A Window into the World of Students: An Analysis of 1920s High School Student Newspapers

Abstract

In the 1920s, a distinctly new and important form of journalism emerged: the high school newspaper. Drawing on early journalism textbooks, education journals, and student newspapers themselves, this chapter discusses the early structure of these publications—their production process, place within the curriculum, and acceptance within the high school. It also examines how newspapers facilitated the development of the youth voice and how their popularity raised questions about control and power. This chapter explores the conflicts that emerged over the content of high school newspapers, and the role high school journalism occupied in the media landscape. As student newspapers became increasingly popular, various entities, including institutional actors and college journalism educators, sought to define and restrict the position these print products occupied.