Revisiting a semicentury of iconic ‘Daily’ headlines
One of the great and often overlooked challenges of journalistic writing is crafting a headline for an article. Finding those five to 10 words that simultaneously pique the readers’ interest, accurately depict the story and sound catchy and fun is no easy task.
The Daily has come a long way in headline writing since it gained independence in 1973. From humor to sports to news articles, the headlines have aimed to be funny, punny and unique. Below are headlines spanning the full 50 years of Stanford Daily independence.
Who Has Lots of Problems? The Ombudsman, Of Course
April 13, 1973 — NEWS | an article about the Ombudsman: a committee created in 1969 that dealt with student issues of injustice and complications with the administration.
Old Rocks Learn New Tricks: Pet Rocks Craze Gathers No Moss
Feb. 2, 1976 — NEWS | an article about the then-newest fad of owning a rock and treating it as a pet.
What state is this? The state of confusion!
Feb. 6, 1976 — NEWS | an article about the second time it snowed on campus since the 1800s.
Tankmen hope to sink USC, UCLA
Feb. 15, 1980 — SPORTS | an article about the men’s and women’s swim teams competing against USC and UCLA respectively.
Nuclear Reactors? Here? At Stanford?
Oct. 27, 1983 — COLUMN | an article clearing up rumors about the nuclear reactors kept in a barn just outside campus from 1959 to 1973.
Dean Jean discusses admission machine
May 14, 1986 — FEATURES | an article about a speech the Dean of Undergraduate Admissions Jean Fetter gave in which she explained how Stanford looks at applications.
Little brilliance in ‘Einstein’
Aug. 10, 1989 — FILM | a review of the film “Young Einstein.”
Feb. 8, 1991 — HUMOR | a satire article about the many and vast differences between men and women.
Forget midterms, get spiked in L.A.
Oct. 29, 1992 — SPORTS | an article highlighting an upcoming women’s volleyball match against USC in Los Angeles.
The Adventurous Experiment of Sir Real, the Benighted
Dec. 1, 1995 — HUMOR | an humor article where each individual paragraph looks like it was lifted from a different person’s diary page.
Heated debate rages over incinerator
Nov. 5, 1999 — NEWS | an article following up on a meeting held in Oakland about whether or not the Bay Area Air Quality Management District should be allowed to continue burning Stanford’s medical waste in an incinerator.
‘The Mummy Returns’ to fumble under lavish effects
May 10, 2001 — FILM | a review of the film, “The Mummy Returns.”
New line of drugs to blow away coke addiction
Sept. 30, 2002 — FEATURE | an article about the development of the new drug, Nocaine, intended to assist cocaine addicts.
Blahnik’s ‘Drawings’ will tickle footwear fetishist
May 16, 2003 — BOOKS | a review of shoe designer Manolo Blahnik’s sketchbook/coffee table book.
We’re French. We are le tired.
Feb. 27, 2004 — MUSIC | a review of the French band Air’s newest album, “Talkie Walkie.”
June 1, 2005 — NEWS | an article about a racially offensive shirt released by fashion company Guess?
This tragedy is sponsored by Yahoo
Nov. 28, 2006 — OPINIONS | an article about the decline of Stanford student spirit in favor of not being embarrassed online.
June 12, 2009 — FEATURE | an article about the students who spend dead week at Meyer library (regulars, one-timers and everyone in between).
Oct. 15, 2010 — FEATURE | an article about Stanford’s new quidditch team.
Feb. 16, 2012 — NEWS | a spotlight article on the Men Against Abuse Now (M.A.A.N) club who performed at CoHo.
An open letter to anonymous opinions: Sit your ass down
May 26, 2015 — OPINIONS | an article arguing that anonymous posting websites are stupid and dangerous.
Feb. 21, 2016 — OPINIONS | an article about the upcoming Stanford “SlutWalk,” a grassroots movement to protest rape culture but had a history of being mainly white.
Even Michael Fassbender can’t save ‘The Snowman’ from its cold, lifeless narrative
Oct. 27, 2017 — FILM | a review of “The Snowman” film.
Sand-witchery: Voodoo, murder and the return of the Popeyes’s magical chicken sandwich
Nov. 15, 2019 — CULTURE | an article rating the Popeyes’s chicken sandwich and Voodoo Tenders, which had recently returned to the Popeyes menu.
The perks of being an invisible gorilla
March 4, 2020 — THE GRIND | an article about details we fail to notice in everyday life, inspired by the “invisible gorilla video” where viewers fail to notice a gorilla in the back of a video because they are mesmerized by people passing a basketball back and forth.
What I’ll miss about the pandemic now that I’m pretending it’s not happening
May 4, 2021 — HUMOR | an article about students who are partying as if the pandemic is over (or as if it never happened).
Karty Party: Five field goals help Cardinal edge Sun Devil
Oct. 23, 2022 — SPORTS | an article about junior kicker Josh Karty and his five field goals at a recent football game against Arizona State.
Jan. 31, 2023 — PHOTO GALLERY | a photo gallery of a full Lake Lagunita and the students around it.
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