Miss Margaret Ricks Retires After Many Years Of Service
MISS RICKS
“I’m going to retire and enjoy reading, gardening,
traveling, and things that I love to do,” said Miss Margaret
Ricks as she prepared to leaVe the school room in which
she has taught mathematics for thirty years.
Miss Ricks graduated from Converse college vi^ith a B
A and during her senior year there she taught mathma-
tics. She holds an M A from Georgetown where she also
taught and an M A in secondary education from Peabody.
Whiteville, one of the oldest schools established in
North Carolina, was where she began really teaching se
condary schools. Since that time she has taught in Tennes
see, St. Mary’s School in Raleigh, worked for the govern
ment for two years during World War I, and finally came
to RMHS where she has taught three generations of stu
dents.
Rill Murray, present coach at Duke; Kay Kyser,
Falmous TV and radio star; and Dan Lacy, who had the
highest average ever made at Carolina, are only a few of
the outstanding pupils she has taught.
While Miss Ricks expressed some sorrow at retiring,
she said she thought that after she got used to it, she might
enjoy having time to take things easy and do some of the
things she’s always wanted to do without having a schedule
to follow.
Miss Ricks said many nice things had been done for
her. Last Wednesday afternoon she was honored with a
“diploma” and a money certificate at the annual faculty
picnic held at the home of Miss Eleanor Pearsall. The week
before a tea was given in her honor.
As this master teacher prepares to close the door on
her teaching career, we, the Blackbird staff, wish to dedi
cate this issue to Miss Margaret Ricks, a beloved teacher of
Rocky Mount High who has served her school and her com
munity so well for so long.
HAPPY
BIRTHDAY
THE BLACKBIRD
Published by Journalism Class of Rocky Mount High School
MISS
RICKS
VOLUME XXII
ROCKY MOUNT, N. C. TUESDAY, MAY 22, 1951
NUMBER 14
Two Awards Days Set
To Recognize Students
Awards day, the day when
awards are presented to students
who have attained goals in cer
tain fields, is due to arrive at
R M H S on May 25.
The various types of awards are
the Civitan award for citizen
ship in each of the four classes,
the Baush and Lamb science
award, the American Legion Boy’s
and Girls State representatives,
the Business and Professional
Women’s club commercial award,
the Exchange’s club’s scholarship
award, the Kiw^uiis jn££66Blc
ed to the student most likely to
suceed, and the Chamber of Com
merce Band Award.
Among the awards sponsored
by the school are: biology, D. E.,
debating, public speaking, drama
tics, school publications, music de
partment, athletic department,
cheerleaders and G A A.
Awards will also be made to
the winners of the Babe Ruth
award for sportsmanship and the
R. M. Wilson Service Award.
Publications Glioose
Editors For ’51-’52
Officers for next year’s publi
cations have been chosen.
Albert Rabil is the editor of the
Hi-Noc-Ar staff while Fred Pat
ton is editor of the Blackbird.
(Continued on page 4)
To The Barringers
For the past several years the
Barringers have rendered ser
vice to the “Blackbird” staff.
It would be impossible to count
the dozens of “Photos by Bar
ringer” which have gone into
our paper—photos not only by
Bugs but also by Dot Barringer
and James Reid.
As is the usual custom Mrs.
Barringer was responsible for
making pictures of the beauty
contestants from which the
queen and her court were
chosen. Through an oversight
the “Photo by Dot Barringer”
• was omill^ed under the picture
of the queen and her court.
It is from the bottom of our
hearts that we express our deep
est appreciation to the Barrin
gers—Dot and Bugs—for all
that they’ve done for us.
—The Blackbird Staff
Eure, Commencement Speaker
Billy Cooper To Serve
As President Of N H S
Billy Cooper will serve as presi
dent of the National Honor Society
in Rocky Mount high school next
fall. Albert Rabil will serve as vice-
president, Margaret Moore Eason,
secretary and Peggy Ward, treas
urer.
One of next year’s projects was
discussed. This club will sponsor
a pencil vender containing R M H
S pencils which will’ be black with
gold lettering. It was also agreed
upon to keep a scrapbook of all
members of the National Honor
Society. Each member would have
a page with a picture and such in
formation as likes and dislikes,
description of person, and high
school activities.
Breakfast Starts ^Senior Day’
Senior Day will be celebrated by
the class of ’51 on next Monday.
At that time seniors will don their
caps and gowns and enjoy a day of
fun from sunrise till sunset.
First in the schedule will be a
breakfast from 8:00 until 9:00 at
Rick’s Hotel. At this time “Mr.
Senior” and “Miss Senior” will be
selected. The judges are to be
Mayor Duke, Mr. Stone, and an
other member to be announced
later.
After breakfast the seniors will
return to school. A few of the
special privileges during the school
hours are ignoring traffic rules,
senior acting as teacher in class,
being excused from study hall and
activity period. Seniors may also
break in line at the cafeteria and
their lunch period will be extended
to two o’clock. Underclassmen will
(Continued on page 4)
Reynolds Has Lead
In Senior Comedy
Exactly how are men like street
cars? This was the question around
RMHS until the seniors present
ed the annual senior play, ’’Men
are Like Streetcars” last Friday
night.
A three-act comedy by Graeme
and Sarah Lorimer features Faye
Reynolds as Maude who plays the
role of a modern “Dorothy Dix”
Wjo " settles anybody5*Em«l^y^ip^
body’s love problems.
Supporting Faye were Carol
Wiggins as Joy, Robert Burgess as
Maude’s father; Barbara Rowland
as Sylvia, her sister; Joe Beard, her
steady; Jimmy Carter as Jerry;
Margaret Boone as Mrs. Mason;
Blanche Wilkins, Sarah Joyner and
Betsy Carr, three girls with one
interest; Frances Bunn, Hazel
Rawls and Barbara Land, mothers
of the girls; John Page as the
“handsome young man,” Pete
Winstead as Ted; ;and Barbara
Fulghum as the housekeeper.
During intermission prizes were
given through the courtesy of
local firms.
The comedy was under the direc
tion of Mrs. Mildred Kramer.
Many of the students have ap
peared in previous plays given by
(Continued on page 4)
West To Deliver
Class Sermon
Thad Eure, North Carolina’s
Secretary of State, has been select
ed by the commencement commit
tee to speak at commencement.
Dr. Fred West of the Raleigh
Christian church will deliver the
Baccalaureate sermon.
Dr. J. A. Hobbs, superintendent
of the Rocky Mount Methodist
district will give the invocation and
benediction at commencement. At
the Baccalaureate Service Rever
end Gray Temple of the local
Episcopal church will give the in
vocation and benediction, Rev
erend Clinton P. Campbell of the
local Christian church will read
the scripture and deliver a pray
er. During the service the high
school choir will sing “The Ange-
lus” and “Gloria In Excelsis.”
The commencement committee
are also responsible for the decor-
?tion and roping off of seats re
served for seniors and their par
ents. Members of this committee
are Ellen Williams, chairman,
Frank Livesay, Bobby Chandler,
Bob Marriot, and faculty adviser,
Mrs. T. D. Young.
Members of the Baccalaureate
committee are Frances Dunn,
chairman, Herbert Slater, Betsy
Carr, Tommy Bass, and faculty ad
viser, Mr. C. V. Lundy.
Student Organization And Publication Leaders For Next Year
Reading from left to right are Gene Williams, President of the Student Organization; Preston Bradshaw, Vice President; Kay Finch, Secretary. The next two pictures are
of publication officers. From left to right Fred Patton, Blackbird Editor; and Albert Rabil, Editor of the Hi-Nor-Ar. —Photo by Dot Barringer