The idea for a College annual originated among members of the junior class who approached President Joseph Henry Apple for assistance and guidance in the endeavor. Titled Touchstone, the 100-page first edition was dedicated to Dr. Apple and published in the spring of 1914 at a cost to students of $2 for the standard cloth cover, or $3 for the leather-bound version. As the volume was produced by the junior class, the inaugural edition bears the junior class year of 1915 rather than the year in which the book was printed. This practice continued until the 1945-1946 school year when the yearbook became an all-college publication with a staff comprised of interested members from any of the classes. From that point on, the year of each volume corresponded with that of the senior class. Along with the requisite names and photos of class and faculty members, organization listings and athletic rosters, the yearbooks boasted a number of interesting features over the years, such as the Miss Touchstone beauty contest. Many of them were organized under a common theme and included unique covers and creative interior artwork. By the 2000s, interest in the yearbook committee waned as other forms of communication became more popular and the variety and number of available clubs and extracurricular activities increased. The 2008 edition was the last Touchstone to be published.
