Into the Archives

With a pull of a string, a bare lightbulb sheds rays of yellow light on the thick film of dust that lines the two shelved walls. The light illuminates a room in Samo’s cafeteria that is unknown to most of the student body. Many students are unaware that hundreds yearbooks, photos, trophies and other memorabilia are stored in one room from graduating classes that date back to 1891. Although after graduation, several students may never see one another again, their high school experiences come together and are preserved in this archive room.The archive on our campus exists in great part thanks to the Santa Monica High School Alumni Association’s (SAA), which consists of alumni (parents and volunteers) of past years. The archive itself is split into three areas, the Yearbook Center, Archive Room and the display cases.In the first room, the Yearbook Center, all of Samo yearbooks are stored, along with binders of photos made by SAA to have for every class reunion.Next door to the Center is the Archive room which is small and crowded but carefully organized.On the shelves in this room, boxes filled with old school newspapers, clippings, files and awards given to Samo along with other artifacts dating line the two walls, looked on by a framed portrait of one of Samo’s original principals, “Principal Barnum.” Here, extra yearbooks are collected to sell to alumni whose books were previously lost or damaged, a feature of the archive considered to be one of the biggest conveniences for alumni.According to Dean of Students Catherine Baxter, people, now more than ever, must value the importance of recording and preserving history and keeping records in an archive. In 2013, people have the tendency to document their lives through the Internet and social media over remembering with physical memorabilia, and in this way skewing the accuracy of what they remember and have to show for their past.SAA’s Program Director Katie Ogle and her volunteers have worked hard to not only collect everything for the archive, but also to maintain it and keep it up-to-date. According to Ogle, SAA members strive to involve the Samo community and present students to donate, respect and admire the archive.“The Archival Room as well as the display cases are important to the SAA because it is a way for people to connect the past with the present and the future. It is a way for the SAA to promote our school’s legacy,” Ogle said.ekohut@thesamohi.com