- This post was updated Dec. 19, 2014, to reflect that The Blue & Gray Press has 12 pages. The print edition of this story incorrectly stated that the paper has 10 pages.
For 92 years, The Bullet newspaper was a prominent voice of Mary Washington student news and opinion. That ended Sept. 4, when The Blue & Gray Press debuted on campus newsstands.
Word of the name change came in an Aug. 18 press release from the paper’s student editorial board, which made the decision to revise the name and the publication’s format.
The press release reads: “After analyzing the origins of the paper and the development of the publication over the years, the board agreed that the antiquated name does not properly represent the paper today. The editorial board felt that the paper’s name, which alludes to ammunition for an artillery weapon, propagated violence and did not honor our school’s history in a sensitive manner. The board intends to remain faithful to the history our university stands upon, and we continue to honor this history both in a respectful and meaningful way.”
The statement continued, “It is the belief of the editors that a name change to The Blue & Gray Press will more closely reflect UMW in the 21st century. The new name is simple but calls forth UMW’s colors, giving a direct reference back to the school and students the university paper should represent.”
“It is the belief of the editors that a name change to The Blue & Gray Press will more closely reflect UMW in the 21st century.” – student editorial board
The paper has 12 pages, and modern fonts and tabloid size replaced its traditional nameplate and broadsheet format. The newspaper, a student club funded by the university, distributes about 2,000 copies weekly during spring and fall semesters. Under the name The Bullet, the publication was recognized for excellence by the Virginia Press Association and the Society of Professional Journalists.
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