The Humor page was a beloved part of The Northwood Howler. From teachers imagined as video game characters in Northwood Rivals or Timby’s star-crossed romance with Buster, the articles on the Humor page were almost always students’ first read, bringing a little joy into the best (or worst) of school days.

But if you have read our paper before and made it to the back of this issue, you’ll notice something’s missing: the Humor page.

The decision to retire the page wasn’t sudden. It came after long conversations about how we want the publication to evolve and what kind of experience we want to create for our readers.

Originally, the writers on the Humor page weren’t afraid to go off the rails. (We once wrote that someone smuggled 752 embryos out of a lab.) While the sheer absurdity was endearing to some, its randomness occasionally veered into territory that was more problematic than playful, especially when quoted out of context.

So, we adapted last year. Our newly branded Humor page would focus on school-centered jokes and would avoid oversimplifying key issues. But even then, The Howler fell short. In chasing a few laughs, we overstepped our own ethical principle: to do no harm.

Rebranding may have seemed like a step in the right direction at the time, but we have come to realize that it wasn’t enough. If the Humor page isn’t accessible, thoughtful and held to the same accountability and ethics we apply to the rest of our paper, we undermine our credibility and values while alienating our readers.

With every print issue limited by space, we had to be honest with ourselves: Could we use that space to share more student perspectives or other stories that would’ve otherwise been overlooked?

The Miscellaneous page is our answer to that question. Throughout this school year we plan to introduce more student voices with Letters to the Editor, and to feature student writing, photography, artwork, and so on in order to better reflect the diverse perspectives of Northwood’s student body.

But what about our over the top sense of humor? OK, we didn’t suddenly become a group of jaded students with no light behind our eyes. Humor still has a place in The Howler, just not confined to one page. In fact, we see it show up across the paper in clever captions, snappy headlines and the occasional satire where it fits.

Satire, in particular, will find a new home on the Viewpoint page, making it clear that it’s part of an opinion piece. Our approach to writing satire will now avoid targeting specific individuals and instead focus on criticizing harmful ideas. In doing so, it will fulfill the role of holding power accountable and provoking reflection in a respectful, constructive way.

We’re grateful for what the Humor page has given us: creativity, experimentation and a break from the serious. But like all good things, its time, for now, has passed.

So here’s to the Humor page as we knew it. The Timby memes, teacher crossovers and pop culture parodies will not be forgotten. They will serve as reminders of how we can uphold our ethics and principles while making sure every T-wolf feels seen.