Throughout its history, the Midway has experienced monumental changes to its publication:
- The first U-High newspaper: The University High School Weekly, appeared Dec. 16, 1903. It was sold for 10 cents, was two-columned and was printed on glossy paper. It served primarily as a literary publication, and after many changes and names, it would later become the U-High Midway.
The first U-High Midway: In the 1924-1925 school year, the first U-High newspaper called The Midway was published. Since then, it has evolved through different sizes, staff and more. - Pacemaker Award: The Midway won its second Pacemaker in 1968 (the first is undated) from the National Scholastic Press Association, recognizing it as one of the six best high school papers in the nation. To be considered for it, the Midway needed to have an All-American rating. The Midway started a 49-year All-American streak in 1965.
- Finances: Prior to obtaining a comfortable budget, the Midway relied on donations, subscriptions and advertisements to pay for resources and printing. Throughout the decades, the Midway has had difficulties with financial support, and even had to temporarily suspend publication (1932).
- U-High protest coverage: Just days after four people in a crowd protesting the Vietnam War were fatally shot by National Guard troops at Kent State University, the May 12, 1970, Midway included two pages of special coverage of protests at U-High, which included a campus closure.
- Adviser Wayne Brasler: Mr. Brasler was brought to U-High in 1964 to strengthen the journalism program. The Midway won its first award after Mr. Brasler joined, and he was the journalism department’s only teacher and adviser for 50 years, half of The Midway’s existence.
- All-State Journalism Team: In spring 2005, the Illinois Journalism Education Association began the All-State Journalism Team. Since then, 17 members of the U-High Midway staff have been recognized (one twice) through spring 2024.
- Website launches: On May 1, 2018, uhighmidway.com launched and since then attracts an average of more than 12,000 page views per month. The website won its first Online Pacemaker and first Crown Award for the 2019-20 school year.
- COVID-19 changes: During the pandemic, as Lab turned to distance learning, the Midway stopped printing physical papers and started publishing online daily, a practice still followed.
- 100th anniversary: This year the Midway celebrates 100 years of publication, a testament to its significance in U-High’s history, and still a vital source of news in print, online and via social media.
