Eighty years. Countless memories. One book that captures them all.
This year, the Dallastown yearbook “The Spectator” is celebrating a milestone that honors the school’s long-standing tradition of storytelling through photos and design to capture every year on the pages.
Molly Dallmeyer, social studies teacher and yearbook adviser, has enjoyed being part of The Spectator since she was in high school.
“I was a member of the yearbook staff under Ms. Alice Lockhart,” Dallmeyer said.
As someone who has been connected to the yearbook for decades, Dallmeyer has seen the publication evolve through many changes. From the technology used, like AI facial recognition, to the way pages are arranged, the yearbook has continued to adapt and expand.
“The yearbook used to be completed with rulers, wax-backed paper, and typewriters in my day. It’s changed into a simpler way of designing, but with so many features that did not exist when I was part of the Spectator staff as a high school student,” Dallmeyer said.
Creating a yearbook may seem simple, but the process comes with significant challenges and responsibilities for both the adviser and the student staff, which has grown significantly over the years, gaining more and more staff each school year.
“It takes a village to create the yearbook. There are a lot of sports, clubs, and activities to feature, plus we print everyone’s photo in the student section of our book. Getting names correct, making sure everyone has the correct information, selling ads, making sure seniors get their photos taken… all of those things are items I work on each school day,” Dallmeyer said.
Larissa Swisher, one of this year’s yearbook editors, has been involved with the program since her freshman year. Over time, she has worked her way into the editor position, taking on the responsibility of overseeing an entire section.
“Being an editor is a lot of work because you’re creating the entire section you’re assigned to. For me, I’m creating the whole sports section,” Swisher said.
Even with the workload, Swisher said that being part of the yearbook staff is meaningful and gives her the chance to leave a lasting impact.
“Being a part of the yearbook is so special and just overall a great opportunity. To be creating a book that hundreds of people are going to be looking back on is so fun,” she said.
For Swisher, what matters most is that the yearbook reflects the legacy of the school and the memories of its students.
“I want to be able to look back on this book and not only be proud of my work on it, but remember how my senior year went and look at my memories from this year. I hope that everyone, not only in my class but the other three, can all appreciate and love this book as much as I already do,” Swisher said.
Since the first edition was printed in 1946, the Dallastown yearbook has served as a snapshot of student life and school identity.
Each volume reflects the time in which it was created, from the fashion and music trends to new clubs, changing sports programs, and the growth of the student body. For many, the yearbook is one of the few traditions that every wildcat shares, connecting generations and preserving the school’s story as it continues to grow.
As Dallastown celebrates the 80-year anniversary of its yearbook, we are reminded that a yearbook is more than pages and pictures; it is a collection of stories and memories. Each edition holds the laughter, challenges, friendships, and traditions that shape the school community.
This year’s milestone highlights how far we’ve come and how much we will continue to grow. And as future Wildcats flip through these pages years from now, they will see more than photographs; they will see Dallastown’s legacy, eight decades in the making.
