PUBLISHED EACH SCHOOL MONTH BY THE STUDENTS OF THE OXFORD HIGH SCHOOL
Volume XVVI
Oxford, N. C., May, 1955
Number 6
Commencement Exercises To
Be Held May 27
Dr. W. Amos Abrams, Rev. Alban
Richey to be Speakers.
Plans for the graduating exercises of
the Class of ’55 have been completed, as
announced by Superintendent C. W. Dug-
gins and principals W. G. Somerville,
Jr. and E. T. Regan. The annual bac
calaureate sermon, which will begin the
exercises, will be held at the Oxford First
Baptist Church at eight o’clock on May
22. Following a custom of the rotation
of ministers, the Reverend Alban Richey,
rector of St. Stephen’s Episcopal Church
in Oxford will deliver the commencement
sermon. The Rev. Mr. Richey will be
assisted by several local pastors.
CLASS NIGHT
Informal exercises in honor of Class
Night will be held in the Oxford High
School auditorium on Wednesday, May
25, at eight-fifteen o’clock.
The valedictory will be delivered by
Roberta Rucker, who has achieved the
highest scholastic average in the class; the
salutatory will be given by Harvey Horo
witz whose average is second highest. At
this time, Jan Park will read the prophecy;
Meriwether Walker will read the Class
Poem; George Johnson will present the
Last Will and Testament; Nancy Cutts
will review the Class History, and Helen
Watkins will introduce the Class of ’55.
Class gifts have been chosen by Betsy
Bullock, and Candace Tatsey, class trea
surer, will present a farewell gift to the
school. Various medals and awards will
be presented at this time by the principal.
GRADUATION NIGHT
On the night of May 27 at eight-fifteen,
members of the Senior Classes of Oxford
High School and of John Nichols High
School will receive their diplomas. Speaker
for the occasion will be Dr. Amos Abrams,
editor of the North Carolina Education.
Members of the Class of ’55 who will
make up the Oxford High School roll are:
Julia Mae Baker, Celia A. Beasley, John
Thomas Blackwell, Betsy Estelle Bullock,
Betsy Mae Burnette, Joyce Ann Burnette,
John Spottswood Burwell, Ann Carol
Chappell, Rachel Connell, Benjamin Flem-
injg Clirrin, Mary Ann Cucrin, N(ajicy
Campbell Cutts, Joseph Edward Daniel,
Marianna Daniel, Mary Ann Dean, Elreda
Dixon, Melville Howard Dorsey, Charles
Landis Easton, Betty Jane Elliott, Nancy
Jo Finch, Betty Sue Green, Eckiel An
nette Hart, Harvey Alan Horowitz, Bar
bara Ann Hughes, Roy Taylor Jackson,
George Frederick Johnson, John Pollard
Jones, Jr., Curtis Franklin King, Martha
Leigh McFarland, Dan Vickers Noblin,
John Bryant Norris, Howard Kinton
Oliver, Emma Yvonne Overton, Mary
Helen Parham, Janice Maie Park, Kathryn
Roach, Thomas Sampson Royster, Jr.,
Mildred Roberta Rucker, Margaret Ann
Smith, Peggy Lou Smith, James Ronald
Talley, Candace Ann Tatsey, Curtis Carlyle
Tillotson, Jr., Meriwether Lewis Walker,
Helen Elizabeth Watkins, Shirley Ann
Wheeler.
The Owl
Congratulates
The Class of
^55
Honor Sfudenfs
ROBERTA RUCKER
Bond and Chorus
Present Concert
The Music Department of the Oxford
High School presented their annual Spring
Concert on May 10, 1955. The organiza
tions that participated were: the high
school and the junior high school bands,
the Oxford High School Mixed Chorus
and a special chorus of high school stu
dents.
During the program, two silver loving
cups were awarded to the outstanding
musician of the band and to the outstand
ing member of the chorus. The winners
of the cups were Curt Tillotson and Betsy
Bullock. Along with the cups, six band
pins and six chorus pins were given to
the outstanding students. The Freshmen
were given band letters, and stars were
given to each member in high school.
The Concert consisted of the following
arrangements:
Band:
Band of America Paul Lauville
Minuet Handel
Poet and Pheasant Overture Suppe
Blue Tango * L. Anderson
Carnival of Roses
Mighty Fortress M. Luther
Band and Chorus
Chorus:
Happy Wanderer Moller and Loesser
You’ll Never Walk Alone
Rodgers and Hammerstein
Wonderful Copenhagen Loesser
Dream of Olwen Williams
Leperchaun Lullaby Hurlbert
Just Another Polka Loesser and DeLugg
The Lord is My Shepherd Cain
Give Ear Unto My Prayer Arcadelt
Alma Mater
Student Council
Elections
On Monday, May 16, the students of
Oxford High School voted for the new
officers of the Student Council. The fol
lowing people were running for office:
President: Shelba Walters, Tommy Hogan,
Jimmy Crawford and Jackie Raper
Vice-President: Nellie Holmes Ballou
Secretary: Mar>' Ann Powell and Patsy
Hughes
Treasurer: Judy Watkins, Rowland Mat-
teson and Ann White.
l
HARVEY HOROWITZ
Rucker, Horowitz
Are Honor Students
The Valedictorian of the senior class of
1955 is Roberta Rucker. This intelligent
and talented girl was chief marshal, and
president of the Beta Club, as well as a
participant in many other activities. Ro
berta was the mascot for the class of ’43,
of which her brother was a member. She
is interested in art and plans to teach
it in public schools. She is planning to
spend her first two years of college at St.
Mary’s in Raleigh.
Harvey Horowitz is the Salutatorian,
and the first boy to be an honor student
since Gilbert Ragland graduated from Ox
ford High School. Harvey was a marshal
and a Beta Club member, and in his junior
year, associate editor of the “Oxonian”.
He plans to attend State College to study
chemical engineering.
Both of these students have been in the
Oxford City Schools for their entire school
careers. Harvey skipped the seventh
grade, making him one of the youngest
members of his class. “The Owl” would
like to congratulate two fine students and
to wish them the best of luck in the future.
Hawks to Edit
"Oxonion"
During May, the students of Oxford
High School held an election to choose a
staff for “The Oxonian,” the school an
nual. Campaign speeches were presented
in assembly prior to the election, and the
tallying of votes proved Jean Earl Hawks
to be editor for the ’55-’56 “Oxonian”.
Jean Earl is experienced in annual work,
as she served as associate editor this year.
In addition to work on the annual staff,
Jean Earl is a member of the chorus and
serves as a marshal.
Associate Editor Buddy Norwood is also
an old timer on the annual staff, having
worked with staff members for the past
two years. Buddy is also an interested
band member and a reporter for “The
Owl”.
Business manager Patricia White has
also had previous experience on the annual
staff and is a member of the chorus as
well as serving as a marshal.
A new-comer to our school, Ben Averett,
holds the position of Art Editor on the
“Oxonian” staff. Ben comes to Oxford
High from Canada and is a member of
the Boy’s Athletic Association.
"Moonlight' and
Roses"
Jr.-Sr. Banquet
On May 14, 1955, at 7:00 P. M., at
the Woman’s Club, the Juniors entertained
the Seniors and the Oxford High School
Faculty at their annual Junior Senior Ban
quet. Tommy Hogan, the president of
the Junior Class was the master of cere
monies and the toasts were given in the
following order:
Toast to the Principal—Guj' Reid, with
Mr. Somerville responding.
Toast to the Seniors—Billy Currin, with
Sam Royster responding.
Toast to the Faculty—Dora Bryan, with
Miss Edna Reams responding.
Toast to the School Board—Peggy Ham-
me, with Mr. F. R. Barlowe responding.
Toast to the Superintendent—Allan Ba
ker, with Mr. Duggins resp>onding.
Toast to the Sponsors—Jackie Raper,
with Miss Averette responding.
The menu consisted of Rose Nectar
(Tomato Juice); Moonlight and Rose
Special (Turkey, Dressing, and Cranberry
Sauce); Moon Beams (Butter Beans);
Crescent Moon and Star Dust (Crescent
Rolls and Butter); Fleecy Clouds (Cream
ed Potatoes); Rose Petal Salad; Rose
Bud Radishes; Lover’s Delight (Cherry
Tarts a la Mode; and Rose Water (Iced
Tea).
During the banquet, the guests were
entertained by the Juniors and the waiters
and waitresses. The boy’s quartet, com
posed of Allan Baker, Johnny Welch,
Jackie Raper, and Nelson Blackwell sang
“Shine on Harvest Moon”. A quartet
composed of Tommy Hogan, Jimmy Craw
ford, J. D. Wrenn, and Phillip Hughes
sang “Katy”, which was pantomined by
Billy Currin and Peggy Hamme. Both
quartets combined in singing “Down by
the Old Mill Stream”. Rowland Matte-
son played Beethoven’s “Moonlight Sona
ta”. The girls’ quartet, composed of Jean
Earl Hawks, Vera Cheatham, Patsy Man-
gum, and Nancy O’Brien sang “By the
Light of the Silvery Mooh”. Johnny
Welch sang “Red Roses for a Blue Lady”,
which was pantomined by Myrta Ann Dix
on, Rosalie Currin, and Rowland Matte-
son. The Waiters and Waitresses enter
tained with a song and dance number,
“Moonlight and Roses”. The banquet was
concluded with Betsy Bullock singing
“Carolina Moon” and everyone joining in
the chorus.
The dance immediately following the
banquet was held at the Oxford High
School Gymnasium, which wis converted
into a rose garden of wondrous beauty
and splendor. There were roses galore;
rose trelleses, rose arbors, rose arches, rose
bushes, a wishing well, bird houses, white
lawn furniture, roses planted in wheel
barrows, and appropriately placed spot
lights. The CAVALIERS, a five piece
orchestra from Henderson provided the
music for the dance. Everyone had a most
delightful time and it is agreed that this
Jr.-Sr. can hold its own with the ones
held before it.
Juniors Receive
Rings
On April 19, 1955 A. D., a most memo
rable and blessed event took place for the
then fast upcoming and now distinguished
Junior Class. Their rings came! This was
to the Juniors the climax and highlight
of eleven years of “toil and trouble”.