The Pinnacle

The publication history of Berea’s official student newspaper, The Pinnacle, is recorded herein as accurately as possible:

Publication of the Pinnacle began in 1922, with v.1, no.1 being published on May 10, 1922.  After this first volume, new volume numeration began each fall semester of the academic year, with issues running through the end of the spring semester. The paper was originally published twice monthly—the first and last months of each semester sometimes only have one issue. Unfortunately, this publication pattern was not maintained over time, and has changed often over the years.

After the last issue of v.7 in the spring of 1928, publication ceased for two years. According to a 1944 letter from The Wallpaper editor publication ceased due to the lack of adequate funds. Publication continued beginning with a renumbering at v.1, no.1 on September 25, 1930. Issues from this date, and continuing through the spring semester of 1936, were published as inserts in the Berea Citizen. The publication pattern for this time period is currently unknown. The first issue of v.1 of this publication period includes the staff article titled “Resurrection,” in which the two year hiatus is discussed along with the student desire for the return of the paper.

The next publication change occurred in the fall of 1936. An inserted issue included in the Berea Citizen (October 15, 1936) explains that moving forward The Pinnacle would be published twice monthly as a stand-alone, separate publication. The paper was then, in fact, published bi-monthly on Saturdays alongside The Academy Lion. The Lion was the student paper associated with the Lower Division School, while the Pinnacle was associated with the Upper Division. For more information regarding the College divisions and the Academy School: see http://libraryguides.berea.edu/theacademyschool. [Note: The Academy Lion for this period of time is archived alongside The Pinnacle, but was before the date of note above (circa 1930-1934) published independently and later resurfaced as the student paper for the Foundation School (circa 1948-1949)]

After a period being published alongside each other, The Academy Lion and The Pinnacle merged to form a single paper, titled The Pinnacle Combined with The Lion. This took place with v.2, no.1 (Oct. 2, 1937). The front page article of this issue discusses this merger and includes a note indicating a return to weekly publication. This publication lasted through the spring of 1938. After which publication ceased once again from the fall of 1938 through the spring of 1954.  During this time of ceasation of the publication of The Pinnacle, students continuted to publish The Wallpaper.

When The Pinnacle, began publication anew in the fall of 1954, an article was included discussing the name choice in addition to the legacy of The Wallpaper. The Wallpaper, began circulation 1939/1940 and ran through the spring of 1954. It is noted as being published during the war years in the form of one or two typewritten copies and posted on campus bulletin boards for all to read due to a shortage of pressmen and materials. Several copies of The Wallpaper from this period are archived separately from The Pinnacle.

The modern Pinnacle came into existence on September 25, 1954, with numbering reset at v.1, no.1.  While there was a clear attempt to maintain a weekly publication schedule, publication over the years has been inconsistent (appearing to regularly fit a twice monthly or monthly publication, depending on the year).

Beginning in the fall of 1989, volume numbering became inconsistent resulting in the skipping of several volume numbers. Numbering renewed consistency by moving forward with the next reasonable volume number, v.44. However in the fall of 1999, issues were given the label of 144^th year—the 144^th year since Berea’s founding. The reasoning for this is unknown. Afterwards, volume numbering was based as though these issues were v.144, explaining the large volume numbers labeling the paper today.

Through the 2018-2019 school year, The Pinnacle followed the basic publication pattern seen in years past, most often published once a month, beginning a new volume each fall semester and continuing through the spring semester. In the Fall of 2019, The Pinnacle ceased paper publication and became published as an online newspaper. The Pinnacle can now be found at: https://pinnacle.berea.edu/.

Note written by