On Oct. 8, 1900, a new publication — The Texan — appeared on the campus of the 17-year-old University of Texas at Austin.
There’s no mention of its founding in that first edition, although its origins date to two privately owned weekly newspapers: the Ranger, founded in 1897 and successor to the Alcalde, published 1895-97, and The Ranger and the Calendar (1889–1900).
Its front-page nameplate simply said The Texan, and the content was typical of the era: advertisements for shoes, clothing, travel (train tickets), laundry, drug store and other items on each on each page of the newspaper.
The lead story was “THE UNIVERSITY OPENING.” And it offered these tips and warnings TO STUDENTS:
“Blinded and dazzled, perhaps, by the atmosphere in which you find yourself, you may not be aware of some important facts which it is necessary at the outset you should know. The student body, of which you are a member, is decidedly cosmopolitan. It is drawn from many walks of life and contains as many different characters as individuals … Until you prove yourself otherwise, you are supposed to be a gentleman … In dealing with your fellow students let simple courtesy be your rule of action.”
Student life activities and information were inside the four-page Texan.
But before turning to student life, the other front-page story had this headline, and forecast:
“FOOTBALL PROSPECTS.”
A prediction as to the outcome of the season is not possible at present time because of the unsettled condition of the team and the lack of knowledge of the game. The prospects are encouraging in some respects, in others discouraging.”
The Texan grew steadily in its first decade, and in 1913 the Students’ Association, which managed the paper, suggested students needed more info than could be found on bulletin boards, and that the paper become the first daily student newspaper in the South.
Students approved that ballot item, making The Texan daily on a campus-wide vote by a vote of 986 to 87.
And now The Daily Texan marks another crucial date, the beginning of its 125th year of publication.
What makes The Texan of 1900 and The Daily Texan of 2024 so similar and so special?
Long-time UT journalism professor Griff Singer offers this thought:
“The great thing about The Texan — and its offspring that became Texas Student Media — is that students really got to put into practice what they had been learning in classrooms from across campus. Did Texan staffers make mistakes? Sure we did. But these miscues were not fatal errors. We all learn from mistakes. There was no better way to learn than through The Texan. Any student, especially journalism students, not taking advantage of a real-life lab like The Texan penalized themselves. I’m so happy I got that opportunity. Add to that the service The Texan has provided to the UT community. As staffers young and old, we can be pleased about that.”
Since its first edition urging students to be courteous, The Daily Texan has established itself as a beacon of free expression, and routinely one of the best college newspapers in the United States.
It has won more major journalism awards than any other college newspaper. And the 26 alumni who have won Pulitzer Prizes rank near the top of college papers nationally.
It has never shied away from controversy, and its graduates have had outstanding careers in the media, education, politics, law, government and many other areas.
It has occasionally been a source of aggravation for the UT administration, and reported on major changes on campus, Austin and the world.
The Daily Texan shares its founding year with the renowned Longhorn Band, the Showband of The Southwest.
Friends of The Daily Texan, Inc will celebrate the 125th anniversary of The Daily Texan in the coming year with a variety of coverage and events.
The non-profit Friends group was established in 2013 to assist the Texan at a particularly critical time.
The Friends group provides a variety of support to the staff and to The Texan and Texas Student Media, including funding 13 scholarship grants a year for Texan staffers, funding the digital infrastructure that underlies The Daily Texan website, purchase of video and photo equipment, training and many other needs.
A main focus is to continue to build the existing endowment to both expand and insure long-term continuation of our scholarship program for staffers.
Please support The Daily Texan and its student staffers by donating here.
To learn more about Friends of The Daily Texan, Inc., check out the group’s webpage at friendsofthedailytexan.org and social media accounts.