Tuesday, October 28, 2008

Bonfire of the Homecoming


On the top, part of a page from the 1970 Linfield yearbook. Note the "red hot"
Homecoming bonfire photo. Immediately above, a photo which appears in the 1970
Parkrose, Ore., High School (also known as Parkrose High School of Portland, Ore.) yearbook. It's the same photo.


Next time you thumb through the 1970 Linfield Oak Leaves and 1970 Parkrose, Ore., High School Equus Ferox student yearbooks, compare the Homecoming bonfire photos. It’s the same photo. What gives? True confession: In the spring/summer of 1970, as the Linfield yearbook was being prepared for publication, concern was expressed by the yearbook publisher in Salem, Ore., about various parts of the Linfield yearbook. A just graduated from Linfield Oak Leaves staff member lived in Salem and became the 1970 Linfield yearbook’s de facto pre-press coordinator. Looking at each page of the book, the coordinator noticed the photo of Linfield’s Homecoming bonfire was washed out/over exposed. It didn’t look good. Expressing concern, a publisher’s employee showed the coordinator a well exposed Homecoming bonfire photo which was to appear in the Parkrose yearbook, which it also published. Presto change-o. At direction of the coordinator, the Parkrose photo replaced the Linfield photo. That’s the story. Don’t tell anyone!