A 72-year-old tradition is returning to the Hill.

Western’s yearbook, the Talisman, will be published for the first time in six years.

Louisville senior Stephanie Gladney, editor of the Talisman, said publication stopped in 1996 because not enough students were buying yearbooks. She said they were hard to market.

“It’s really hard to sell yearbooks door-to-door,” Gladney said. “And that’s what we had to do in the past.”

Gladney said the staff is marketing the book to freshmen and seniors.

But some students aren’t sure they’re interested. Versailles freshman Stacey Adkisson is one of those students.

“I bought (yearbooks) in high school,” she said. “But Western is much bigger, and so I don’t think the book would have much to offer me.”

But maybe it will.

“The approach has changed,” said Bob Adams, director of Student Publications. “(The book) will document the year rather than the ping-pong club.”

Gladney said “About Face,” the 2002-2003 edition of the Talisman, won’t be like a traditional yearbook. It will read more like a magazine, she said. The book will be in chronological order and cover Western students and events of the year.

“There’s a face with every story,” Gladney said. “You don’t have to be in an organization to be in the yearbook.”

The 176-page book will be full color and include a section for each senior’s photographs.

Adams said the Talisman is getting help from Taylor Publishing Company to bring the award-winning college yearbook back to life.

Western agreed to buy 500 books from Taylor. Adams said the university might use them for promotional purposes or give them to alumni, faculty and prospective students.

Gladney said she’s not sure what will happen next year. “If it works well, we’ll be doing it on our own,” she said. “Taylor might help, but this is pretty much our last chance.”

Order forms to buy the $45 yearbook are in Garrett Conference Center Room 122.

Reach Sara Peak at [email protected].