The 1966 Cyclone Yearbook, Published in 1986

Wait, what?! Why did it take 20 years to publish? In 1967, the year this yearbook was slated to come out, the College refused its publication. This is not because, as beloved professor of history Joseph Wall notes in the publication’s introduction, it contains appeal to prurient interests. There is “no nudity (not even the carefully staged and draped shower scenes which are obligatory for most college annuals), very little sophomoric crudity that passes as college wit, no shots of torrid embraces on sorority steps or in dormitory doorways which are used to enliven some college yearbooks.”

The book banned due to photographs of a student “pot party”, which can be found on pages 125 through 127. As a small caption on page 125 reads, “a small but increasing minority of Grinnell students… has been using marijuana. Although most users bring marijuana from home, it can also be obtained fairly easily on campus.” The editors also note that in the spring of 1966, the College issued a statement to students and parents, encouraging students to “refrain from prescribed or illegal use of any narcotic, stimulant, or hallucinogen, and to avoid contributing to any illusion of drama, excitement, and/or myth about drugs…”

Wall, along with Professor Charles Cleaver, attempted to help the editors and the president negotiate a way for the book to be published in the spring of 1967 as planned. But, obviously, to no avail. Two of the book’s photographers, Henry Wilhelm and John Phillips, along with the editor of the S&B, Krystyna Neuman, protested the banning of the yearbook by College president Glenn Leggett at commencement in 1967. The entire S&B editorial staff resigned in protest, and it ceased publication.

As Wall notes, the book exists almost as a series of photo essays.  As published in 1986, it follows the original layout exactly, with every photo included. All illustrations were reproduced from the original prints from 1966, which had spent 20 years in a safe deposit box in a Grinnell bank. As editor Henry Wilhelm also notes, “the text and picture captions were typeset in 1968; the type galleys were retained in hopes of someday publishing the book and have been used here without change.” President George Drake agreed on behalf of the College to publish the book in 1986.