The November 1942 issue of Salt Lake Telegram called the magazine Unique the University of Utah’s first pictorial magazine. The pictorial magazine’s first issue was published in the spring quarter of 1942. It sold approximately to 200 coeds. The Salt Lake Telegram also reported the magazine featured more pictures than ever in a university publication. The publication contained the work of over 40 business and editorial staff members for the first issue.
In the November 1945 issue of the Utah Chronicle, it announced that Unique would be coming out and sold by “cute” coeds.
According to the Board of Regents meeting minutes from July 1947 to June 1949, University of Utah President Ray Olpin reported that Unique had been abolished due to not meeting the standards of the university, and the action was unanimously approved by the board.
From the Utah Chronicle, February 24, 1944.
One article from the Utah Chronicle in the February 1944 issue included what was contained in the pictorial magazine. One section said the magazine contained a feature on the personal lives of the new sorority pledges. A few ads, cartoons and jokes were also reported to be contained in Unique. One section said it had a couple of pages about the soldiers. The writer takes time to mention the wonderful job Company B did.
Miss Christie Wicker was the first female editor of the magazine. The Salt Lake Telegram reported in November 1942 that she had waited for the verdict of students as to whether the magazine would be in favor as much as the Humbug, a humor magazine. The Humbug though, was banned by the Board of Regents the previous year because it was “a disgrace to the in-situation.”
The first issue of Unique magazine wasn’t well accepted by students, reported the Salt Lake Telegram in the November 1942 issue, but it engaged students by featuring a section of odd part-time jobs, which kept the pages of topics on the war, gossip, cartoon, and jokes to a minimum.
Unique magazine was staffed by a few members of the Beehive. The Beehive is the University of Utah’s Honorary Activity Society. The Salt Lake Telegram announced that seven university students were chosen to be members of the Beehive in the March 1943 issue. The mentioned members were Miss Wicker, who was editor; Mr. Muir, a business staff and Mr. Brasher, associate editor of Unique.
Unique magazine seemed to be a casual pictorial magazine, but the current magazine of the University of Utah Continuum seems to have a more professional quality to it. On the website it says it aspires to enhance the image of the university and to seek insight on university-related events to help stimulate thought, formulate opinion and place in perspective the unfolding chapters of the university’s history.
Janice Arcalas is a senior at the University of Utah. She is majoring in communication with an emphasis in journalism and minoring in Korean and Korean studies.
Sources
“Anxious for Verdict on Campus Magazine,” Salt Lake Telegram, November 18, 1942, 6.
“Seven University Students Chosen Members of Beehive Honorary Activity Society,” Salt Lake Telegram, March 10, 1943, 14.
“Unique Again Thrills Unique Editor,” Utah Chronicle, February 24, 1944, 1.
D. Huddleston, “Unique Order Pervades Campus as Pat’s Publication Appears,” Utah Chronicle, November 21, 1945, 1.
Utah Communication History Encyclopedia 