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THE BLACKBIRD, ROCKY MOUNT HIGH SCHOOL
TUESDAY. APR1L«24, 1951
THE BLACKBIRD
Official Publication of
Rocky Mount High School
Member of the
Columbia Scbolastic Press Ajsisociation
EDITORIAL STAFF
Editor-in-chief Alva Wallace
Assistant Editor Fred Patton
News Editor Janet Mellor
Sports Editors Johnnie Shelton, James Johnson
Feature Editor Carolyn Ellis
Literary Editor - Margaret Eason
Exchange Editor Velna Motley
P. T. S. A. Reporter Virginia Gray
Columnist Jean Cooper
BUSINESS STAFF
Business Manager Emily Baker
Circulation Manager Tam Holliday
Advertising Manager Shirley Robbins
Assistant Advertising Manager Sue Franks
Typists Second Year Typing Class
FACU1.TY ADVISER - MJIS. T. D. YOUNG
Published fourteen times during the year by the Journalism Class
of Rocky Mount High School.
Subscription Rate $1.00
‘The Dearest Girl I Know’
“The girl of ray dreams is the sweetest girl of all the
girls I know . . . . ”
To some that is true, but for me, there’s another girl,
not a dream girl, but one in reality, dearer than any other.
She’s a person whon I take too often for granted. She’s
someone to pick up my clothes after me, clean the house,
cook my meals, and a million and one other things. She
moves quiet'/ nr.d efficiently, asking no praise, expecting
no glory, but just a little love in return. She’s the girl my
father fell in love with, his dream girl. She made him what
he was, just as she’s trying to make me into a better person.
With a firm, but gentle hand and with a patience
that never ends even when I tax it almost to the breaking
point, she guides me.
She taught me to walk, to talk, to dress myself. She
went through Scarlet Fever, Chicken Pox, Measles, Whoop
ing Cough'with me, suffering more than I suffered per
haps. She saw me through my quarrels with neighbor’s
children. She was always there when I had a skinned knee,
a cut finger, or a stubbed toe. She comforted me when my
dog died and when I broke my doll. She was always there
when I stumbled off the chosen path.
I could write a million things about her, about the
way her eyes twinkle when she smiles, about her work-
worn hands, work-worn because of me. There are wringles
on her forehead, grey hairs appearing eVer so slightly at
her temples, because of me.
She’s very dear and words can’t tell how proud I am
of her. I knoAv you’ve guessed by now, that person is my
mother, “the sweetest and dearest girl I know.”
Career Or Korea?
“Should I go to college and study for my life’s work
or wait until the army gets me?”
Many lads pf eighteen and above have asked parents,
teachers, and friends this question recently. It is a timely
question, for everyday many boys in the United States go
off to fight for their country.
It appears needless for these boys to begin college,
for they would probably be snatched out after they had
hardly begun. On the other hand, it seems needless to lose
a year while waiting for Uncle Sam’s call—a year in which
much knowledge could be acquired from one of the higher
institutions of learning.
Therefore, it is up to every boy to make his own de
cision in the matter. It is certain that either decision
will be for the good of the individual and the United States.
If a boy joins the army, he %vill be fighting to defend the
freedoim of the country. And, if he goes to college, he will
study to go into some field which will in some way be of
benefit to the country.
It is, therefore, a time of great decision—career or
Korea!
School—No Place For Love Making
Love is W'onderful! Love is what a home is built on
However, the place for demonstrating love is not in our
school corridors, the corners of the hall, and the various
other spots all over school.
As one walks down the halls he sees students holding
hands and making eyes at one another. Some of the stu
dents think that these demonstrations belittle the true
Ineaning of love. It is fine, bW not in school. The place to
demonstrate affection is at home or when you are alone
You certainly are not alone in the school building. So, boys,
if you think anything about your girl friend, you will wait
until you are alone to demonstrate yolur feelings toward
her.
Give A Big Smile
If you’re feeling low
And your troubles trouble you,
Don’t let them get you down.
Let a smile breakthrough.
When you think you’re unlucky
And you just can’t win,
Just thing it over once or twice
And give a great big grin.
While you’re walking down life’s
pathways
As though you’re on the last mile.
Don’t worry about the things to
come.
Just break out with a smile.
Some folks thing that funny
things
Are only a waste of time,
But if they knew what a smile
would do.
It really would be fine.
And when you get up in years ,
If you’ll stop for a while
And think of pleasant memories,
Soon you’ll find you can smile.
—By Carolyn Ellis
Color Crazy
I have a problem facing me,
Which can be solved only by a
genius.
What color of gown shall I wear
To the prom for juniors and
seniors?
I could wear my baby blue gown—
The prettiest you’ve ever seen—
Oh, but that would never do.
Because “his” seat covers are
green!
I thought of wearing my gown of
pink.
But that thought I dismissed;
’Cause “he’d” surely wear his
bright red tie
And to send me red roses, “he’d”
insist.
And, too, I could wear my strap
less dress—
The one of aqua hue—
But, of course, as my luck goes
The scenery would clash with it
too.
And so I’ll wear my gown of
white;
I guess that’s my best bet.
This is the most serious problem
That has ever faced me yet.
—By Carolyn Ellis
Queen Off The Ball
Pictures, pictures, all on the wall.
Who is to be the queen of the ball?
Nobody knows, yet everyone
gusses;
Everyone will be there in pretty
dresses.
Yes, it’s the Jr.-Sr. I’m speaking
about.
Committees. Committees. Every
one shouts!
What’s the theme? We all want
to know.
But that’s the secret of our big
show!
I
“Do you have a date?” your best
friend asks.
“Yes” I replied, “He asked me
at last.”
“I waited and waited and finally
he came,
I tell you, my dear—I was nearly
insane.”
The juniors and seniors are all
excited;
Teachers all have been invited.
The juniors are fioping this year’s
to be
The best dinner-dance you’ll ever
see.
» —By Emily Baker
Whew! What il Dream
Lend Me Your Ears
With apologies to William
Shakespeare Margaret Reaves pre
sents the following parody of the
first part of Marc Antony’s famous
oration given at Julius Caesar’s
funeral.
Margaret prepared this parody
as part of her project on the
Shakespearean drama, which she
studied recently in the English
class.
Friends, students, ■ teachers, lend
me your ears;
I come this day to tell you a secret.
The day of reckoning is near at
hand,
The day when we judge and are
judged;
So say our teachers. Our precious
teachers
Hath told us we should’ve studied:
If it were so, it was a terrible
task.
And terribly have we studied.
Here, under leave of our principal
arid the rest—
For he is a wise man;
So are they all, all wise people—
Come I to tell you this.
Today is the day and we drag
to school.
But our teachers say we must
hurry.
And our teachers are wise people.
We hath crammed for facts and
dates.
Until they'i swim around in our
heads;
Did this in us seem wise?
When that the clock have struck
twelve, we have wept;
We are not yet ready for bed.
Our dear teachers say we should
7ls Spring! Awake!
Purple-lilac Wisteria, gently
waving in the breeze . . . yellow
Daffodils emerging from the new
green grass . . . trees budding
green, blossoming out in all their
ladiance . . . Azaleas . . . deep red
of the Christmas Cheer—beautiful
pink of the Coral Bell . . . purple
of the Formosa 1. . . stately Iris in
all its white and lavender glory . . .
pleasant odor of apple blossoms . ..
white and pink of the Dogwood . .
deep purple and yellow of the baby
Pansies, clinging close to mother
earth . . . waves of Thrift covering
the earth with a blanket of bril
liant color . . . birds awakening
you each morning with their joy
ous notes . . . the smell of the
earth after an April shower . . .
at last—’tis Spring . . . the Great
Awakening!
have studied;
And now we know they are right.
You all did see that on exam day
Some did try to cheat: Was this
wise?
Our teachers say we should have
studied.
And sure they are right.
I'speak not to scare you,
But here I am giving you warning.
You all did study once, long ago.
What keeps you from doing so
now?
0 students! Thou art unwise
people
If you do not do your homework.
Study with me.
My mind has not been on my
studies.
And now, I must cram for final
exams.
Why Did They Drop Out?
To have a community which does
things and accomplishes what it
goes after there must be active
co-operation among the citizens,
there should be a willingness on
their part to work, and last they
should get enjoyment out of work
ing as well as experience.
La^t week Mr. Russell Sorrell,
and Mr. Ed Hunt, asked twelve
or fifteen boys and girls from
Rocky Mount high school if they
would be in the Jaycee Minstrel
which will be held in the high
school auditorium on April 26,
27, and 28. Some thirty boys and
girls responded to their plea and
started rehearsing. On the day of
tryouts six of these girls didn’t
show up and last Thursday six of
the boys dropped out.
What happened to these people?
These boys are the people who
will someday be Jaycees them
selves and they in turn will be
asking high school students to help
them with their projects.
Why didn’t more students re
spond to the plea and why did •
these twelve drop out? No doubt
they had good intentions when
they started out but what hap
pened after? Couldn’t they take
responsibilities or weren’t they
willing to sacrifice a little of
their time to help someone who
has helped our high school? No
body knows why.
“Co-operation, willingness, en-i
joyment,” and “dependability.”
What do those words mean to
you? ^