Recording Abilene High History for 110 Years

The Flashlight has served as the memory book for Abilene High School students for over 100 years. Originally, the book was called a memory book and functioned without a name for almost a dozen years.

Starting in 1926, The Abilene High school newspaper was the Morning Glory in its early days and was printed as a part of the Abilene Reporter News each month.  A group of student leaders decided the newspaper and the yearbook needed new names so they set about researching new inventions from a World’s Fair. The students decided to change the name of the yearbook to the Flashlight so “the truth and honor of all who entered the hallowed halls of Abilene High would shine forth for all the world to see.”  They chose the name, The Battery, for the newspaper since it took batteries to make the flashlight work!  It was at that time, the newspaper began to publish separately from the local paper.

The yearbook is published once a school year, over a 12 month time period. Delivery of the book is generally scheduled the last week of the school year.