Page Eight
THE HI-LIGHTS
Monday, June 1, 1964
How the Seniors Began
CLASS HISTORY
Sedgefield
Everyone : knows how we came
into the world; thafs the facts of
life. Many of us wonder how we
got through these last twelve years
— it might have been common
sense, desire, or just plain luck.
But how many of you remember
how this year’s senior class got
started?
It was a rather warm autumn day
in September, 1952, but the fifty-
eight pupils who enrolled as first
graders at Sedgefield school felt
a chill as they sat nestled to their
mothers with nothing on but a
white clotli or. If you were lucky,
your fall coat. Don’t you ramem-
ber?
The scene was in a classroom.
In the long hall of the school there
were tables down one wall with
ladies in white uniforms trying
to undress you, checking your heart,
(wliich was beatipg faster and fast
er because yOur mother wasn t by
your side) or seeing if you needed
any “school” .shots.
There we were: Don Routh, Holt
Davis, John Elkins, Cathy Parham,
Ralph Underwood, Gene Holmes,
Judy Kivette, Rannie Hennis and
Richard Morton — lined up — a
picture of pure fright. But little
Pamela Baily tried to make all the
new students feel at ease with her
charming smile and friendly “hi
there.” Sue Warren sat on the far
side of the room staring at Dee
Ann Coley and Joe Coble who were
already absorbed in the Dick and
Jane primers.
My, weren’t Billy Groome and
Janie Bergman cute — they were
mistaken several times as twins.
The ladies-in-white followed us
to the second grade when we were
the guina-pigs for Dr. Salk. The
teachers called us “Polio Pioneers .
Our next two years passed quick
ly. We were the first class to move
into the new building and cafe
teria. But many of the pupils found
they weren’t hungry after playing
in the woods at recess. Linda Beatty
said those leaves tasted just like
tomatoes.
Others found that our mornings
were spent taking turns eating a
“second breakfast’ ’on hand-colored
placemats. One of our classmates
played host or hostess and if he
were a good friend, he’d sneak an
extra marshmallow your way.
After breakfast we would have
our fifteen niinute reading classes
and then it was naptime. When we
were in the old building, we put
our heads on our desks — but
when we moved to the new build
ing, we slept on the floor.
After a wonderful summer we
returned to the fourth grade to
meet Glanda Hough, Charles
(Butch) Simmons, and the flam-
irg red-head, Loretta Puett.
Upon entering the fifth grade in
1957, we felt quite grown-up. Janie
Bergman and Candy Blair were
among the first to begin wearing
lipstick. Of course, they never put
it on till they got to school!!
This was the year those hoop
slips and ‘'stand-out” crinolines
were in style. A certain teacher,
called “Hot Rod”, made Susan Mil
ler remove hers before coming to
class. Billy Turner, Cynthia Wolfe,
and Connie Gay were our new
buddies.
Do you remember who had the
longest black hair in the sixth
grade? Gayle Allred’s tresses hung
almost to her waist.
Joe Venable and Bill Groome
started their baseball careers when
the Sedgefield team beat Union
Hill every game but one. Janie and
Candy had another “first” — they
were the only sixth graders chosen
for the cheerleading squad.
Jim Bilbro had a very athletic
thumb — he won third place in
the annual marble tournament. His
past history shows his qualifica
tions for being leader of the Gorts.
He played “Whole Lot of Shaking
Going On” in one of those terrific
weekly talent shows we gave each
Friday.
There were many fads going on
those years — pop beads, going
steady swords, leotards, saving ice
cream wrappers and collecting 10-
25 cent stamps which were sold
every Wednesday. I wonder how
many students bought enough
stamps to receive a savings bond?
How many of you girls remem
ber the private conferences we had
with our sixth grade teacher dur
ing recess? She seemed to think we
were entirely too young to be wear
ing tight skirts, lipstick, make-up
and nylon hose. Many of us acted
grown-up and pretended that these
words didn’t pertain to us, but the
next day we donned our bobby
socks, and we had shiny faces.
Bill “Pinky” Groome started his
dramatic career in the seventh
grade when he won a medal in a
.speech contest.
Beverly Dillon and Sandra Moore
were among the last of our new
friends. But something strange
happened to Sandra. She enrolled
at Sedgefield one rainy day and
made friends with everyone. The
next day the girls were arguing
over who was going to invite San
dra home with them to spend the
night. But a funny thing happened
—Sandy didn’t come back to Sedge
field. But we saw her again a
couple of years later at James
town.
Only twenty-seven of the fifty-
eight Sedgefield first graders are in
the senior class today. At the
seventh grade graduation, June 1,
1959, we looked back with pride
at our progress. Our past was suc
cessful and our future looked bright
with promise.
UNION’ HILT.
In the fall of 1952, the graduating
class of 1964 began what seemed
to them the longest twelve years
of their life. James Killgo, Jackie
Grissom, Steve Johnson, and Dale
Witcher, just to mention a few,
entered Union Hill School. And yes,
old alma mater began rollicking.
School was certainly a new and
tremendously exciting world for us
first graders. Tremendously excit
ing! Rest period, art class, rest
period, reading class, rest period,
recess, and so on until summer
came.
As if the novelty of school life
was not enough in itself, we sec
ond graders were guinea pigs for
the Salk polio vaccine. When these
trial vaccinations were scheduled,
everyone piled into a bus and was
transported to a central location.
According to assembly line pro
cedure each child would receive
a shot. Phyllis Tucker, by fate’s
decree, received a shot from a doc
tor who could not get the needle
into her arm correctly. As a result,
Phyllis received four punctures be
fore a successful polio vaccination
was completed.
There was quite a bit of mis
chief that year. Jackie Steele re
ceived a whipping for pulling Jackie
Grissom’s suspenders, Regin.i Cra
ven wa,« known for biting and
pinching her classmates, and one
would never see her cry. On the
other hand Wanda Clark was the
crybaby of the class. There were
also those, such as Dianne Hill,
who played possum at rest period
in order to merit a gold star beside
her name.
Sharon Sechrest was “Miss Feb
ruary’’ in the class play, after a
two-week postponement because
Sharon developed a case of the
mumps. Brenda Hopkins and Phyl
lis Johnson were the proud ma
jorettes. Only, well I guess it was
because Phyllis had practiced her
batoning so much; well, the end
oi Phyllis’ baton flew off and hit
an unknown viewer’s head.
During the third year at Union
Hill everyone tried to outspell his
classmate. Right at the beginning
i' was evident that Steve Johnson
had us all 'oeat. He would always
get the free ice-cream.
Wanda Beeson and Sharon Tate
joined us that year. With their en
trance began the popularity of pig
tails. And, oh yes, Sharon was even
then the clown of the class (just
so you all will know that Union
Hill grows ’em with a sense of
humor). And, oh yes, Howcird San
ders and Gray Metters were the
pests of the class (according to the
girls) and already seemed to be
quite familiar with the “board ol
education.” One of our fellow play
mates, Jack Clinard, left us this
year.
The fourth grade at Union Hill
was overcrowded and several com
bination rooms were required.
Whether she wanted more room to
try for a home-runner or v/Hatever
the reason, Phyllis Tucker hit Wan
da Rothrock in the mouth with a
ballbat. There seemed to be quite
a few disagreements among the
boys as to who would write Sarah
Ann Byrd love notes. But, of course
Sarah flattered them all by check
ing the “I love you” square. It
was traditional for the girls al
Union Hill to compete for the May
day queen attendent. Fifth grade
Mayday court attendents were;
Sharon Tate and James Killgo, Don
George and Wanda Beeson, Steve
Johnson and Sharon Sechrest.
The Glee Club at Union Hill
was really good! It seemed as if
everyone was a bom vocalist. But,
of course, everyone did so want
to miss history of math or English
or Mrs. Braswell’s art class.
The highlight of the fifth grade
was the trip to Guilford Battle
Ground. James Killgo and Sharon
Tate always seemed to get that
back seat of the bus on all our
trips. Archie Liiffman gave Mrs.
Howell a hard time that year or
was it vice versa?
During the sixth grade, we jour
neyed to Winston-Salem where we
visited the cigarette factories and
the Tip-Top bakery. Jackie Steele
and Carolyn Jones had quite a
scare when they imagined those
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