The Flat Hat
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
| The Flat Hat | |
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| Type | Bi-weekly newspaper |
| Format | Broadsheet |
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| Owner | The College of William & Mary |
| Editor-in-Chief | Austin Wright |
| Associate Editor | Alice Hahn |
| Managing Ed. | Jeff Dooley |
| Founded | 1911 |
| Language | English |
| Headquarters | Williamsburg, Virginia |
| Circulation | 3,000 |
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| Website: http://www.FlatHatNews.com | |
The Flat Hat is the student newspaper of the College of William and Mary in Williamsburg, VA. It prints Tuesdays and Fridays during the College's academic year. It began printing biweekly in 2007; since its inception in 1911, The Flat Hat had printed weekly[1]. It is printed by the presses of The Daily Press.
In October 2007, The Flat Hat won the Pacemaker award for excellence in the category of non-daily newspaper at a four-year university[2]. The Pacemaker is considered to be the highest honor in collegiate journalism, and is awarded by the Associated Collegiate Press and the Newspaper Association of America Foundation. The contest was judged by The Washington Post.
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[edit] History
The Flat Hat is named after the Flat Hat Club, the nation's first secret society founded in 1750 at the College. The first issue of The Flat Hat was printed on October 3, 1911[3].
[edit] Origins of the name Flat Hat
The origin of the name of this newspaper goes back to a secret gentleman's club founded in 1750, called The Flat Hat Club. Its most notable members included St. George Tucker, Thomas Jefferson and George Wythe. It is believed that the Flat Hat Club was probably the precursor of Phi Beta Kappa, established in 1775. According to the September 28, 1928 issue of The Flat Hat, members of the Flat Hat Club were directly responsible for the creation of the newspaper[4]. The badge of the club was circular with an elaborate coat of arms on one side, and F.H.C. in a large monogram on the other. Beneath was a date and motto:
Nov. XI. MDCCL Stabilitas et Fides
The motto of the Flat Hat Club, Stabilitas et Fides, has always been the motto of The Flat Hat[5].
[edit] Censorship
In 1945, Marilyn Kaemmerle, then the 22-year old editor of The Flat Hat, wrote an editorial titled "Lincoln's Job Half-Done" to commemorate the birthday of Abraham Lincoln. She encouraged the racial integration of William and Mary, citing that blacks "should be recognized as equals in our minds and hearts."[6] The William and Mary Board of Visitors, the group appointed by the Commonwealth of Virginia to run the College, instructed then president of the College John Pomfret to expel Kaemmerle. Pomfret compromised by removing Kaemmerle from The Flat Hat and commanding her to sign a statement saying that a censored paper was in the best interest of all concerned.[7]
Since 1945, The Flat Hat has had complete editorial control and autonomy. The Flat Hat has no faculty advisor, uncommon for a student newspaper. The Flat Hat does not grant the William and Mary administration prior review of content[8].
[edit] Wren Cross controversy
The Flat Hat was the first media, student or otherwise, to break the news about the Wren Cross controversy[9]. It continued following the controversy, including the revocation of a $12 million donation[10], the placement of the cross in a display case[11][12], and the ultimate resignation of College President Gene Nichol[13], which was in part based on the Wren cross controversy[14].
[edit] External links
[edit] References
- ^ The Flat Hat online: About Us. Accessed 22 May 2008.
- ^ National Scholastic Press Association: 2007 Pacemaker Award Winners. Accessed 22 May 2008.
- ^ The Flat Hat online: About Us. Accessed 22 May 2008.
- ^ The Flat Hat archives: 28 September 1928 issue Accessed 22 May 2008
- ^ The Flat Hat online: About Us. Accessed 22 May 2008.
- ^ The Flat Hat, 7 February 1945; Marilyn Kaemmerle. Accessed 22 May 2008.
- ^ The Flat Hat online: 12 February 2008. Accessed 22 May 2008.
- ^ The Flat Hat online: 22 August 2003; Lindsay Moroney. Accessed 22 May 2008.
- ^ The Flat Hat online: 6 October 2006. Accessed 22 May 2008.
- ^ The Flat Hat online: 28 February 2007. Accessed 22 May 2008.
- ^ The Flat Hat online: 6 March 2007. Accessed 22 May 2008.
- ^ The Flat Hat online: 17 April 2007. Accessed 22 May 2008.
- ^ The Flat Hat online: 15 May 2008. Accessed 22 May 2008.
- ^ The Flat Hat online: 13 February 2008. Accessed 22 May 2008.
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