In memoriam of the Daily Spectator and as an excuse for another #tbt, Bwog Columbianaphile Britt Fossum entered again into the treasure trove that is the Columbia Archives to seek knowledge and funny pictures of Spectator Staff from years past.

Look, people should calm down about Spec cutting print down from daily to weekly. First of all, as specsucks has pointed out several times, the newspaper did not publish on weekends so they were never really “The Daily Spectator.” But more importantly, look at weekly publication as an improvement from the very first edition of the paper in 1877 when it was “Semi-Monthly.” In the intervening years, the newspaper not only expanded publication but also moved from 49th street to right above the 112th street Pinkberry.

But if Spectator staff members are really so upset about the change then perhaps they should do what past spectator staffs have done—go on strike. A scanned statement from the Spectator dated Thursday, March 28, 1935 states quite plainly that a long list of valued Spectator writers would be holding a rally at Hamilton. But what could be so terrible that the entire staff would stand united behind a strike of such vast proportions? Against structural changes in the way Spec was run, essentially stripping the EIC of the control of the paper, organized by “the high-handed and arbitrary procedure of the Student Board. We appeal to you (the student body) to unite with us now in our plea for an open, democratic student referendum. We ask your support in our attempt to preserve the Spectator against perilous encroachments.” Clearly they were successful, as the current Spectator Editor in Chief clearly has the ability to make important decisions about the future of the paper. And even if the changes are complained about by pretty much ever Spectator alum on twitter, Abby Abrams did it for the good of the daily semi-monthly Weekly Spectator.

All photographs from the Columbia Archives. A special thanks to Jocelyn Wilk for her help.