school with the upcoming changes and current events happening around campus.

Having a print newspaper also instills tradition, something we do not take lightly on the Hill. Traditions make Norwich the school it is; without these traditions, being a Norwich graduate would be much less meaningful. Norwich’s print newspaper tradition dates back to 1922 and remains a key part of our university’s success. Without the preservation of the Guidon’s printed edition, we would lose a fundamental aspect of our community. Therefore, it is essential, in our 100th year, that the newspaper be used rather as a gift to the students and faculty rather than wrapping.