Page Ten
THE HI-LIGHTS
Monday, June 1, 1964
Sandra Napier was the head ma
jorette of the Junior Band. She was
followed by Linda Deaton and Lib
by Shaver.
We couldn’t possibly forget that
day in May when we left school
and “invaded” Raleigh. I doubt if
Raleigh will forget that day either.
Remember w'hen we all just HAD
to ride the "little kiddie train” at
the park where we stopped to eat?
We even had an eighth grade
graduation ceremony w'ith awards
and everything. Some cf our girls
even wore heels that day for the
first time and went clomping and
stumbling across the stage! Our
eighth grade is one year we’ll never
forget.
As we walked through the doors
of Ragsdale High School, we were
immediately given the glorious title
of “Punk Freshmen” and shunned
by the upperclassmen. This was
quite a comedown from our high
position of being “eighth grade
seniors.”
The first few days at Ragsdale
were strange and bewildering. I
don’t know how it happened, but
we Quite frequently wandered into
the wrong classroom. It was very
embarrassing when we finally real
ized our mistake and had to leave
the room followed by the laughter
of the upperclassmen. Another dif
ficulty we had to overcome was
the “complex” operation of lock
ers. After about the twentieth time
we forgot the combination, we wis-
ed-up and put pennies in the locks.
Of course, this worked just fine
until that ill-fated day when it got
stuck and we had to get the key
from Miss Boone.
It took us a while to get used to
our classes and the routine of high
school, but at last, we settled down
to work — for a while anyway.
The girls seemed to occupy their
time with the senior boys or find
ing an excuse to walk down the
“Senior Hall.”
A few of Us were fortunate
enough to take a course in joke
telling under the direction ol Uncle
Tom Miller. The educational pro
gram was climaxed by a trip to
Duke University to see the Duke
versus Navy game. This was the
place where Tommy Hill ripped a
girl’s skirt off (accidentally( of
course).
The freshman class officers that
year were Steve Johnson, president;
Linwood Collins, vice-president:
Dee Ann Coley, secretary; and
Marie Poteat, treasurer.
Homecoming was about the big
gest event during the ninth grade.
Everyone ■. took homecoming as a
usual custom of the school except
freshmen!! The sound of knocking
knees w'as heard by everyone as
the freshmen attendants, Candie
Black, Kathy Robinson, and Libby
Shaver “stumbled” down the aisle
onto the stage.
Yes sir! The DOWNSTAIRS
AREA was quite nice those DRY
days. There was music, UT’ing and
of course, that outrageous TWIST.
Then came those not-so-dry-days
when everything was “moist”, even
the downstairs area — I mean v/hen
it’s submerged a foot under water
-well, you know. . . .
That was also the year when
that little horse — the “Horse with
four Corners” — came to Rags
dale, Miss Joanie Taro.
Finally, after nine months of
long, hard, struggling, sweat, and
pain, we baceme Sophomores.
During our Sophomore year, we
became more familiar with the rou
tine of high school. We got to see
what cats are really like ... on
the inside, learned how to put sun
glasses and flippers on frogs, and
how to read and outline CARE
FULLY our world history assign
ments.
By the way, in October of our
Sophomore year, our class stumbl
ed upon NOTHING — alias Her
man.
We were also very luilortunate
this year ... we lost our swimmin’
swingin’ juke box area. It seems
that bird houses and shoe shine
boxes came in with a bang and
twistin’ went out — outside.
This was the year that Steve
.Tohnson was president of our class;
Linwood Collins, vice-president;
Dee Ann Coley, secretary; and
Sarah Byrd, treasurer. Our home
coming representatives were Sarah
Byrd, Kathy Robinson, and Libby
Shaver. Finally, after nine months
of long, hard, struggling, sv/eat,
and pain — we became juniors.
We had been looking forward
to being upperclassmen for a long
time and finally the day came
the day we entered the school’s
juniors. Being an upperclassman
meant a lot of things to us. We fin
ally gained the privilege of sitting
in the back of the middle section
of seats in the auditorium during
assemblies. To us gaining this area
was quite an honor, and we filled
it to the best of our abilities.
As juniors, we began to receive
some awards. Among those to be
honored with awards were Jamee
Catlin, D. A. R. Good Citizen
Award; Candie Black, Girls’ State
representative; Linwood Collins,
Boys’ State representative; and
Dee Ann Coley, chief marshal.
Some juniors were privileged with
being inducted into the Beta Club.
Tliese “brains” were as follows:
Baribara Sossaman, Sandra Napier,
Jerry Fruitt, Pat Gardner, Marie
Poteat, Phyllis Johnson, Janie Berg
man, Linda East, Sandra Moore,
Jamee Catlin, Candie Black, Dee
Ann Coley, Delores McDonald,
Joyce Hodgin, Norma Byerly,
Nancy Norman, Barbara Wilkins,
Gail Furr, Joan Taro, Jackie Gris
som, Bill Groome, Steve Johnson,
Ranny Waugh, Dale Witcher, Don
Loeber, John Manning, and Joe
Coble.
The class officers for tliat year
were Linwood Collins, president;
Jerry Fruitt, vice-president; Sarah
Byrd, secretary; and Dee Ann
Coley, treasurer.
“Our Class Rings are Here!!”
was heard once a week for a month
or so until by some miracle they
really got here. Everybody had to
try on everybody else’s ring even
though they all looked just alike.
Taking them on and off our fingers,
they quite frequently got dropped
on the floor. It didn’t disturb class
es too much when they made loud
clangs and rolled halfway across
the room. When our rings got to
be “old stuff” after several weeks,
we left them on our fingers where
they belonged.
Our homecoming that year was
a big success. We played the West
Davidson Green Dragons and
slaughtered them 39 to 6. The Jun
ior attendants were Sarah Byrd,
Carole Granchi, Kathy Robinson,
and Libby Shaver.
This was the year we were to be
hosts and hosteesses at the annual
Junior-Senior Prom. We proved our
salesmanship by selling magazines
to raise money for the prom. “Gone
With The Wind” was the theme we
chose, and we had quite a time
decorating the gym to coincide with
the theme. We had so much fun
decorating the gym as we did at the
dance. It’s too bad someone forgot
to keep the gjrm door unlocked one
night, after all that trouble we
went through of secretly meeting
at Millis Road and driving .iround
with no lights.
Our junior year was darkened
by sadness on May 3, 1963, when
Mr. Kenneth T. Miller, our long
standing friend and district princi
pal, passed away.
Herman was still with us during
this year. You could see him —
well, maybe not exactly see him —
but he was there riding all over
the school, even on the pipes, with
his little red motor scooter. He
was getting just about as wild as
we were.
Well, after nine months of long,
hard, strubblirg, sweat, and pain,
we became Big SENIORS. We just
couldn’t believe it.
Being SENIORS now, we were
ready to begin our final year
through school and to make plans
for the future. We didn’t settle
down to work or anything like
that; we just became crazy seniors
and quite often acted like fresh
men.
To distinguish us from the rest
of the school a sort of club was or
ganized under the leadership of
Jimmy Bilbro — alias Jim Gort.
Only seniors could join the ex
tremely active “do-gooder” club.
The “GORTS” were responsible
for tJie lovely, distinct banner
which was present at all basketball
games. Their peppy Gort cheers
and Gort songs kept things liven
ed up during the game and at half-
time. The GORTS really had school
spirit. The original GORT singers
even came into existence this year.
That talented group of singers is
Candie Black, Jimmy Bilbro, Joe
Coble, and Bill Groome and, of
course, tlie Gorts were mainly re
sponsible for the exquisite decorat
ing of the bridge. 'The Gorts are
really A-O-Kl
The Senior cass officers are Lin
wood Collins. president; Jerry
Fruitt, vice-president: Dee Ann
Coley, secretary; and Candie Black
and Sarah Byrd, treasurers. Mike
Gray is president of the student
council and Candie Black is vice-
president.
Our football players did an ex
cellent job this past year. The Tri-
Captains were Linwood Collins,
Bill Groome. and Butch Simmons.
They even played knee deep in
water and mud at the Southeast
game. Remember that game? It
seems that besides a few parents
and the referees, the Gorts and
the cheerleaders were the only ones
crazy enough to sit out in the rain
and cold to watch the game. That’s
what you call school spirit. Re-
meniber the half-time when the
Gorts got together under umbrel
las and sang all kinds of songs,
even Christmas carols?
Sandra Napier is the head major
ette of the senior band, and Linda
Deaton is the other senior m.ijor-
ette. We have quite a few senior
cheerleaders. They are Kathy Rob
inson, chief, Gail Furr, asst, chief,
Joan Taro, Janie Bergman, and
Marie Poteat.
Much hard work went in to make
our last homecoming a successful
and long- remembered occasion.
Kathy Robinson was elected to
reign over the festivities with Can-
CContinued on Page ID