Daniel Baker College Yearbooks

History

Daniel Baker College began as a small Presbyterian school, established in 1889 in Brownwood, Texas. In the late 1940's, the school became affiliated with Southwestern University. Early fifties yearbooks associate it with the Episcopal College of the Southwest. In 1953 Daniel Baker College became a part of Howard Payne College, a small Baptist School, and long-time rival, also located in Brownwood. Howard Payne College thus acquired the tangible assets of Daniel Baker, including several buildings, as well as books from the McClelland Memorial Library, and the printed materials published by Daniel Baker College. Several familiar Daniel Baker College buildings will be seen in the Howard Payne College yearbook publication "The Lasso" under different names and functions, such as the Daniel Baker Administration Building that later became The Douglas MacArthur Academy of Freedom.

The first yearbook was published in 1913, and was called "The Trail." Yearbooks were published by the student body on a somewhat erratic annual basis: 1913-1917, 1920-22, and 1924-26. In 1929, a paper-bound volume was issued with the title The Hill Billy It was to be a substitute for The Trail, which had ceased publication for a period of five years in order that more funding might "go toward the erection of a gymnasium for the college" (title page of 1929 issue of The Hill Billy). The Hill Billy was published from 1929-1931. The Trail began publication again in 1933, and was again published on a somewhat sporadic basis until 1952. Early volumes of The Trail were dedicated to founders, presidents, and educators, among them: Dr. and Mrs. B. T. McClelland, Mr. and Mrs. S. R. Coggin, Mr. Brooke Smith and others.

About the Collection

The Trail yearbook was published sporadically by the student body of Daniel Baker College from 1913 (first issue) to 1952 (last issue). In typical yearbook fashion, the issues provide a pictorial and literary chronicle of yearly events in the life of the college and surrounding community. The purpose as stated by the editorial staff of the 1938 issue was "to portray the pageant of school life as it has passed before our eyes during the school year" and to pass "living memories of the school down through the years to come!" The 1929-1931 yearbook issues were published under the title The Hill Billy. The Trail had ceased publication for a period of five years in order that more funds might go toward the erection of a gymnasium for the college. The Trail began publication again in 1933. The earliest known issue of 1913 began its numbering with volume 1. Volume numbers are consistent up through 1926, volume 11, showing that there were some years in which the title was apparently not published at all. Volume number was apparently discontinued after 1926, so it is difficult to ascertain if there may have been other issues published that are not in the library collection.