1904: 'The white light of truth'

Here's a rosy view of the journalistic mission from the 1904 Chinook. It's a bit dense.

"The most distinctive characteristic of present day college life is the college paper. Our fathers knew no college paper, and the only way that they knew of their fellows in other colleges was by word of mouth, and that word was usually steeped in the deepest venom before it reached its destination. We should feel glad, therefore, that the white light of truth and fairness shines down upon our educational world through the medium of the printed page.
The first attempt to found a college paper in the Washington Agricultural College was in the 'Crib' days of our college, when the 'Record,' a paper which would do credit to an old established college, was launched by Mr. Hull. The journalistic light shone fitfully, flickered and went out leaving our college without a medium of communication with the outside world. Our big brothers were not men who hid their light under a bushel and in 1894 the frail bark yclept 'Evergreen' was launched upon the sea of trouble with W.D. Todd at the helm. Although the angry sea has often threatened to crack the ribs of the frail craft, it has sailed steadily onward, never missing a number in the nine years of its existence, and it now occupies a distinct place, not only in our community, but in the college journalism of the West."