High school students dumbfounded by the number of errors in their yearbook

Yahoo News ^ | 5-15-14 | Charlene Sakoda

[Don Corleone]

This book was subcontracted out to a firm in Rio Linda.

[Flycatcher]

What would a yearbook be without at least one person signing, “Have a kickass Summer.”

I remember browsing through my dad's high school yearbook (he graduated in 1954). Just about every other signature in the book read: "To a swell guy."

Ya gotta love the 50s.

[Vinylly]

I was a yearbook adviser when I taught high school. Your first job is to pick a good staff, specially the editor. Then you should take the responsibility to make sure there is no errors or anything that is inappropriate. Then make sure deadlines are met. Somebody here was not doing their job, which points to the adviser.

[EDINVA]

Maybe school was different in the 50s-60s. My class recently held it’s 50th as a ‘destination’ weekend reunion, and enjoyed it so much, we had another ‘destination’ 51st that lasted a week. Attendance was 50% and 25% respectively.

During those decades, among us we’ve pursued a wide variety of careers, achieved any number of degrees, and scattered across the US and, in fact, the globe. Some have been unbelievably successful, others not so much. There was certainly no “peaking” at 18. But getting together has been enjoyed by everyone who attended, whether they were a ‘big wheel on campus’ or not, or whether they’re now a millionaire or just getting by.

[ErnBatavia]

I went to our 5th and then 10th reunion, and decided that the same cliques remained the same cliques....and since I didn’t run with any particular group decided that was enough......our 50th will be next year, and I’m not even going to consider it.

[IM2MAD]

For the 10th reunion, the guys decided to have dinner at Lombards because the waitresses were AWESOME.

For the 20th reunion, the guys decided on Lombards agian because the food was good and they had an exceptional wine cellar.

For the 30th reunion, they again chose Lombards because it was quiet and restful.

For the 40th reunion, the met at Lombards because they had elevators and wheelchair ramps.

They decided to meet at Lombards for their 50th because they had never been there before.

Just sayin’.

[Mears]

Great joke-—and this is from someone who has 60th college reunion this year.

.

[jch10]

My 55th is coming up. We have had a great time at all the previous get-togethers. I am looking forward to it. We have only lost four and enjoy seeing each other again.

I really liked high school and made life long friends there.

[Kackikat]

The books should be returned to the printer and reprinted correctly, or did they not pay for editing?

[napscoordinator]

I feel really sorry for kids who have to go to public school cuz their parents are so selfish and won’t pay the tuition for private school. I have friends who spent 2,000 a month for day care but say they can’t send their kids to catholic school because it is too expensive....7 grand a year. People can be so damn selfish.

[catfish1957]

You'd think these Year Book companies would get suspicious that every school has a guy named "Jack Mehoff"

Not surprised.

[huckfillary]

I agree completely. Anyone who sends their kids to public school should be arrested for child abuse.

[Grams A]

The fall will be our 55th also. At our 50th reunion, the grandson of one of our classmates who has learned to play the bagpipes played Amazing Grace. One of our class members read each name of a deceased member, then rang a bell, much like they did at the 9/11 memorial. Very moving tribute. We have lost several classmates just this year due to illness, primarily cancer with the women and heart attacks with the guys. It’s interesting how many of them married right out of high school and are still with the same spouse.

Only one person of those remaining didn’t show up for our 50th reunion. Pretty remarkable since some of them come from as far away as Hawaii and Japan. Just all good people, Kansas farm folk, the salt of the earth and I’m proud to have them for lifelong friends.

[Grams A]

Too bad you feel that way. You’re right though, the people who were my friends then are the core of my friends now. Even though some of us only see each other once a year and have infrequent email contact, the things that bound us together then keep us together now.

We had people who showed up for the 50th that hadn’t been to previous gatherings. It was nice to see all of them and speak with them. What separates you when you’re young becomes rather inconsequential in the overall scheme of things as you age.

[EricT.]

Catholic school?
Why? So they can learn how to feel guilty about everything?

[SamAdams76]

[righttackle44]

Strange. I wonder if they changed publishers. . . . I bet that the Internet influence on publications have changed all that?

You win your bet. I am a novelist. Once upon a time, there was a whole process to printing a book. There was manuscript acquisition when ab acquisition editor would read your manuscript. If it wasn't too bad, or even if it was pretty good, acquisitions would send it on. Depending on the size of the publishing house, a decision to buy would be made by some kind of boss, or a committee would decide.

The next step was for the editor assigned to getting the book out would work with the writer to do re-writes. Sometimes re-writes were extensive, perhaps chapters and chapters, or a page here and there. When the editor was satisfied, he or she would sent it on to copy editing. The copy editor--who were the intellectuals of the publishing industry--would then go over the entire manuscript, checking for grammatical errors, and correct them. If there was a major problem, the editor would send it back to acquisitions.
Once copy editing was satisfied, the manuscript was scheduled for typesetting. A designer would work the magic to make the book cover and dust jacket distinctive, and select the type faces for the coverings. Usually, but not always, the book was set in Times Roman.

When the type was set, copies, called galleys, were run off and forwarded to the book editor, who would send a copy to the writer. Once all signoffs were completed, another copy was sent to the proofreader who was responsible for reading the manuscript to be certain Ts were crossed, and Is were dotted, spellings were correct. Once that was done, the book was okayed for printing.

These days, even the major houses are beginning to skip various steps because editorial staffs have been downsized.

But, these days, there is an entire cottage industry of self-publishing. E-book manuscripts are knocked out by the writer who also then edits his own copy, chooses fonts, completes the PDF himself or herself, and assembles or pays to have assembled the e-book components.

One pair of eyes doing all of the visuals of the book, copy editing of the manuscript, then proofreading of the pre-print copy is really inefficient. For the same reason a singer cannot tell he's singing off key, a pair of tired eyes will look at the same error or erroneous fact three or four times and completely miss it.

I'm not telling you that American civilization will end because the publishing books, one of the most precious things our society does, is deteriorating. I'm saying that this is what's going on in American publishing. It's not likely that it will be fixed in the next few years because of the economic drain caused by the spending of trillions of dollars, some of for Michelle Obama's vacations, done by our country will hamper the size and number of things we can do well. Perhaps for decades.

[3D-JOY]

I am sure they had to pay “up-front”. Kids order books and pay for them at the end of Junior year or first week of Senior at the latest.

Yearbook staff was a great activity and the pride in the final production was HUGE!!

No more I guess.

Read the other reply that describes todays system. Another lost art!

[3D-JOY]

I had a 25th and again about 40, I think. We did have a 50 and yes...they were old ( not me) and so many had passed away.

Past 60 years now and I do not hear that any more are planned. I wonder how many are left now, some in their 80’s?

We had a class of 153 so not like my kids classes of over 350 members.

[Grams A]

People in our class send stuff during the month to one of our members. He and his wife then organize it and send out a monthly newsletter. Pretty cool to have someone willing to do that for the last ten years or so. Unfortunately several months lately also include obituaries which is not so great.

The one person who always sends in something is a guy who is going around the country trying to save spotted owl habitats and is very active in tree hugger groups. Lots of articles about grandkids with many, many pics. One of our classmates had asked to be eliminated from the emails because he thinks we are all “out of step with the real world”. Turns out his one daughter is a Lesbian and lives in San Francisco. Funny how some classmates turn out.

My son’s senior high graduation class, also from Kansas, had well over 1500 students and it was one of five high schools in the area. Lots of them keep in touch but by Facebook or twitter, not by reunions or even email and certainly never by phone. Different strokes for different generations.

I would suspect that our group is the exception rather than the rule on keeping in touch. I thoroughly enjoy our monthly newsletters but do wonder about the coming years.