Here’s to 100 Years of the Conglomerate
On October 13, 1922, the Centenary community was introduced to their very own student newspaper, The Conglomerate. This paper, which very fittingly was published on a Friday the 13th, helped keep the student body informed of various events and happenings that took place over campus. As years went by and The Congo was run by different students every year, the paper began to evolve and develop its own personality. When seeing how the paper began to where it is now, numerous topics, layout designs, and writing styles were introduced and became crucial parts of future publications. Being able to look back at various past issues allowed for so many dots to be connected and create the image of the current Conglomerate. Our history is a long one, and it is my great honor to share it with you.
To begin, our history starts with a different publication; before The Conglomerate, there was The Educational Echo. Published near the late 1890s and into the early 1900s, when Centenary called Jackson, LA home, The Echo was titled the “official organ of Centenary and Mansfield Colleges.” The paper was a simple two-page, monthly publication and offered a yearly subscription for the hefty price of 75 cents. Reverend T.B. Clifford oversaw the paper, with A.J Price and W.L.C. Wailes leading the Centenary-related features. At this point, the topics discussed were separated into paragraphs, many of which did not go over 30 words. Despite the short entries, the paper as a whole was a very personal one. Many students were brought up for small things – going to New Orleans to visit an oculist and welcoming alumni back to campus. When looking at The Echo, it is obvious how close-knit the community Centenary was and how it continues to be one today.
The Conglomerate Issue 1 made its debut to Centenary on October 13, 1922, following another publication, The Maroon and White. The main features within this issue were about the lovely football team, the “Centenary Gentlemen,” and what great potential they held. The football team, led by Coach “Bo” McMillin, apparently showed great success and promise going into the year. The belief that the team “would be exceptionally strong” was mentioned throughout various lines. Let’s hope that our current team, which is still being crafted, plans to live up to those same expectations.
Looking at the 1940 publications, especially the September 20th issue, the signs of a genuine personality start to take shape. For starters, the writing is more relatable (which, considering the year, is really interesting). These writers actually feel like college kids. Also, the topics start to become more fun. While there are more serious features, like the cover article, which talks about Jackson Hall being renovated to become the science building and class representatives being established among their student government, there are new additions that stand out. The first is the “Freshmen Reminders.” This is a list of 8 reminders that all freshmen must adhere to; they include freshmen boys having to have a military haircut within the first weeks of school, and at the 1st football game, the boys must wear pj’s and the girls have to wear gingham dresses with their hair in pigtails. These rules are in effect until the end of October when a tug-of-war contest between freshmen and sophomores will decide if they continue throughout the year or are no longer a thing. The other feature that was quite entertaining was something called “The Grapevine.” This got its news “exclusively from over-heard conversations, and rare bits that [they] pry from long-winded no-brakes.” It’s essentially a gossip column and a very enjoyable one at that. Various students were mentioned with interesting information tied to them. These inclusions were the first (that I read) to make the paper more than straight news; it is for the students, and they found a way to keep them interested.
This focus on making the paper more for the students began to be seen more and more, even now, throughout the more serious articles. The October 22, 1992, issue, for example, has the cover story of SGA finally accepting media proposals. I found this very relatable, especially since it is an ongoing issue. The sentence “[t]he second resolution questioned whether or not it was justifiable to pay students a stipend for their ‘invaluable’ services to the school” felt very personable, and I’m sure there are other students and organizations that can relate. Around this time, the writers were becoming more vocal with their opinions, something that remained heavily constant throughout the 90s and early 2000s. It’s inspiring to see the beginnings of this, especially with how they deliver the messages. The tone clearly states how these writers feel about a topic, but it is still mature and college-level. And personally, it’s nice to see that, for at least 30 years, SGA has been hesitant when giving money to student media, and for them to be called out for it – consistency is important.
Following this introduction of more vocal opinions, the papers published in the mid-late 90s slowly expanded their own opinion section. All the sections were becoming more defined and separated, but none more than opinion.The 1995 issue introduced the first satire section, though it did not become popular until 1996. In ’95, the satire section was 1 page with some stories and running lists. The December 5, 1995 issue included “I Know the Future’s Bright and All, but I Still Don’t Give a Damn” and “Top Ten Signs Your Girlfriend is Really Cool.” Though simple, this created the foundation for what the opinion and satire sections would become.
The Conglomerate papers published in 1996 introduced a very unique paper. First off, it created a new, and my personal favorite, running column to the Centenary campus – “Letters to the Editor.” This feature took letters written by the student body and addressed Congo-related topics, published them in all their glory, and gave a rebuttal, “Editor’s Response.” Some of these letters were tame and praised the paper; however, as time went on and the staff writers became more vocal, these letters became quite personal. The concept of a “satirical” section did not make sense to some easily offended students. It was quite entertaining to see certain people and organizations demand The Conglomerate stop certain publications or apologize for past ones, only to be completely ignored and shot down within the editor’s response. I can only picture how popular this segment became, especially for it to continue into the early 2000s. ’96 also presented The Granfallon, a separate, purely satirical paper. Though it only had four pages, each was filled with comics, letters to the editor, and questions to the students. Printed backward and with the motto “Seriousness is something to be laughed at,” this addition was supposed to be a “satirical introduction to Centenary” in hopes that satire would become more familiar. I think it would be safe to say that the students did not get the message since The Granfalloon began to be included in the main paper as a separate section for future publications.
If the ‘90s introduced and established the opinion and satire sections, the early 2000s expanded the hell out of it. The opinion section seemed to have become the focal point of the papers. Writers became very vocal with their thoughts (yet somehow still remained out of issues when needed), and the “Letters to the Editor” followed. The February 9, 2001, issue is one of my personal favorite papers for those reasons. The letters featured an attack on the paper’s current Editor-in-Chief. Like the ones before it, though, they try to act tough through their writing, but it’s clear they are out of their element. This is seen through their long-winded, multi-paragraph letters, only to be met with a simple, clear, clever response from the editor. The paper at this time seemed to have a very strong idea of what its image should be and had no issue defending it. It is certainly admirable, if not a bit nerve-wracking.
Besides heavy opinions, more student involvement was included throughout the paper. There were trivia, questions of the week, and student features. The mid-'00s managed to pull in and include students from all different areas of the campus in some way. Not only were they included, but the paper also began to publish articles that benefited them. There was now a breakdown of student fees and other ways SGA used their money. Restaurant and movie reviews became popular, as well as coupons to certain places. Even whole issues became devoted to certain students. In the 1st issue of the 2006-07 school year, the paper focused on the new students, the Class of 2010. It broke down what things students should expect campus-wise, essential academic terms and phrases they should learn, survival tips, and what was going on whenever they were born. This was a great way to include the new students and make them feel welcome. Though it was only for the 1st issue, it showed another way The Conglomerate played a part in the community aspect of Centenary.
The Congo staff employed this idea of a constant running theme throughout the paper more and more especially when covering important topics. For example, The December 7, 2007, issue was devoted to Centenary becoming the Catahoulas. It included a breakdown of the other options, voting percentages, and why the Catahoula was named the winner. It also included articles focused on different views of the situation; features such as “The administration should address the issue of enrollment and retention rates rather than repackaging the school” and “Centenary needs to focus on diversity more than a mascot” were just as if not way more, interesting and crucial. This same layout can be seen again on February 22, 2008, with the opening of the 1958 time capsule. The first few stories share the event and excitement over what is happening. There are other stories that focus on what the college was like in 1958 – what things have changed and what has stayed the same. This idea of a running theme was a good way to keep the paper consistent
For the next chunk of years, there were smaller but just as significant steps taken with the paper. In 2008, The Conglomerate was offered online for the 1st time. Though the site was small, it allowed readers to access the paper virtually. The topics brought up in the paper begin to branch out; they used to focus mainly on campus-based events but now include local and national issues as well. The individual sections are now multiple pages and well fleshed out, and reoccurring columns are becoming staples. There is an increase in included photos. By 2011, the news section became the paper’s main focus. The topics are now equally split between on and off-campus, allowing for a wider range of articles. Student involvement is still present, though it is limited to a few areas rather than full pages. By 2017, colored photos were now common, and there was an obvious upgrade in graphics and layout design. It still is the same Congo, but now much more modern.
All these things continued to grow until 2020 when the paper was met with COVID. With students no longer on campus, and, therefore, no one to continue it, the paper said its farewell; it remained dead all throughout the ’20-21 school year. However, it was at the end of that year that news of The Conglomerate returning began to circle certain people – those that would be involved in its revival.
On January 14, 2022, The Conglomerate was re-introduced to the Centenary community, this time as all virtual. It featured a new staff (only two had previously worked on the paper) and a plan to lay down our own roots. New sections and running articles such as the Multimedia section and the beloved Misc. B.S were created. The semester was dedicated to making the paper sturdy so it wouldn’t disappear again. It was a learning experience for a lot of us, but by the end, we knew we had accomplished our goal. Students knew that The Congo was back, and many were avid readers. It was chaotic as all hell, but it was so much fun.
This then brings us to the paper today. We’ve continued with articles and morals established both last semester and throughout the years while including our own touches. The Multimedia section has plans to grow, and each section is becoming more and more defined. There is plenty of room for improvement, and we plan to do as much as we can.
As Editor-in-Chief, my main goal is to deliver a paper to the student body that represents not only the college but also the paper and its writers. Looking back at past issues has allowed me to get a better sense of what this paper is and, more importantly, what it will become. In the 1940s issue, there is a line that reads, “this list will give you freshmen a slight idea of what you are up against at Centenary, and it becomes your privilege to take over where these people leave off.” Like many other students, I am beginning my final act here at Centenary, and it will be up to new, bright-eyed students to continue traditions, organizations, and events. I have not the clearest idea of what this paper will be like next year, in 5 years, or 20. However, I am sure the past editors have felt that way. While it is a little daunting, I know whatever the paper becomes throughout the future will be true to what the original 1922 writers had in mind. The Conglomerate is a newspaper created for the students, by the students, to inform others and build community. It’s simple, yet it has remained the one true constant over the past 100 years.
Happy 100th Birthday, Congo!
- Emilie Adams, Editor-in-Chief
