Stumbling across an old high school yearbook is an artistic wonder.
I have long been a huge fan of graphic art, particularly from the 1920s and 1930s, so imagine my delight when I leafed through the pages of my father’s high school yearbook from his 1932 graduation in Chico, California, to find a fascinating collection of illustrations by Caduceus yearbook staffer Margaret Sly.
Technical sophistication aside, what’s most moving about these illustrations is the emotion they evoke through the faces themselves. Stylized and reflective, yet through his combination of color, shadow and form, Sly achieved something rare during the Great Depression: hope.
My first reaction was to remove the illustrations and somehow frame them. But I had second thoughts. Sly’s work was meant to capture the spirit of the young people of his generation and point the way to a better future. Therefore, they are part of a whole history that should be left intact.
With that in mind, I’m pleased to present this 17-year-old high school senior’s unforgettable work and, nearly a century later, to belatedly thank her for creating a window into my father’s forgotten world.
