Students Labor
For Luxuries
The average working student
at Rocky Mount Senior High
works 15-30 hours a week and
does so to pay for luxuries and
amusements.
The Gryphon drew this
conclusion from a survey it
conducted October 11 and 12.
One thousand two hundred and
ninety-one students responded
to the survey, and of those 491
indicated that they worked. This
means that close to 40% of the
student body is part of the
working class in the Rocky
Mount area. The time that most
students spend on leisure
activities or academic studies is
spent working by these young
men and women.
The students worked from
less than 10 hours a week to
over 40 hours a week. Sixty-six
people work less than 10 hours,
105 work 10-15 hours, 138 work
15-20 hours, 121 work 20-30
hours, 47 work 30-40 hours, and
14 work over 40 hours a week.
Although most work to
finance their leisure activities,
89 students indicated that they
work to support a family, and
124 work to buy necessary
clothing. The rest of the reasons
that the students work were
indicated as extra clothing —
299, car payments — 130, gas
— 275, dating — 196, records
and/or tapes — 256, C.B. radio
equipment — 52, vacations,
pleasure trips — 235, and party
supplies — 226.
STUDENTS WORK IN LOCAL FIRMS — Look who’s working at Bonanza: V/ait White,
Belinda Richardson, Pam Coley, Gary Brackett, Jamie Landis, Allen Salyer and Curt Todd.
[Photo by Hutchisson]
The
GRYPHON
Vol. 3, No. 2 Rocky Mount Senior High, Rocky Mount, N.C. 27801
October 28, 1976
Seven Nominees Are Chosen
MOREHEAD NOMINEES CHOSEN — nctured above are
feeMa^shsriHi»h tright; [top row]
IdlMMld, Faul Mayberry, Faul ^ass|4( and iiee Kich;
[bottom row] Cindy Hartmami, Natasha Matkin and Laura
Hardy. [Photo by Builuck]
Cindy Hartman, Laura Hardy,
Paul Mayberry, Danny Mc
Donald, Natasha Matkin, Dee
Rich and Paul Sasser have been
nominated for the Morehead
Scholarship sponsored by the
University of North Carolina at
Chapel Hill. Mr. Elton Newbem
selected the students basing his
decision on the recorhmenda-
tions of 13 faculty members
which he designated to review
resumees of about 50 candi
dates. Class ranks, grade point
average, scholastic aptitude
tests, I.Q. and school and
community activities were uti
lized in determining the
potential of each student to be
awarded a Morehead Scholar
ship.
The Morehead Scholarship
has a special meaning for each
of the nominees. When inter
viewed, they emphasized honor,
pride and fulfillment. Cindy
Hartman said, “I would be very
proud to attend U.N.C. as a
Morehead Scholar.” Laura
Hardy stated, "The nomination
is truly a great honor, one I am
truly appreciative for. I shall try
to live up to the confidence
placed in me.” Paul Mayberry
related, “I jumped into my car,
drove out in the country, and
yelled.” Danny McDonald
said, ‘‘The Morehead Scholar
ship would make me feel much
more sure and confident about
my future.” Natasha Matkin
reported, ‘‘1 feel it’s an honor Jo
be nominated for such a
prestigous scholarship at such a
(Continued on page eleven)
' F
School Board Approves Trip
The Rocky Mount Board of
Education has approved a trip
for the Rocky Mount Senior
High Band to the Mardi Gras in
New Orleans. Recently ques
tions were raised about the trip
due to some confusion con
cerning financial aid. Many
believed that the request for the
trip would be turned down.
However, the positive decision
was rendered during a Board of
Education meeting Tuesday
night, Oct. 5, 1976.
Dr. Ben Currin, Superinten
dent of Rocky Mount City
Schools, said that there had not
really been any controversy, but
that questions had been raised
by members not on the Board
two years ago. He said there
had been a misunderstanding as
to who would finance the trip.
Dr. Currin stated that»the
matter had been cleared up and
that he had met with Rocky
Mount Senior High Principal
Elton Newbern and Rocky
Mount Senior High Band
Director John Sykes.
During a meeting with the
Activities Committee of the
School Board, Principal New
bern stated that he approved of
the trip and has no reservations
concerning it. He pointed out,
for example, that the girls’
tennis team will spend more
time away from school this year
than the band students. Mr.
Newbern stated that he did not
think that the band was being
overemphasized. Most out-of-
town trips taken by the various
classes never get to the Board.
However, many of the students
at Senior High are involved in
such trips each year, depending
on the membership in clubs or
organizations or school-related
activities. Mr. Newbern added
that the band would not take
their annual beach trip this year
if they go to New Orleans. The
following is an excerpt of
information gathered by the
Activities Committee;
‘‘The proposed trip will
involve a total of six days which
includes four school days
(schedule is not firm). Of the
163 band members that will be
involved, 30 or 35 students
participated in the trip to New
Orleans two years ago.
The $15,000 that the band
hopes to raise for the trip will
cover transportation and motel
accommodations. Two years ago
slightly less than $9,000 was the
actual cost of the transportation,
and $5,000 was the cosf of the
motel accommodations. The
band members are not re
sponsible for raising a pre
determined amount of money
and if the goal is not attained,
they will plan to delay the trip
until next year. Mr. Sykes
emphasized that at no time have
they considered asking the
Board of Education for any
funds to finance the trip, and
they did not use any for the trip
two years ago. All soliciting of
local business will be handled
by Mr. Sykes and Mr. Woods,
and the band members will not
be involved in this in any way.
They plan to write a letter to the
various civic clubs and business
firms, and that will be the extent
of their solicitation for funds.
In addition to the over-all
expense, each band member
will be asked to ta'ke $50 to cover
food and incidental expenses.
Mr. Newbern pointed out that
they eat in cafeterias much of
the time and $7.50 per day will
be adequate for their food. He
stated, however, that many of
the students will take more than
$50.
The band has not received
any other invitations this year,
so there are no other
alternatives. Mr. Sykes pre
sented the Committee with his
evaluation of the educational
facets of the trip.
The ratio of chaperones to
students will be 1:8. Parents of
the band students will have first
priority as chaperones. Trans
portation is provided, but they
will be expected to pay for their
own meals. Motel accommoda
tions for the chaperones will
depend on the success of the
fund-raising activities.
The buses remain available
throughout their stay in New
Orleans to provide the students
with local transportation and to
take the students on sight-see
ing trips.
AWARD WINNING MARCHING — Band works vigorously
for a good showing. The band went to the Mardi Gras two
years ago, and with the recent School Board decision plans to
go this school year. [Photo by Barnes]
In a report issued to the
Committee, Mr. Sykes stated
that the Rocky Mount Senior
High School Band has been
proud to represent the city of
Rocky Mount, and it has
supported its people by
performing in the Fire Preven
tion Parade and the Christmas
Parade each year as well as
other functions from time to
time. A large number of these
students have Saturday jobs
and, therefore, must sacrifice
both time and money in order to
perform on Saturday. The
Christmas Parade is held each
year on Saturday during the
Thanksgiving holidays; there
fore, students must sacrifice
vacation time in order to
perform.
Over the past few years the
band has received several
awards:
Mardi Gras — 1976 — Harry
S. Mendelson Mendosa Award
for outstanding performance in
marching. Citation for Excel
lence in performance.
General Awards — In Class
Four competition at East
Carolina University most out
standing performing band in the
State. First Place Performance
Award — State competition (for
several years).
Individual Awards — For
Outstanding Performance In
Instrumental Music.