iptlon
With A Smile
THE GRYPHON
ONLY 48,600
SECONDS 'TIL
KICK^FF
VOLUME in, No. 1
PiibUsfed by the Journalism Class of Rocky Mount Senior High School
ROCKY MOUNT, N. C,
FRTOAY. SEPT. 17, 1971
RMSH Begins New Year
With Minimum Changes
PICTURED ABOVE are RMSH’s three new principals. From left to right: Principal Elton L New-
bern, Jr., Assistant Principal Robert A. Miller, ancj Associate Principal Hoscoe A. Batts. Jr.
Principals Selected For RMSH
With Anticipation Of New Year
RMSH opened the new school
year August 31 with three new
principals, Mr. Elton L. New-
bern, Jr., Mr. Roscoe A. Batts
Jr., and Mr. Robert A. Mil
ler.
.The three highest positions of
of the resignations of former
principal V. J. Colombo and
former assistant principalJohn
Langley, along with the re
tirement of former associate
principal R. D. Armstrong. Mr.
Colombo accepted the post as
superintendent ofCleveland Co-
Gryphon Members
Sell Subscriptions
The 1971 Gryphon subscrip
tion campaign, which officially
began last Monday at RMSH,
will continue until Monday. Sep
tember 27.
The Gryphon offers report
ing on relevant school news.
It features editorials concern
ing school information, along
with timely sports commen
taries and several pages of fea
tures.
However, students, look out!
Expect one of the following
sure-fire methods of selling
subscriptions by the Gry^ion
staff;
1. Corner every relative from
fat ole’ Aunt Wllma to rich but
stupid Cousin Fred.
2. Threaten all your little
sister’s friends,
3. Go door to door without a
coat and shiver (teeth chattering
is optional.)
4. Blackmail the neighbors.
5. Palm them off on everybody
at work.
6. Sell them at a dance and
tell everybody they’re raffle
tickets,
7. Have your cousin, sister,
friend, or aunt, (the “flirt”)
sell them to all her boyfriends.
8. Kidnap somebody and sell
subscriptions as ransom.
9. Mortgage your house and
use the money for subscrip
tions.
10. Sell them to all the doc
tors and nurses in the hospital
after your dad finds out your
mortgaged the house.
- Pirate Puns
Perryvllle, Mo. .
unty Schools, while Mr. Lang
ley became business manager
for the Rocky Mount School Sys
tem.
Elton L. Newbern, Jr.
Principal Newbern, pre
viously the prlncTpW of Bertie
inated for the position here
by Dr. Ben F. Currln, super
intendent of city schools.
Dr. Currln commented that,
at the age of 30, Mr. Newbern
is experienced in his field and
has rapport with the students,
having been a principal for five
years.
Mr. Newbern obtained his
Bachelor of Science degree In
Math and Physics at ECU, and
continued there, getting his
Master’s Degree in Public
School Administration,
A native of Bertie County,
Mr. Newbern first taught at the
high school there, and eventual
ly became assistant principal
and later principal,
Mr. Newbern and his wife,
Anne Phelps Newbern, are Bap
tists. They have two children,
Lee, three years old, and
"Nancy, 17 months.
Roscoe A. Batts
Principal Batts, the new as
sociate principal of RMSH, was
principal of J. W. Parker Ju
nior High School for ten years.
Mr. Batts has been with the
Rocky Mount School System
since he was graduated from
college. He has been a teach
er - coach at o. r. Pope School
the principal of Lincoln School
from 1949 to 1956, and until
recently the principal of Parker
Junior High.
Mr. Batts attended Sayettes-
ville State College, where he
obtained his B. S. degree In
1948. In 1951 he received his
Master’s Degree from Colum
bia University.
Prior to attending college,
Mr, Batts served in the army
during World War n.
Mr, Batts, who is on the
State Board of Athletic Offi
cials, is also a Sunday School
teacher at the Episcopal Church
of the Epiphany.
Robert A. Miller
Principal Miller, originally
from Ahoskle, has been teach
ing at Enfield High School for
the past two years.
When asked why he accepted
the post here at RMSH as as
sistant principal, Mr. Miller
commented, thftf he liked work
ing with that in his.
new capacity he has a better op- ,
portunity to do so than^
viously did in a classroomi^
Mr. Miller attended UNC at
Chapel Hill, where he was gra
duated in 1969. Presently he is
in graduate school at ECU,
where he is majoring In school
administration,
Mr. Miller, who is unmar
ried, is a member of the First
Baptist Church in Ahoskie, In
his spare time he enjoys play
ing golf.
r.MSH, with new principal El
ton L. Newbern, Jr., and asso
ciate principal Roscoe A, Batts,
Jr., opened Tuesday August 31,
to approximately 1521 students
for the school year 1971-72,
All students reported to the
gymnasium, where Richard
Bulluck, President of the Stu
dent Representative Assembly,
called the assembly to order.
After welcoming the students
to RMSH, Richard introduced
the new principals,
Mr, Newbern, along with Mr,
Batts, welcomed the students to
RMSH, Both men expressed
their hopes that the upcoming
year would be amiccessful one -
a year of learning - for both the
students and the faculty.
After the principals mention
ed a few of the new regulations
to be put into effect, the eleventh
and twelfth graders reported to
their homerooms. The sopho
mores remained to receive fur
ther instructions.
Although there have not been a
great number of new rules and
reg^ulations a few old rules
have been adjusted for the new
school year.
Admit slips are no longer Is-
all tardies and
’ absentees ■ are to report to Mr,
Harris in the Student Commons
until 8:40, after which they are
to report to the Principals’ of
fice, Unexcused absences will
cost a student a 3 point deduc
tion off of his six-weeks grade in
each subject.
Detention slips are to be is
sued at a minimum this year.
Gum chewing will no longer
cost a detention slip; instead,
this is to be left to the teacher.
Lunch permits must be obtained
through the office with the con
sent of the parents.
Activity period has been mov
ed from the middle of the day to
the last part of the school day.
The new Assistant Principal,
Robert A. Miller, who took the
place of John Langley, began his
new position on Wednesday,
September 1,
Mars Hill Course
Explains Methods
To SRA Officers
Richard Bulluck, Bruce Flye,
Lynn Carter, Marty Riddick and
Steve Braswell, all from Rocky
Mount, attended the Mars Hill
Convention at Mars Hill Col
lege from July 18 to July 23,
The convention, located at
Mars Hill, about 25 miles from
Asheville, was mainly designed
to teach the students involved
the responsibilities and me
thods of student government.
Of the 267 students who at
tended the conference, some
were representatives of their
schools, while others were ot-
flcers from their schools.
Under the direction of Miss
Francis Bounds, a junior staff
of twelve college student mem
bers executed the activities in
volved.
Although many of the students
thought that the course would be
strictly form, it involved a more
creative method of teaching.
The students were arranged in
group councils, which simulated
high school conditions in or
der to teach the student govern
ment conditions of working.
During Summer Vacation
Seniors Attend Governors School
Bob Dozier and Mary Jo
Odom, both seniors at RMSH,
attended Governor’s School this
summer for seven weeks, from
June 20 to August 2.
Governor’s School, under the
direction of Professor James H.
Bray In Winston-Salem, selects
approximately 400 students
from North Carolina schools to
attend Salem College each sum
mer. Its purpose Is to educate
these students in the twentieth
century logical ways of think-
‘he RMSH Governor’s
mhnnotf summer, examine a North Carolina
publication In the school library.
ing. The course attempts to
help these students deal with
twentieth century problems, and
to understand new philosophies.
Bob, who studied English
while at Governor’s School, at
tended three courses a day;
Black literature, Contempor
ary poetry, and Contemporary
literature, Mary Jo, who
studied music while there, re
hearsed three hours a day, and
played in the orchestra, Mary
Jo stated that the course stress
ed contemporary music, with
lectures from college music
professors.
Both students participated in
extra-curricular activities as
well as academic ones. The
school offered activities each
week, including sports, news
paper and yearbook publica
tions, music therapy, and week
ly dances.
Bob and Mary Jo felt that the
overall program was excellent,
tut that it did have some draw
backs, Mary Jo felt that in
stressing twentieth century
ideas, the program tended to
question pre-twentieth century
philosophies which she thought
were relevant today.