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PUBLISHED EACH SCHOOL MONTH BY THE STUDENTS OF THE OXFORD HIGH' SCHOOL
Volume XVII
Oxford, N. C., May, 1954
Number 4
Dr. Ben G. Childs To
Address Seniors
Diplomas To Be Presented
June 4
Seniors Present
P. A. System
Plans for graduating exercises of the
class of 1954 have been completed, as an
nounced by Mr. C. VV. Duggins, superin
tendent of Oxford City Schools, and Mr.
Walter G. Somerville, Jr., principal of
Oxford High School. The annual Bacca
laureate sermon, which will begin the ex
ercises, will be held at the First Baptist
Church of Oxford at eight o’clock on May
30. The Reverend Lyn Brown, pastor of
the Presbyterian Church in Raleigh, will
deliver the commencement sermon. This
was arranged by a committee from the
Presbyterian Church.
CL.ASS NIGHT
Class Night for the class of ’54 will be
held on June 3 at eight-fifteen o’clock
in the high school auditorium.
The valedictory and salutatory will be
delivered at this time by Violette Par
ham and Jackie Shaw respectively. Also
at this time Ben Averett will deliver the
Class Prophecy; Nick, Bragg, the class
poem; Warren Stephenson, the Last Will
and Testament; Ronald Sneed, the Class
History; Jackie Shaw, Class Giftorian,
will distribute gifts; and Dick Taylor will
present the seniors.
The Senior Class gift of 1954 is a por
table amplifying system. This public ad
dress system was bought from National
School Supply of Raleigh; it was manufac
tured by David Bogen Co. The gift in
eludes: a 30-watt amplifier, two 12-inch
speakers, a microphone, and a mike stand
Its main uses will be in the auditorium,
gym., and on the athletic field. With a
very simple attachment a phonograph pla
yer could be “hooked up” to the ampli
fier so it could be used at dances. The
Senior Class is happy to present their gift
to the school and hopes that it will be
a great benefit to O. H. S.
Bullock To Head
Student Council
GRADUATION NIGHT
On the night of June 4 at eight-fifteen
o’clock, members of the Senior Class of
the Oxford High School and the John
Nichols High School, will receive their di
plomas. Dr. Ben G. Childs of Duke Uni-
V'ersity will address the Seniors of both
schools.
Those who will receive diplomas from
Oxford High are as follows:
Benjamin Hayes Averett, Dorothy Mae
Averett, Eugene Bullock Averett, Wesley
Maynard Averett, William Morris Batts,
James Blanton Belcher, Bettie Lou Black-
well, William Travis Blackwell, Willie
Bell Boyd, Nicholas Burton Bragg, Barbara
Ann Brooks, Julia Mac Brooks, Eugenia
Carolyn Brummitt, Daphne Elaine Bur
nette, Jean Adams Burwell, Joy Kyle Bur-
well, Betsy Ann Clark, James Baker Clay,
Cleveland Eugene Connell, Robert Tyree
Currin, Lindsay Currin, Leonard Franklin
Dean, Patricia Dickerson, Julia Elizabeth
Ellington, EMith Carolyn Evans, Elizabeth
Finch, Mattie Ann Gooch, Julia Hamme,
Richard Watts Harris, Jr., Kenneth Donald
Hedgepeth, Gerlcen Hester, Betty Jane
Hilbert, Laura Jo Hunt, Thomas Hoke
Huss, Bettie Sue Knott, Rachel Arlene
Matthews, Ellic Blalock Mitchell, Edward
Ashton Morton, Jr., Edith Rose Newton,
V’iolctte Parham, Julian Peclc, Ann Eli
zabeth Rogers, Margaret Jacquelyn Shaw,
Dora Jean Sherman, Gwendolyn Joy Sher
man, Ronald Ernest Sneed, William
Thomi>son Sneed, Charles Warren Stephen
son, Henry Lindsey Taylor, Richard Lewis
Taylor, Woodrow Wynn Thomasson, Jr.,
Alma Jean Wheeler, Ann Harris Wrenn,
James Crymes Wrenn.
The Student Council elections were held
May 11, 1954. The following officers were
elected for the school year of 1954-55:
President, Betsy Bullock; Vice-President,
Tommy Hogan; Secretary, Shelba Walters;
and Treasurer, Patsy Hughes.
Betsy Bullock was elected President by
acclamation. Betsy has a wide range of
activities which includes Chorus, in which
she is a very active member, Bible Club
and Student Council. She also holds the
office of Vice-President of the Junior Class.
Elected as Vice-President over his op
ponents Jimmy Crawford and Roland
Alatteson was Tommy Hogan. Tommy,
who is a Sophomore, participates in Chorus
and Public Speaking. He also serves as
a Student Council representative from Mrs.
Nutt’s homeroom, and is a member of
the football squad.
Shelba Walters, opposed by Calla Ann
Raynor, was elected secretary of the Coun
cil. Shelba is active in Intramurals and
G. A. A., and also President of the Sopho
more Class. Next year she will be seen
leading the band as a colorguard.
Patsy Hughes was elected Treasurer also
by acclamation. She is Vice-President of
her homeroom, secretary of the Freshman
class, and a member of the Library and
Dramatics Clubs.
Honor Students
VIOLETTE PARHAM
JACKIE SHAW
Violette Parham,
Jackie Shaw Win
Top Honors
Misses Jackie Shaw and Violette Parham
have been announced by High School
Principal Walter B. Somerville, Jr., as win
ners of top . iholarship hon»)rs in the class.
Violette is valedictorian and Jackie is
the salutatorian for the class of 54 students.
Both are planning to attend East Carolina
College to prepare for careers in teaching.
Choral Department
Presents
it
Spring Medley
ti
The Choral Department of the O.xford
High School presented “Spring Medley”
to a large and appreciative audience Friday
evening. May 14. The group, under the
direction of Miss Colleen Renegar, presen
ted a varied program of spiritual, popular,
and folk songs. Taking part in the concert
were the following groups: The Mixed
Chorus, Girls Glee Club, Boys Glee Club,
Girls Sextet, and Boys Quartet.
A cup was presented to Leonard Dean
for being the best all-around singer in the
chorus. The award is given each year by
the Oxford Woman’s Club.
"Arabian Nights
Theme for Jr.-Sr.
ti
The Junior Class of Oxford High School
staged its Jr.-Sr. Banquet Saturday, May
8, at the Oxford Woman’s Club. The club
house was transformed into a place of
wondrous beauty with all the splendor
of c.n Arabian night club.
Sam Royster, President of the Junior
Class, was the Sultan whose harem was
composed of Nancy Cutts, Julia Baker,
Jan Park, and Martha McFarland. Per
forming for the sultan and his guest was
a quartet composed of Johnny Blackwell,
Billy Jones, George Johnson, and Howard
Dorsey. A quartet consisting of Betsy
Bullock, Marianna Daniel, Betsy Burnett,
and Mary Ann Dean sang “Desert Song.”
Rachel Connell and Barbara Hughes were
attired as snakes and Charles Easton was
the snake-charmer. Betsy Bullock and
Sam Royster sang “One Alone.” To con
clude the entertainment the waitresses, Jane
Hedrick, Sue Hart, Judy Watkins, Mary
Hall, Sara Watkins, and Helen Adcock,
did an Arabian dance. The waiters were
Earle Saye, Frank Bragg, Zeb Overton,
Frank Bullock, Tommy Steagall, and Ven
Burwell.
Top S. C. Officers for '54
Tommy Hogan, Patsy Hughes, Shelba Walters, and Betsy Bullock
Guests found the club house entrance
decorated in the bright colors of Arabia
and animals native to the laiyl conspicious-
ly placed about the entrance; in the re
ception room tents, palms, and a star-stud
ded sky formed a land of make-believe.
Silhouettes on the walls and soft light on
each of the tables formed the setting for
the menu consisting of Sultan’s Nectar
(juice). Sand Dunes (sweet potatoes),
Camel (turkey). Cactus (vegetables and
green peas), Oasis Salad (date salad) Tur
ban and Veil (rolls and butter), Shell’s
Delight (strawberry ice cream pic), and
Magic Mist (iced tea and lemon).
Sam Royster welcomed the guest and
Superintendent C. W. Duggins gave the
invocation. Betsy Bullock gave the toast
to the Seniors and Bettie Sue Knott made
the response. The toast to the superin
tendent was given by Joyce Burnette and
the response by Mr. Duggins; Miss Colleen
Renegar gave the response to Benny Cur-
rin’s toast to the faculty, and John Norris
gave the toast to the principal, to which
Mr. W. G. Somerville, Jr. gave the response.
Meriwether Walker addressed the school
board and Mrs. J. P. White made the res
ponse. Johnny Blackwell toasted the
mothers with a response by Mrs. George
Bullock.