This letter follows a statement of purpose by the first staff of the Torch.
As The Torch concludes its 101st year of existence following its 100th anniversary in October, we wish to take a look at the publication over the last 100 years.
Since the first issue of the Torch was published Oct. 9, 1925, much about life as a high school student has changed. In 1932, the high school moved from its East Main Street campus to the current one on South Cassingham. Bexley was also formally recognized as a city that year.
The Torch has grown from a small journalistic endeavor to a key reflection of the high school. Through thoughtful and diligent reporting, The Torch serves as an outlet to both inform and prompt dialogue within the high school community.
In a time of increased scrutiny over the role of discourse in society, journalistic endeavors such as ours have become crucial in upholding the ideals of truth and fairness.
Now more than ever, it is critical that journalism is uplifted. Across the country, high school and college newspapers are being shuttered due to a lack of funding and support. Often, these publications are the only outlets for information among students, faculty and the community.
In Bexley, where the high school is largely synonymous with the city itself, we are fortunate to have a community of people who appreciate independent student reporting.
While we can only represent a fraction of stories published, we are deeply proud of the high standard The Torch has set and upheld over the past 100 years.
Archival copies of the Torch made accessible by the Bexley Public Library and Bexley Education Foundation were valuable for researching this issue. We are additionally grateful to the many former staff members who shared their memories of working on the staff to be included.
We are appreciative of and grateful to the many staff members who taught and came before us and are confident future Torch members will continue to uphold the same care and sincerity we have witnessed and put forth.
Most importantly, we recognize the importance of journalism in Bexley and thank our readers for their support in the valuable endeavor that is writing and editing for our beloved high school newspaper.
We look forward to the many future accomplishments of The Torch and its staff.
– Ruthie Gravelle ‘27, Lily Howes ‘26, Cyrus Turner ‘26
Co-Editors, 2025-2026
