CAPE GIRARDEAU, MO (KRCU) - Southeast Missouri State University’s student newspaper, The Arrow, celebrates its 100th anniversary today with a four page special edition that accompanies the regular edition.
The Arrow published its first issue on February 1, 1911.
The Arrow has always been run by students. Current faculty adviser Sam Blackwell says that he is more of a publisher and guide who provides feedback and shows staff members how they can improve.
Blackwell is a firm believer in covering local news because he believes students should know what is going on locally.
"I really do stress that we, Southeast Missouri State University, is part of Cape Girardeau. The students live in Cape Girardeau and they should know as much about their community as any other member of the community," Blackwell said.
Blackwell was sports editor for The Arrow in 1972. He says the biggest change between now and then is the internet. Today they often preview a sporting event in The Arrow and then put the results on their website. When Blackwell was an editor they might run scores from a game that happened a week prior.
The anniversary issue will be available today and will include features on former editors, faculty members who served on The Arrow staff, a pictorial history, an upcoming Arrow exhibit in Kent Library, and an editorial on the role of a student newspaper.
Matthew Caldwell, KRCU
