A', s
Visitors
Welcome
THE
ACKBIRD
V
W
Published by the Journalism Classes of Rocky Mount High School.
Vol. rx No. 8
Friday, May 19, 1939
;rni\na
School Holds An nual Open HouseToda^
GRAHAM TO
SPEAK AT
FINALS
Graduating Exercises
To Be June 2; Vesper
Set For May 28
Approximately 14a Seniors will re
ceive their diplomas, Friday, June 2,
at the graduating exercises, schedul
ed to begin at eight o’clock. Other
features of the commencement sea
son will be the vesper .service, Sun
day afternoon. May 28, at five
o’clock, and the class exercises,
'I'liursday, June 1, at eight o'clock.
All of the programs will be in tho
auditorium.
Doctor Krank I’orter Uraham.
pre Ident of the University of North
Carolina, will deliver the address to
•■he graduates. At the vesper ser
vices Ur. Leigh H. Scott, pastor of
the Klrst Presbyterian church,
Goldsboro, will be the speaker.
Supt. Wilson Presiding
At the graduation event with
Superintendent R. M. Wilson pre
siding, the Rev. C. Koss Ritchie will
give the invocation and the bene
diction. The band will play “The
Alarch of the Priests” for the pro
cessional and “■•Vnchors Away,” for
the recessional. Two numbers will
be sung b.\- the glee club and the
Uaditional class song will be sung
by the graduates.
The committee in charge of the
program is composed of Miss Mar
garet Hicks, faculty advisor; Leroy
Murchison, chairman; Penelope Jen
kins, Betsy Powell, Betsy Owen,
Jack Wooten, president of the class.
Vesper Program
At the -twitiKlit ve2l»r .survici., iiis
Rev. Ritchie and the Rev. Norman
Johnson will assist. The band and
glee club will render numbers. Phyl
lis Perritt, chairman; Mr. A. M. Mc
Gregor, faculty advisor; Stella John
son, -Ann Stinson, Charles Bean, and
Buddy Bostain are the committee
in charge.
Each senior will be given fiv«
tickets for the graduation exercises
and admission will be by ticket
only.
Other Committees
-Assisting the class officers, Jack
Wooten, Evelyn Gentry, Mabel
Marshburn and Leroy Murchison
are committees for the class gift,
song, flower, motto, and invitations
They are as follows: gift, Mildred
Martin, Betsy Owen, Barbara Strick
land, Stella Johnson; song, Nell
Gaither, Eveline Liooney, Ann Stin
son, Betty Savage; flower, Betsy
Powell, William Bennett, Eveline
l.ooney; motto, Mabel Marshburn,
.Vargle Price, Roy Mayo, Billy Walk
er; Invitations, Mildred Martin, Kath
erine Longest, Elaine Rhodes, Wil
liam Bennett.
The class flower is the carnation,
and the colors, blue and white. “Step
be step one gees a long way” is the
motto.
Student At Work
VARIOUS DEPARTMENTS
TO EXHIBIT WORK
Deinpsej' Proctor, an industrial arts student, portrays a typical Rocky
.Mount high scliool student ut work. He is constructing a Ouncan
Phyfe table wliicli today will be 0|n display in the industrial arts ex-
liil)it.
Calendar
Ma.y 19, 3:.’!() P. M.—Triangular
Track meet, Briles Park. Greenville,
Wilson and Rocky Mount.
May 19, 7:3) I*. M.—Open house
and exhibits.
•May 28, .") I‘. M.—Vesper service.
High School .Auditorium. Sermon
bj- llev. Lee n. Scott, pastor of
Kirst Pre.sbyterlttu church, Golds-
))oro.
June 1, 11 A. .\l.—Cla.ss Day exer
cise.
June 1, ,S:15 1*. M.—Class night
and awards.
•June 2, 8 1‘. M.—Graduation exer
cises, High School Auditorium. Ad
dress by Dr. f rank Graham, presi
dent of University of North Carolina
June 2, !l-12 1’. .M.—P.T.A. dance
for seniors.
Year Is Marked By
Successful Events
The school year 1938-39 ends June
3 with a record of achievement of
a high calibre. To mention highlights
of the closing year convinces school-
minded patrons, administrators, fac
ulty, and students of the fact.
Football team won second place In
conference. DramH class presented
“Little Women,’’ the tjest perform-
ILIlve t'.V t"- vaar
Blackbird and Hi-Noc-Ar pabUoar
tions took awards at Southern Press
Meet.
Glee Club presented light opera,
"The "Pirates of Pemsance” by Gil
bert and Sullivan.
Junior Honor Society initiates pre
sentation of scholarship cup to
eigtl; grade home rooms. Two bills
of original one-act plays given. Girls
Athletic Association sponsors intra
mural speedball, hiking, archery,
tennis, softball and basketball.
Basketball teams take second
place in conference. Shop -lass con
structs modern six room home. U.
D. C. history award and citizenship
essay contest won by R. M. H. S.
students.
Delegates attend Student Council
Congress, Honor Society Conven
tlon, S. 1. P. A.. Hi-Y conference.
Honor principle, Service Club,
Bible Club and United Youth move
ment is begun. Rocky Mount leads
among high schools in beginning
all of the above mentioned groups.
Dramatic class wins district hon
ors with “Eve of St. Agnes.”
Debating team enters foren.slo
event at Wake Forest.
Junior Drama club features in U
N. C. dranUtic festival.
Basebau .uiutwise ends in
second.
First track team is organized.
Thirteen seniors placed for part-
time work.
French, mathematics, and com
mercial students participate in state
contest.
A diversified occupations i)rogram
is begun.
Vocational department ;!ponsors
series of lectures.
Band wins state-wide recognition
for appearances at football games,
in state music meet, and at other
events.
Extensive intra-mural athletic pro
gram is undertaken by boys.
Home economics department is be
ing remodeled.
Speech choir gives programs in
several colleges and towns and is
highly favored.
ShopClassesShow
Varied Projects
The annual industrial exhibit is
being hold this year in affiliation
with the open house night.
’I'hore are exhibits depicting the
various types of work done in the
industrial arts department. In gen-
1 ral woodwork and cabinet making,
l.i'ojects including cedar chests, Dun-
lan i->hyfe tables, chests of drawers,
I>eriods chest.s, and several mod
V 111 desif;ns in cabmei work are dis
played.
In tho metal work, portable ma
chines made from old discarded au
tomotive parts are shown. There
urc! also exhibits in beginning and
advanced drafting. Printing- sam
ples were shown, and as souvenirs
lilotters are being distributed to pa
trons during the exhibit.
The exhibit is being held from 3
until 5 p. m. for grammer school
students and again tonight for the
pMtrons of Rocky Mount high school.
Brother Rat?—No
It*s ^SisterMouse*
“Sister Mouse,” an original play
written by Eileen Smith of Blltmore
(’olloKe, will be pre.sented tonight in
(he auditorium at seven-thirty be
fore the parents who are visiting
Open House. The play, which is a
take-off on the Broadway presenta
tion of “Brother Rat,” is full of
amusing situations and hilarious
Iiredlcaments.
The plot is concerned with the
trouble In which several college girls
find themselves when some fun-lov-
Ing West Pointers sneak Into their
strictly feinlnlne .sorority house.
'I'he characters are Snorky, Mary
Scott Tyree; Snuffy, Norma Dozier;
Bish. Ann Fountain; Jerry, Shirley
Myatt; Mary, Peggy Speight; Mar-
fjie, Mildred Thompson; Susie, Eliza
beth King', Wade Pitt; Tommy, C.
W. Caspar; Bob, Bobbie Moore; Jim,
Thomas Easterling: Mrs. Curly, Mi
riam Hassell.
Seniors Plan For
Class Exercises
The 9lass day oxercl.ses for the
senior Cliuss will be held at 11 a. m.
and 8:15 p. m., Thursday under the
direction of the claas day committee.
Ifor the first time the exercl.sea
will Include both day and night
events.
The morning program, a frlvilous
affair called "Those Jolly Final
Exams" will entertain all seniors
and other high .school pupils not tak
ing exams.
“A Senior and HLs Day.” to be
held that night, is primarily for the
benefit of the parents.
Formerly there has been only a
cla.ss day or cla.ss night. This year
there are both. The presentation of
awards ha.s been switched from
graduation to cla.s.s night, thus
shortening the graduation program
and giving class night a more in
teresting aspect.
I'ovlng playboy gathers no
knowledge.
Paul Mooring Takes
First In Essay Contest
Paul Mooring, a senior, won the
first prize of fifty dollars In the Elks
contest on “Obligations of Citizen
ship.’’ The contest was open to all
state high school students.
I-ast year Mildred Morris won the
first prize in the same contest.
The v/lnning essays were written
in the twelfth grade iournallsm class
taught by Miss Hazel Griffin.
Seven Scouts To
Attend N, Y, Fair
Gn June 1. the World’s Fair
Special will pull into Rocky .Mount
and take on .seven Scouts. These
Sc’out.s will repre.s^nt the Rocky
Mount District of the East Carolina
Council In a council Scout Service
Troop that will be encamped on the
World’s P’alr grounds.
Those participatintv are William
Bennett of Troop Five: 'Earle Cade,
Thomas Easterling. Bill Greathouse,
Neverson Lewis, and Carr Speight
of Troop Seven: and Roy Proctor of
Troop Eight.
The camp will be a magnet,
drawing hundreds of Scouts from
(’ouncll.s all over the country. This
stockaded camp will bring thousands
of visitors to study and sei* how Boy
Scouts live. Totem poles and 48
flags from Scout Nations all over
the world will adl distinctive bit.s
of color to the lively spectacle
within the .scout encampment.
The c.amp. whifh will be open
from April 30 to October 31, will
accomodate 1.50 Si outs and lenders.
The camp will he located beside the
Federal Building occupying a two
acre lot.
Since the World's Fair authorities
are letting the Scouts camp on the
Fair grounds, the Scout.s are re-
turnins; the “Good Horn” by offer
ing their service.s for First Aid duty,
participation in Service Patrols, act-
as guard of honor for listingulshed
guests and service as orderlies,
guides for the aged and handicapped
Junior-Senior Dance
Proves Gay Affair
The juniors honored the seniors at
their annual dance in the school
gymnasium, Friday evening. May
12, with Hal Thurston and his or
chestra providing the. rhythm.
Martha Battle, president of the
junior class, led the grand march
with Charles Bean. The president
of the senior class. Jack Wooten,
was second. Following him were
the other officers of each class.
During the figure a “39” was
forinea as the orchestra played the
fenior class song written to the
chorus of “The Song of the Singing
Marines." The figure changed to
“40” and the DKE song to which
the ,1unior class song is written was
played.
In the receiving line were the
class presidents with their dates.
Miss Temple Ricks, Mr. Angus Mc
Gregor, Miss Kate Parks Kitchin,
Air. R. Q. Ward, Mr. and Mrs. I. E.
Ready, and Mr. and’ Mrs. R. M. Wil
son.
Delightful punch and cookies were
served during the intermission.
Home Ec. Rooms
Being Remodeled
The home ecnomics department
under the direction of Miss Ruby
Temple is being remodeled.
'I'wo of the rooms are being com-
t)ined to form a dining-living room,
>nd the entire department is being
painted and will be furnished with
up to date furniture.
The interior d’ecorating class
vv’hic'h was organized by Miss Tem
ple. will furnish the rooms as one
of their projects for the semester.
per.sons, and assistants to non-com
mercial exhibitors and in the child
ren’s recreational center.
(^ne of the side objects of the
Rocky Mount contingent will be to
hear and see another Rocky Mount
er, Kay Kyser, on his Wednesday
night radio program.
Music and Dramatic
Departments To Entertain
Tonight at 7 ;30
Tfxlay, May 19, the annual open
house is to bo held for the pur
pose of acquainting the parents of
students with the work which is be
ing carried on. he exhibits will be
displayed in^ the natural setting of
the classrooms and the respective
teacher will preside as host or hos-
tes.s, using students to assist in ex
planation and demonstration.
Each department will have some
type of exhibit representative of the
year’s work and exhibits that wUl
be of value to students as well as
of value for display.
Exhibit night will begin at 7:30
p. m. in the auditorium under the
direction of the dramatics and music
departments. The Glee Club under
the direction of Mr. Parry will
render several selections as will the
band under Mr. Hooker’s supervis
ion. “Sister Mouse” is to be pre
sented by members of the drama
tics department. The play is a sa
tire on the motion picture, “Brother
Rat.”
Sclwdule
This program will be followed by
short periods of ten minutes In
class room for parents to follow
their child’s schedule beginning with
home room periixl where the parent
will be given his schedule. The par
ents will be guided in the halls by
the regular traffic committee.
One of the novel features of open
house will be found in the com
mercial department. A model office
is to be reproduced including the
manager, secretary, bookkieeper,
files, and other office institutions.
A court scenu of the time of Louis
XVI is to be displayed In Miss
I'Jarp's history citum. All the ladles
bedecked in their best, as it was
in the era of Louis, will grace the
scene. Miss I'raighlll promises an
exhibit from every French pupil.
French is to be talked exclusively
and some French songs are to be
sung by some students. Copies of
the "Blackbird” are to be given
away to parents in Miss Griffin's
room.
A model of Shakespeare and one
of a Shakespearian stage are to be
found in Miss Johnson's English
classroom^ By various methods
Miss I’ace will endeavor to show the
history of medicine. There also will
be preserved sjiecimens and skele
tons. The girls in the interior dec
orating class have beautified the
home economics department.
The life processes of the human
body will be shown in Mr. Ward’s
room. .-Vn Indoor garden, mlcro-
projector, and acquaria will be dis
played also. In the physics depart
ment Mr. Privott will present a cross
section of the course to be inter
preted by numerous projects and ex
periments. "The Roman Forum” U
the title of a aeries of buildings re
presenting the Forum in Miss Fer
rell’s l^tin room.
Down in the dramatics department
are to be masques, costumes, and
copies of the literary magazine
"Cargoes” edited by the members of
the speech choir. Some skits will
be presented for the enjoyment of
the parents. In the girls dean’s of
fice will be a combination display of
guidance and English. In the math-
ematic’s department will be graphs,
papers. Instruction posters, and book
lets. The remaining English, civics,
and history dep.'irtments will exhibit
posters, scrap books, maps, note
books. signs, and placards.
Stella Johnson Wins
Shorthand Award
Stella Johnson, first year short
hand pui)il of Miss Virginia Baird,
won first place in the statewide
shorthand contest w’ith a perfect
paper, scoring 100.
A second year student of ilis.>i
Mary Lou Barr, Irvin Staton, won
third piece in tho shorthand contest
with a score of 97.5.
The papers were graded by the
members of the commercial faculty
at Woman’s College. A total of 7,800
students throughout the state parti-
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