Newspapers / Rocky Mount High School … / May 11, 1978, edition 1 / Page 2
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PAGE 2 - THE GRYPHON, FRTOAY, MAY 12, 1978 TW fli jyfciiii will inform its readers of matters of school, community, and world interest and eooeem. All departments, activities, personalities, and organizations will be given fuU coverage in |m>portion to their interest and relative importance to the entire school. IW Gryphoa will be student expression. However, while exercising freedom of the press. The Gryphoa 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, Voom 110. However, the editor reserves the right to withhold libelous or profane material from ^yblication. Library space should increase Although the library can not accommodate the present school population, the problem is only temporary according to Principal Elton Newbern. “We should drop (in enrollment) by 200 students in the next three years. That would mean six or seven classrooms that would not be needed.” This drop could free some classes used by other departments which at one time belonged to the library. The present eighth grade class has over 100 less students than the ninth grade. Subsequent classes have similar enrollments. Thus in four years, enrollment should drop to about 1200 students. “It (the library) would be an ideal library for 1000 or 900 students, which is probably how many were here when it was designed,” stated Mr. Newbern. He and Mrs. Ella Davis, librarian, pointed out that rooms 014 and 116 and the back half of the study hall at one time belonged to the library before, the merger with Booker T. Washington necessitated the use of the rooms for classes. Room 014, formerly a research and audio visual room, now houses a history course. The back part of the study hall originally planned as a reading area and room 116, another research room, would if returned to the library, solve space problems. The librarians also noted a need for improve ments in order to transform the library into a media center. These improvements included new carpet, more shelves and equipment including darkroom facilities and microfilm and videotape equipment. The only improvements mentioned by Mr. Newbern for the near future include the shelves and carpet. Alternatives to study hall suggested Tom never has anything to do in study hall. He considers it a place to rebx and cBat. Because of his talking, Tom has collected many a detention. When he isn’t in study hall, he goes to the library where he talks and gets thrown out. Alternatives to study hall must be found to help both students like Tom and students who need to do homework. One solution to the problem of students using study halls to socialize or to go to the library is to send these students to a place where they can socialize. Three such places come immediately to mind: the cafeteria, the student commons, and the auditorium. None of these places is used for the majority of the day. Some people may say that students should be made to study, but one of the most impiortant methods of teaching known to mankind lies in what many call socializing. Through discussion much can be learned that can't be taught in school. Aristotle often sat with his students and taught them by allowing them to talk. This principle has not changed today. Surely a method of teaching that found success in ancient Greece can Hnd success today. Perhaps in one of these places games such as pinball or chess could be set up to keep the students who go there occupied. Students in study hall often find that the teacher in charge of them cannot answer the questions concerning the assignment a student may have. Perhaps separate study halls with a math teacher and an English teacher stationed in them could be set up. In this way a student could more easily have his questions answered. Another alternative to study halls can be found in what some refer to as “open campus.” In open campus students may leave school and go home or go to work instead of going to study hall. Parents sign permission slips thus relieving the school from any responsibility. Alternatives to study hall do exist. If imple mented, they could solve the problem of overcrowding the library. Also, they could afford students a period during the day in which to relax and enjoy their friends. Surely this problem merits more study. Soph promotion policy to be changed next year . niKssed sonhomore work? This pr A smorgasbord of teachers commented recent ly on the new Promotion-Retention Policy requiring sophomores to have four units before promotion to a junior homeroom. The plan, adopted by the Rocky Mount City Board of Education, calls for a sophomore to have four units before being promoted to junior standing. Instead of waiting until the junior year to be told his status for graduation, the student will not be promoted until he has at least four units during his sophomore year. According to Principal Elton Newbern, “it’s an incentive program. Some people come here and they have been passed from year to year, expecting the same thing to happen on the senior high level. It’s not unreasonable to expect a student to pass something as a sophomore. Some students are passed to the junior class with only one unit.” said Mr. Newbern. ‘ The former high school placement policy only required juniors to have eight courses to b^ome seniors. Now sophomores must have four units for promotion to junior homerooms and juniors are still required to have eight courses for promotion to the senior class. Very precise and to-the-point, English teacher, Mrs. Faith Lehman, reported, “the ruling is reasonable. Why should you be a junior if you haven’t passed sophomore work? "^is program makes a diploma worth something.” In harmony with these two teachers. Physics and Math instructor, Mr. Walter Rublein said, “students m the past have gotten the idea that if you are promoted to the tenth and eleventh grade then you automatically are promoted to the eleventh - and twelth and even to the point of graduation without doing any work. This cannot be and won’t be with the promotion-retention policy. It has been reported by several teachers that present-day sophomores feel that they are the recipients of undue punishment. First with the competency test and now with this new Promo- tion-Retention PoUcy, many feel that the admini stration is out to get them. To nip that fallacy in-the-bud, Mr. Walter Rublein shared that in every school he has ever taught in, this type of Policy was the norm, not the exception. Besides, only approximately five per cent of the students will be affected. No sophomores aren’t being picked on — just maybe improved upon over past classes. It is the concensus among those teachers asked that this new Policy is over due and will actually be of much benefit to the students. Therefore, upon the recommendations of quali fied faculty, administrators and students, the conclusion is drawn that the merits of such a promotion-retention policy far out-weight the disadvantages and inconveniences. RMSH students receive graduation announcements. Photo by Hutchisson yj\. • Editor's echo By MELINDA PENNY If the students of Rocky Mount Senior High wish to have the privilege of night-time activities at the school, their behavior MUST improve in order to reflect this desire. On Tuesday night, April 25, the AFS presented its annual Talent Show, “An Evening with AFS.” The decorum at this program was inexcusable. The AFS Committee, as well as the people who performed in the show, spent many hours pre paring for the program to have it marred by the disrespectful ones who held no regard for those on stage. Mr. Larry Gupton. Master of Ceremonies for the show, was interrupted numerous times by some of those in the audience whose behavior was embarras sing. Several times he was forced to stop and ask members of the audience to restrain themselves from rowdy behav ior. Mr. C. C. Davis, Assistant Principal, said. “In general, the behavior was good except for those few who were disrespect ful.” Mr. Davis also pointed out that one can make it hard on a hundred. "To me. the audience was not disrespectful to one act, but given one or two minutes between acts, the audience was left to entertain themselves,” commented Mr. Davis. Mr. Davis did say that he “thoroughly enjoyed the show and those who performed were great.” Mrs. Henrietta Barbour, En glish teacher and GRYPHON advisor, said, “The situation has become so bad that the last time I brought my husband here, he swore he’d never come to another program, and I can’t blame him.” This kind of discipline prob lem casts a shadow on the reputation of high honor and esteem that Rocky Mount Sen ior High School students have achieved over the years. The students, parents, facul ty members and fellow citizens, as well as the students visiting from Appleton, Wisconsin and participating in the show, should not be subjected to or expected to tolerate such child ish behavior. 308 South Tillery Street, Rocky Mount, N. C. 27801 Member of Columbia Press Association Member of QuHI 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 r>avid Goff ADVERTISING MANAGER.. Kathy Carroll BUSINESS MANAGER . - > Leslie Locke CIRCyLATION MANAGER • - ^ ‘• -.-^Mary Fleming MATEJRIALS MANAGER 4• | '^Karen Walston PHOTOGRAPHY .... ' • • ■ Jerry Joyner NEWS SECTIONHEAD Hope Kelly PAGE 1 J^ary Fleming, Steve Felton PAGE 12 Patinya Battle EDITORIAL SECTIONHEAD _Debra Henderson PAGE 2 Leslie__Locke PAGE 3 Angela Lloyd FEATURES SECTIONHEAD... Linda Roberson PAGE 4 Tracy Sykes , Donna Massie PAGE 5 Bill Brannon PAGE 6 Melinda Penny PAGE 7 Kathjr Callahan PAGE 8 Stan Miller SPORTS SECTIONHEAD Sam Clonts PAGE 9 Clifton Barnes PAGE 10 Greg Frederick PAGE 11 . . Karen Walston ADVISER Mrs. Henrietta Barbour PRINCIPAL Elton Newbern ASSISTANT PRINCIPALS Mr. Charles Davis Mr. Robert Miller
Rocky Mount High School Student Newspaper
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May 11, 1978, edition 1
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