The first known photo of Earlham, an image of Earlham Hall from 1855, would be as recognizable to Earlhamites of its early decades as for those of present day. Its red brick, symmetrical wings and crowning cornice are emblematic for the College.
As all Earlhamites familiar with our campus will know, however, the photographed building is not the one that currently stands. After 100 years or so, old Earlham Hall was showing its age and a new Earlham Hall was built, one for which electricity and modern plumbing weren’t a second thought. As soon as the new Earlham Hall was completed in 1957, the original was knocked down.
I don’t see us repeating that process anytime soon, but it is a helpful reminder for us in a year when we are marking our 175th anniversary as an institution: Let us always keep what is best and beautiful about Earlham and optimize it with an eye on what serves its students even better now and in the future.
In this issue, you will read how we are doing just that through the Epic Journey, the College’s signature framework for the liberal arts. In the Epic Journey, our alumni will see all of the elements of the Earlham education they knew as a student, and they will see also a powerful new approach for connecting students to their lives and careers after Earlham.
While we continually look to the future, a milestone anniversary wouldn’t be complete without a nod to Earlham’s past. This issue includes a humorous trip back in history as generations of serious students share stories of decidedly unserious antics.
There are more fun memories to be made, of course. With that in mind, I invite you to join us for Homecoming and Reunion Weekend, Oct. 13-16. This will be our first in-person homecoming celebration for a few years now, and I hope you are able to reconnect with friends and celebrate one another—and this wonderful place we have called home for 175 years
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