CLEAN UP’
VOUR SCHOOL
THE BE
Published by Journalism Class of Rocky Mount High School
VOLUME XXIII
ROCKY MOUNT, N. C., WEDNESDAY, APRIL 16, 1952
NUMBER 11
Newsees
STUDENTS PICK KEFAUVER
In a student poll recently held
by the Blackbird staff, the win
ner was Senator Estes Kefauver
of Tennesse with a total of 263
votes. Senator Kefauver is on the
Democratic ticket. General
Dwight D. Eisenhower was se
cond with 240 votes. He is running
on the Republican ticket.
Publishing Paper Takes Time And Work
STATE SYMPHONY COMING
Under the able conduction of
Dr. Benjamin Swalin, the North
Carolina Symphony Orchestra will
include Rocky Mount in its an
nual spring tour. “The Symphony
on Wheels,” which is the only or
ganized state symphony that
brings the works of masters to
school children, will giye a child
ren’s concert in the high school
auditorium April 21 and 22.
SEAL SALE SUCCESSFUL
The 1952 Easter Seal campaign
came to a successful close April
4. The Service Club, sponsor of
the drive, announced that $87.94
was collected in the high school.
Officers of the Service Club are
president, Thelma Lancaster; vice
president, Donald Rooker; secre
tary, Sylvia Crocker; and treas
urer, Tommy Avent.
NO SPRING DANCE
Each
plans two big school dances—the
Christmas Dance and the Spring
Dance. It has been anounced that
the Student Organization Council
at its Tuesday’s meeing voted un
animously not to have the Spring
Dance t^is year.
CLEAN-UP STARTED
Working with the house and
grounds committee, the Service
Club is, starting an extensive Clean
up campaign through the home-
ri'oms. A member of the Service
Club will meet with the executives
of each homeroom to plan im
provements for the room. The win
ning homeroom will be given a
party or some other award for
their efforts.
NHS Members Attend Meet
Seven RMHS students were
among the 225 members of the
National Honor Society when the
state convention was held at Lee
Edwards High School in Asheville,
April 4-5.
The three official delegates—
George Patseavouras, Tommy Sla
ter, and Mary Wilkinson—and
four unofficial delegates—> Anita
Williamson, Mary Richardson,
Preston Bradshaw, and Margaret
Moore Eason—^were chaperoned
by Miss Athleen Turnage.
Registration took place on
Thursday, and on Friday the con
vention was officially opened. Fri
day morning was given over main
ly to the welcome, committee ap
pointments, and the keynote ad
dress, which was given by Dr. Em-
bree H. Blackard, pasor of the
Central Methodist Church in Ashe
ville. Discussion groups -yjere held
in the afternoon during which
talks were given on the various
phases of the society’s activities.
A panel discussion followed these
meetings.
Scrapbook Rates Third
The hard work of Sylvia Pul
len, Peggy Ward, and Bob Ned
Brannock in keeping a NHS scrap-
book paid off, as the enti’y from
RMHS took third place over all
other schools in North Carolina.
Officers elected to serve next
year are president, Mebane Pritch
ett from Lenoir; vice-president,
Shirley Baucom from Winston-
Salem; and Secretary, Karen Jan
sen of Raleigh.
Sunrise Service Held;
Gene Williams Speaks
In the First Lutheran Church,
decorated with palms and flowers,
a beautiful Easter Sunrise Service
took place last Thursday morn
ing at 7:00 a. m. The address was
given by Gene Williams, an out-
to be
come a minister.
Mr. H. T. Parry and choir had
charge of the music for the day
and Carolyn Lowder played the
organ. Thelma Lancaster, presi
dent of the Service Club, welcom
ed the congregation. Tommy
Avent read Matthew’s account of
the crucification and resurrection.
Marion Harris led the group in
prayer and Rev. Ritchie, pastor
of the First Lutheran Church gave
the benediction.
During Holy Week the Service
Club presented an inspiring series
of programs in preparation for
Easter. Each morning a different
speaker was brought before the
students.
Students Participate
In Spanish Banquet
Twenty-two students and four
adults went to Goldsboro last night
as guests of the Goldsboro Span
ish classes. A Pan-American ban
quet' in honor of Pan-American
Day is celebrated annually on
April 14, but due to the Easter
holidays it was held on the 15
this year.
After receiving the letter of in
vitation Mrs. Hiram Cuthrell, the
local Spanish teacher, brought the
idea before the Spanish classes
for discussion. They decided to
take four carloads with a chap
erone in each car according to a
school regulation. Miss Mills, Miss
Sanderson and Mrs. Collie were
chosen by the classes to fill these
positions with Mrs. Cuthrell.
The students left school at 4:30
in order to get to Goldsboro in
time to “look around” before the
banquet which started at 7:00 in
the high school gym.
Four Girls Selected
For Girls’ State Meet
Two girls have been elected to
represent RMHS at Greensboro
this summer where they will at
tend Girls’ Sate. The two official
represenatives are LaVerne Flem
ing and Mary Wilkinson. Edwina
Jones and Alice Diehl Barnes were
chosen as alternates.
The qualifications by which a
girl is chosen to represent her
school are to be (1) mentally alerl
and physically clean, (2) enthus
iastic and co-operative, (3) honest
and dependable, (4) capable of
developing qualities of leadership,
and (5) aware of opportunities
in the Girls’ State Program, and
personally concerned to improve
the quality of their leadership.
The meeting will open June 13
and close June 19. During this
time, the girls will learn of citi
zenship in a democracy. Every
unit in the American Legion Aux
iliary, Department of North Caro
lina, will sponsor one girl.
|Edson Receives Honor
Congratulations are in order
for Mr. Cyrus M. Edson, princi-
Pfllr of RMHS, for bringing honor
to himself, the school, and the city
of Rocky Mount.
Mr. Edson recently received a
copy of “Who’s Who In American
Education” in which he was list
ed. This is an illustrated biogra
phical dictionary of eminent living
educators of the United States.
Mr. Edson said that he was con
tacted last fall and told that his
name had been submitted. He was
asked to send a biographical
sketch.However, he did not know
that he had been definitely chosen
until he received his copy.
The publication carries brief
sketches of persons in the field
of education who have achieved
outstanding recognition for their
work.
Acting Editors Plan
Each Blackbird Issue
“Hey, did you see the people in
that class? What do they do—loaf
all the time? Look at ’em! Feet
propped on the desks, chomping
on chewing gum, wandering
around the room! ? ? Huh! Some
class that must be—? Oh! Now I
get it! They’re the members of the
Blackbird staff!! What do they
do any way?”
Seriously though, it’s not that
bad! The preparations of each is
sue of the Blackbird begins every
other Thursday. Ideas for the car
toons and feature articles are
brought in by the staff on this
day. That’s simple enough.
The acting editors (each issue
of the Blackbird during second
semeste'r has two different co
editors) then take the suggestions,
pick out good ones, and on Friday
give each staff member his as
signments.
A whole week-end is provided
for the simplest part. The staff
members only have to put all their
knowledge (taken from about a
half of notebook of copied notes)
together and write their articles.
Nothing to it ! ! ! Who can’t write
a poem? Editorials are simple
too. Perhaps one has to interview
a politician—that shouldn’t be
hard—just find out his life his
tory.
Laying Out The Paper
The articles are turned in on the
following Monday, the teacher
checks them for errors and re
turns them to be corrected and
often rewritten on Tuesday. On
Wednesday the copy is re-read
by the teacher and sent to the typ
ist. Call this work?
After being typed, the copy is
given back to the authors, who
must copyread the typed articles
for errors, count them for the
number of inches they will occu
py, and mark hem for the design
ated page.
(Continued on Page 4)
Some Steps In Blackbird Production
m
Some of the steps in the production of a school paper are shown in the pictures
above. Shown are members of the Blackbird staff as they go through their two-
week routine. In -the picture at the left. Sonny Hallford checks the date while
Marilyn Ezzelle, center standing, checks the unit count of a head. Fred Patton,
seated, copy reads an article while Barbara Coley looks on to get pointers on the
procedure. In the center picture, George Pearce, left, ,and Marland Reid, center,
check a layout for their sports page before sending it to press. Jane Edwards, sitting
at typewriter accepts an article from Marsha Milne who collects some articles
which have been typed for the editorial page. Pictured at the right are Donald
Bryan planning a layout, Beryl Peters, preparing a headline, andi Jo Ann Wind
ham, copyreading a typed article.
—Photos by Albert Rabil, Jr.
'4;