PAGE 2 - THE GRYPHON, WEDNESDAY, NOVEMBER 17,1977
Tfce Cfypb— will inform its naders oi maters of achooLxoaunuut^, and wortd interest and concern.
All departments, activities, personalities, and organizatioM wHTbe given full coverage in proportion to
their interest and relative importance to the entire school.
The Gryphoa will be student expression. However while exercising freedom of the press. The Gryphon
will also assume the responsibilities of an ethical newspaper.
Letters from students, faculty, and other citizens are welcomed and may be sent to The Gryphon, room
110. However, the editor reserves the right to withhold libelous or profane material from publication.
Respect Needed Both Ways . . .
For Substitutes And Students
every school year, the principal evaluates the
substitutes, just as he does the full-time teachers. If
the substitutes don’t do their jobs they aren’t
placed on the list for the next year.
To go through all this and to meet the standards
the school system has set, the person must be
competent and reliable. Plus, the substitute has to
endure chaos that 30 students can inflict, teach a
subject that they may not know anjrthing about,
and put up with utter mayhem all day long.
Substitute teachers should be given the same respe
ct that is given to any full-time teacher.
At the same time, the substitute should respect
the students and listen to them, instead of acting
like a demagogue. Rather than coming in the
classroom with an initially antagonistic attitude
toward the students and expecting the students to
do something wrong, they should come in with an
open outlook and try to get along.
In order for a substitute to command respect,
they have to earn it and the same applies for the
students who want to be respected.
Not everyone likes substitute teachers.
According to the 1977-78 Administrative Hand
book for the Rocky Mount City Schools, Section IL,
"All substitute teachers shall be approved in
accordance with regulations of the county or city
board of education.”
In Section I. Definition, “The term ‘teacher’ as
used herein includes all teachers—academic, ex
ceptional, and vocational—and all principals who
regularly teach one or more clasps. The local
Superintendent shall determine the need to employ
a substitute for non-teaching professional person
nel”
Mr. Dudley Whitley, who interviews applicants
for substitute teachers stated that the applicants
must fill out a teaching application, then references
are checked. If the references check out, the
applicant comes in for an interview. However, in
order to even fill out an application, Mr. Whitley
stated, the applicant muk have two years of
college.
After all this, if the applicant checks out they are
put on the sufa^itute tochers list. At the end of
Student Achievement Favorable
Although Scholastic Aptitude Test Scores are at
all time lows in the south, the scores here are
significantly better than the state and region and
only slightly lower than the national average.
Perhaps this explains a recent survey on student
achievement.
Fourteen of the 29 teachers who responded to
the survey noted that their students performed to
75 per cent of their potential Another 13 said their
students learned 50 per cent of what they are
capable.
This favorable rating parallels the SAT scores at
Senior High. The average score of 881, 424 verbal
and 457 math, compare to the state average of 836,
401 verbal and 434 math and the southern average
of 869, 417 verbal and 452 math. The national
average of 912, which breaks down to 435 verbal
and 477 math, remains slightly higher than ow
individual score but much higher than the state s
average.
Yet the survey pointed out that students need to
dwell on improving study skills and on movitaving
themselves to do their work. Sixteen and fifteen
teachers respectively checked these debilities. The
teachers aren’t willing to rest on their laurels: the
students shouldn’t be.
One interesting correlation that students should
notice is that 19 teachers said their students did
homework 75 per cent of the time and 16 teachers
felt their students paid attention 75 per cent of the
time. The majority of the teachers who checked one
of those two categories marked the other.
Perhaps paying attention in class is the one
major key to achieving and learning. A few
talented students may be able to teach themselves
by reading the book, but, if all students could,
teachers could go home. Paying attention and
participating familiarizes the mind with the subject
under discussion. Homework is done much easier
when the subject is already' at least partially
understood. Trying to learn an idea by doing the
homework cold, vdthout understanding, is futile
and frustrating. And after giving up once, the
vicious cycle begins of not understanding and thus
not building on that understafadyg! f i*. ■
Pajring attention also makes studying for tests
much easier. Cramming is unnecessary; a little
review is sufficient to set the brain in motion. When
the subject is understood, it will be remembered.
Talking to the girl or guy in the next aisle distracts
from this understanding.
This truism may seem obvious, but nonetheless
the survey pointed out a de^te correlation
between paying attention and successfully complet
ing homework. With a little thought, the conclusion
that better overall performance relies on participa
ting and paying attention in class follows.
Czar Regards Exams
AU right students!! Because of popular appeal
and indignation, the Czar of Schoolimentary Pro
cedure has consented to answer questions regard
ing exams, or any other questions that have sprung
into discerning minds.
The Czar proclaims himself to be a holder of aU
esotenc knowledge concerning school rules and
agreements. The floor is now open for questions.
Q. Mr. Czar, what is the procedure for scheduling
nine weeks exams.
A. Exams are scheduled, by a general agreement
between faculty and students, so,f^at no more than
two should be taken by a single r3tudent~on the
same day. »
Q. Why is it then that some studMits have had up
to — exams on the same day?
A. Since the agreement is a cordial one, there is
no iron clad school law that guarantees a student no
more than two nine weeks exams on the same day.
Semester exams are a different story.
Q. What should a student do if he is to have four
nine-weeks tests on the same day?
A. That depends.
Q. Depends on what?
A. On how much he knows. If he knows little or
FLAGS NEEDED: The flags at Senior High have received too much
wear and tear to remain in front of the school. Hutchisson.)
nothing like some students at Sr. High, he should
fix a thermos full of coffee and prepare for a long
night If he is sure of his subject, he is a lucky
creature.
Q. Does Journalism fall into the English Depart
ment or into the Elective Department.
A. The answer to that depends on which wise owl
a student talks to. My recommendation is that the
Journalism student be prepared for a test on any of
the three days.
Q. Are there actually students on the newspap-
er?
A. Well on my last survey, I did ascertain that
the newspaper staff has one student.
Q. Who is it?
A, To prevent this person’s life being placed
in jeopardy, I decline to answer that question.
Q. Is it true that the newspaper staff doesn t like
to go to school? , u
A. No, the simple fact is that they dont have
time for school; they have to put the paper out.
That concludes the Czar’s interview for now. He
is gping into seclusion for a while to avoid
assassination attempts. Thank you for your
patience.
Editor's Echo
By
KEITH KING
Well, it’s been a year since
Jimmy Carter, a broad-smiled
peanut farmer from Plains,
Georgia, was elected President
of the United States.
Mr. Carter worked long and
hard for two years (officially) to
get to the White House. But
what has Mr. Carter done since
he and his “good ol’ boys” came
to Washington,
He has helped America break
its concrete ties with Water
gate. He’s expressed a willing
ness to clean up the bureaucra
cy in Washin^n. He helped
the cardigan sweater on its way
to a fashionable comeback.
He showed us that a political
outsider can be effective in
government.
Hold it! Back upl. J. j^n’t
believe I said that.
President Carter’s effective
ness so far as concrete re
sults is questionable.
There are two possible rea
sons for this ineffectiveness.
One being the fact that Presi
dent Carter is an outsider.
(Remember everybody was
saying Jimmy who?) It takes
time to get, the feel of jiow the
Washington bureaucracy
(which he wants to clean up).
works. Once President Carter
gets some experience maybe
his effectiveness will increase.
The other reason stems fi’om
his campaign. Remember when
everybody took note of Mr.
Carter’s “fuzziness” on the is
sues. It seems no one knew
what Jimmy stood for (Jimmy
what?) in his administrative
policy. Mr. Carter came into
office wanting to do a lot. He’s
trying to, but his trying to do it
all at once. Here a nuclear arms
agreement, there more jobs,
here a tax cut, there an energy
bill. It’s hard to get behind him
and support him. He doesn’t
seem dedicated enough in eith
er field, so its hard to rally
emotional support.
Once Mr. Carter establishes
hiinself as an “insider” and
concentrate his efforts, I
wouldn’t be surprised if he
becomes 99 per cent effective.
He has great charm and popul
ar appeal.
He’s going to need concrete
results and this appeal to stave
off a strong attack from a
revitalized Republican Party in
1980.
Three more years. Get your
act together, Jimmy.
THE GRYPHON
ROCKY MOUNT SENIOR HIGH SCHOOL
308 South Tillery Street, Rocky Mount, N. C. 27801
Member of Columbia Press Association
Member of QuHl and Scroll
Member of SIPA
Published Bi-Weekly
EDITOR-IN-CHIEF Keith King
MANAGING EDITOR Clifton Barnes
PHOTOGRAPHY EDITOR Beth Hutchisson
GRAPHICS-EDITOR John Smith
ASSIGNMENT EDITOR Dan Thorp
COPY EDITOR David Goff
ADVERTISING MANAGER Kathy Carroll
BUSINESS MANAGER Leslie Locke
CIRCULATION MANAGER Mary Fleming
MATERIALS MANAGER Karen Walston
PAGE EDITORS
Page 1: Tracy Sykes - Mary Flemini? Page 7: Usiie IxKke
PaRe 2: Hope Kelly — Clifton Barnes Pajfe 8: Linda Roberson
PaRo 3: Debra Hendrerson — Steve Fellon Pa^e 9: Melinda Penny. Jerry Joyner
Page 4: Angela Lloyd — Kathy Carroll Psffe 10: Karen Walston
Page 5: Sam Clonts Pajfe 11: Bill Brannon — Kathy Callahan
Pa?e 6; Gre^ Frederick — Patinya Battle Page 12: Donna Massie — Stan Miller
ADVI^R Henrietta Barbour
PRINCIPAL Mr. Elton Newbem
ASSISTANT PRINCIPALS Mr. Charles Davis,
Mr. Robert Miller