page 2, THE GRYPHON, SEPTEMBER 22, 1977
All’d^artmentsv^nd world interest and concern.
All departments, activities, personalities, and organizations will be given full coverage in nronortinn
their interest and relative importance to the entire school. oportion to
The Gryphon wHl be student expression. However while exercising freedom of the press The Grvnhon
will also assume the responsibilities of an ethicial newspaper. ’ «ryphon
11 n citizens are welcomed and may be sent to The Gryphon room
110. However, the editor reserves the right to withhold libellous or profane material from pSblic;tion.
Tennis Requires
Better Conditions
The four new tennis courts used by both the
girls and boys' tennis teams from Senior Hiirh have
several problems.
^ These slanted courts were built to meet the ever
increasing demand for tennis facilities from the
general public as well as the high school. During
the 1976-77 school year, the boys’ tennis team
mov^ to these courts so that Northern Nash could
use those at Sunset Park.
One of the biggest problems these new courts
have IS their positioning. These courts lie in an
east-west position which causes the sun to be
directly in one of the player’s eyes almost all of the
time The sun makes the baU difficult to see, and
could be an important factor in a crucial match.
A second problem with the courts is the number.
A mtch requires that there be six single matches
and three double matches. Thus four players
compete at Sunset Park so the doubles may be
played before darkness ensues.
Extended Lunch Period
Receives Much Laudation
IS
This year, students come back to school later
from their lunch hours. No, they are not late; lunch
is now a longer period.
No one should gripe because this period *.
tonger. If it were Geometry, English, French,
Chemistry or anything else that is understandable,
but certainly not lunch. Students now have a few
minutes more to eat and drive back to school
When the 11:46 or 12:36 bell rings a wild rush
stampedes for the cars, and if someone is slow he
had better speed up or he’s liable not to make it to
lunch. Students are seen crowded into Bradley’s,
Hardee’s, or even gas stations. A few head for
home or the nearest relative. All is quiet until the
last ten minutes of a lunch period and then
everyone dashes back to school.
Even though wild rushes still exist at the
minutes do
retSr? hif “ ® ones
return before the rush and get a little extra
studymg or homework in or just sit around and talk
mnM, ™““tes may not sound like
much but It IS surprising how much can be done in
that amount of time. With the extra time the
tardies for lunch should be reduced this year, and
so many comdor passes should not have to be
written.
principal of Rocky Mount
emor High, and all the others responsible should
see ^atitude m their students’ eyes. After all 45
mmutes sounds better than 35 and it would be
great to keep lunch this long.
First Pep Rally Successful
Students displayed enthusiasm and school spirit
at the first pep rally of the school year. The
students reacted to the cheers and to the pep band.
The school as a whole proved to be well behaved
even when some students didn’t know the words of
the cheers. The pep band played exceptionally well
for their first exhibition.
The cheerleaders performed gracefully and
hagpily especially with such cheers as “Stomp’em,”
“Two Bits,” “Gryphon Mumbo,” and “Get Up-Get
Down.”
Perhaps the most striking feature of the rally
was its inclusion of the Junior-Varsity Football
Team and Cheerleaders as well as the Varsity
Team and Cheerleaders. Hope Reese, who presided
over the rally, even mentioned the Girls Tennis
Team. It was the finest effort to unite the entire
school and to include all grade levels seen in
memorie of the seniors. However, friendly
competition between the classes led to good
humored expressions of each class’s pride.
Hope commented on the pep rally. “As
school-spirit committee chairman, I feel our first
pep rally was successful. Most of the students and
faculty made favorable remarks. I feel the class
competition was also a success because all students
united together in the end to cheer for the whole
team. We hope all future pep rallies are as
successful as the first one.”
PROBLEMS: The direction of the courts at Senior
I%h causes the siu to shue directly in the eyes of tennis olavers anil
the slant causes the baUs to bounce oddly. [Photo by Hutchisson.]
Also, there is no backboard at the new courts. A
backboard would allow players to practice their
strokes during a workout. Some people take
skateboards out on the courts, and the use of the
skateboards causes rough spots which make the
ball take funny bounces. These funny bounces can
cause a player to lose a point.
The general public may only use these courts in
daylight because there are no lights which would
permit night play.
Little or nothing can be done to solve the
problem concerning the positioning of the courts.
However, if the city builds two more courts, surely
they could lie north-south. If the two courts were
added, a backboard would not be hard to install. A
sign with a stiff warning to skateboarders should
be placed at the new courts. Though these courts
have problems, they are not the worst in the world
and Senior High may have to use them for years to
come.
Editor's Echo
Editor's Echo
By KEITH KING
As some of the more
consistent readers may have
noticed. The Grvohon has a
new look. This year’s staff has
been revised and the frequency
of issues has been increased.
The staff has been organized
in a more detailed fashion over
that of last year’s staff. This
hopefully wQl instill a greater
sense of responsibility and
importance in each staff
member. This improvement
will result in a better overall
publication.
The number of issues has
been increased from nine, as
published last year, to fourteen
this year. It is our hope that
this change will make our news
fresher and more enjoyable to
our readers. We have also
extended our news "sbTOfe
coverage to every teacher
instead of just department
heads. Future plans include
extension to homeroom cover
age. Each student is welcomed
to inform The Gryphon staff of
any event that the student
thinks news worthy.
After all, the only way for us
Editor s Echo
to find out what you’re doing is
for you to tell us. Letters to the
editor are welcomed and
encouraged: however, all let
ters must comply with the
standards set forth in the
editorial policy printed on this
page.
The Gryphon has also
changed printers from last
year. We now are working with
the staff of the Nashville
Graphic on the production of
our paper. We hope that by
switching from Benson, N. C.
to Nashville we wQl be able to
work with our printer closely in
order to improve our product.
The staff itself has worked
hard to bring you this issue of
The Gryphon. The Gryphon
staff members returned to
school August 17th to start
preparation for this school
year. During school many
have stayed hours after school
and have spent vast amounts of
time at home working on the
paper.
We hope our efforts will be
productive and our readers will
enjoy a new interest in their
school newspaper.
THE GRYPHON
ROCKY MOUNT SENIOR HIGH SCHOOL
308 South Tillery Street, Rocky Mount, N. C. 27801
Member of Columbia Press Association
Member of Quill and Scroll
Published Bi-Weekly
EDITOR-IN-'CHIEF..., «-•
■ ■ ■ ■ ■
Gm™cs StI? Beth Hutehisson
COPYEDITOR n
ADVERTISING MANAGER.. Wr n
BUSINESS MANAGER . t Carroll
CIRCULATION MANAGER V. ' Mar?FlP.^n!
MATERIALS MANAGER
PAGE EDITORS Walston
llll 0 ~ Lloyd, Mary Fleming
Page 2: Hope Kelly - Patinya Battle, Clifton Barnes
^age d; Debra Henderson - Steve Felton, Kathy Carroll
^age 4: Linda Roberson — Leslie Locke
Page 5: Sam Clonts — Greg Frederick
Page 6: Melinda Penny — Jerry Joyner
Page 7: Bill Brannon - Karen Walston, Kathy Callahan
x^age 8: Donna Massie — Stan Miller »
PmNClPAL ...
Mr. Robert Miller