NIC’s Yearbook: The Walden History Project

When was the last time you opened an actual college yearbook?

If you started your studies after 1974, chances are it’s been anywhere from “a while” to “never.”

At North Idaho College, the yearbook is back and it’s more digitized than ever.

The Molstead Library hosted an event for the Walden History Project Thursday evening, attracting many NIC alumni hoping to find a little piece of nostalgia.

The project, funded by the A.K. and Ellen Walden Endowment, works to digitize NIC yearbooks published from 1933-1974 and post them collectively online. It has also recently started digitizing old NIC newspapers.

It wasn’t long before one the guests found her picture posted on a display board.

“I think I’ve aged a little bit,” Arlene Pischner said, laughing. Her last name was listed as Henderson, but she has since been married.

“I think it’s awesome, awesome, awesome,” Pischner said.

Pischner’s sister, Helen Elder, who also attended the event, didn’t find herself on the board, but did find some information from her husband’s side of the family.

“My husband’s father and grandfather are both in some of these photos, one with President Wilson,” Elder said, mentioning that a lot of alumni attended NIC during World War II.

Elder’s mother attended NIC during its first year in 1933. Elder also attended NIC herself. Her granddaughter graduated three years ago.

“They’ve done a great job connecting and getting all different years,” Elder said. “I’m talking to people around different areas that say ‘Oh, that’s my auntie, or my grandma’ or someone, so it’s really fun to know that.”

NIC library director, George McAlister has worked in conjunction with the Walden History Project, the library and the alumni association for a year now, gathering data and figuring out how to display it collectively and conveniently for others to enjoy.

Ace and Ellen Walden were both particularly interested in libraries and history, which is why McAlister and others decided the funds would best be suited for the project.

“When I talked to Rayelle Anderson [the foundation’s director], we found that this project would really be beneficial and be a testimony to [Walden] because he was interested in those sorts of things,” McAlister said.

“What we’re trying to do right now is to let the alumni, community, faculty, staff and the students know that we’ve started this project,” McAlister said, “and hopefully we’ll be able to get things that people have personally that might be of interest to this project and maybe get them digitized and up on the Internet.”

McAlister said the project will continue on for years to come.

For more information, visit www.nic.edu/library/history.