LONG LIVE
QUEEN DOT
THE BLACKBIRD
Published by Journalism Class of Rocky Mount High School
ALL HAIL
PRINCESS MARIE
VOLUME XXIII
ROCKY MOUNT, N. C., TUESDAY, MAY 13, 1952
NUMBER 13
Marie Tyler
Maid of Honor
Sylvia Crocker
Dot Whitley Queen
Photo by Uot Barringer
Wilkinson Elected President;
Third Girl In School’s History
Savage, Williams Fill
Other Important Jobs
For the first time since 1942 a
S?irl, Mary Wilkinson, will head
the executive department of the
Rocky Mount high school Student
Organization. An outstanding ris
ing senior, Mary was elected when
the polls opened on May 1 for the
juniors and seniors and May 2 for
the freshmen and sophomores.
Officers elected to serve the
1952-1953 term along with Mary
were Baxter Savage and Elsie
Williams. Baxter, as vice presi
dent, will be in charge of all as
semblies and fill in when Mary is
absent. Elise, following in the
footsteps of her brother Charles
who was president in 1949-1950
and her sister, Ellen who was sec
retary in 1950-51, was elected to
the post of secretary.
Putnam Petitioned
Mary, the third girl in the his
tory of Rocky Mount high school
to hold this office, defeated an
other rising junior. Tommy
Looney, following a spirited cam
paign headed by Billy Cooper and
Tommy’s campaign managers.
Alice Diehl Barnes withdrew her
name from the vice president
.slate in f a v o r of 1952-1953
Hi-Noc-Ar editorship, but Charlie
Putnam was petitioned by the
student body to furnish opposi
tion for Baxter. George Farmer
See “Elections”
Page Four
Senior Glass Presents
Play, 'A Day In June’
Seniors take to the stage and
the night of the annual senior play
is fast drawing near. “A Day in
June” by Tom Taggert is the play
chosen for this year’s production.
The plot of the play is centered
around getting a formal wedding
together in four days. Nancy, play
ed- by Thelma Lancaster, and
Russ, Johnnie Johnson, are to be
the happy bride and groom. The
setting is placed in the living
room of the Aspenwall home in
Lockburn, Ohio.
Other members of the cast are
Mrs. Aspenwall, Pat Ryan; Har
riett, May Joe Goodwin; Winnie,
Carolyn Ellis; Dodie Malone, John
nie Shelton; Miss Cheevy, Betty
Talton, Olga Petrovna, Margaret
Moore Eason; Flo Quinn, Vir
ginia Gray; Sue Parker, Peggy
Dietzel; Ned Daugherty, Billy
Rawls; Fred Grumbine, Donald
Rooker; Payton Scott, Edgar Bul-
luck.
Rising Freshmen Visit
High School On Tour
High School became a reality
and not just something in the fu
ture to many rising freshmen as
the eiighth grades of the five ele
mentary schools visited RMHS
last Thursday and Friday.
Following this the Orientation
panel, consisting of Theo Pitt,
Mary Wilkinson, Shirley Robbins,
and Wilton Holiday went to the
different schools to explain just
how high school,works.
Each day freshmen went with
the members of the panel to their
grammar schools and described
their own freshmen experiences.
Johnny Hammond returned to
Battle, Judy Brewer to Edgemont,
Janice Anderson to Bassett, Bob
by Wimberly to Wilkinson, and
Lois Howell to Braswell. Follow
ing the talks given by the panel
members, a period for questions
and answers was held. Gene Will
iams acted as moderator of the
panel and Miss Kate Parks Kit
chen went along to help the stu
dent representatives where they
H,eeded her.
The tour for the eight grades
included the auditorium, the gym,
the library, next year’s freshmen
homerooms and the campus.
Queen Dot Whitley Reigns
Over Junior-Senior Prom
Glass Of ’52 Observes
Special Day, May 29
Senior Day, the day all seniors
enjoy special previleges and pleas
ures, will be observed May 29. On
that day caps and gowns will be
worn by all seniors. A breakfast
held at the Ikew Ricks Hotel at
which time Mr. and Miss Senior
of R M H S. for 1952 will be
chosen, and they will start the day
with a bang.
Special privileges will be given
the seniors on this day. Skippng
homeroom, activity period, and
study hall and disregarding all
traffic regulations will be allowed.
All underclassmen must rise when
a senior enters a class and he may
have the privilege of teaching the
class. After an extra half hour for
lunch, they will return to a pro
gram of homeroom skits of which
the best will receive a prize.
Later they will be entertained
at a picnic given by the P T S A
at Riverside Park, after which
they will be the guests of the Cen
ter Theater.
Benvenue Country Club Scene Of Jr.-Sr.
Climaxing the social activities
for the school year, the juniors
honored the seniors at the an
nual prom last Friday night at the
Benvenue Country ^lub.
Just as last year the juniors
planned a dinner dance beginning
with the serving of juice on the
terrace from 7:00 o’clock until
8 o’clock. Then the members of
the two classes were invited into
the ballroom for the main course
consisting of turkey salad, cran
berry sauce, potato chips, hot bis
cuits, iced tea, a dessert of ice
cream and cookies. Cookies and
punch were served at intermis
sion.
The welcome address was given
See **Scene Of Jr.-Sr.**
Page Four
Marie Tyler Places
High In Royal Court
In hushed stillness broken only
by the softened strains of “Make
Believe” and the rustling of even
ing dresses, Donald Bryant an.
nounced that Miss Dot Whitley
was to reign queen of the Ball.
This announcement climaxed the
annual Junior-Senior program
last Friday night at Benvenue
Country Club.
Miss Marie Tyler was picked as
runner-up and Maid of Honor to
the Queen. Other members of the
Court were Misses Janet Fulcher,
Sylvia Crocker, Mary Avera, Elva
Griffin, and Norma Pittman.
The little flower girls, who pre
ceded the Queen dropping rose
petals in her pathway, were Fran
ces Gail Beilis and Jane Walker.
Little Frank Harrison acted as
Crown bearer to the queen.
Other Contestants Honored
After the coronation by Fred
Patton before an improvised
throne on the deck of the “Show
boat,” the other contestants were
recognized. They were Misss Jane
Alsbrook, Becky Griffin, Tam
Holliday, Ann Page, Jean Cooper,
Betty Lou Davis Shirley Stone,
Myra Padgett, and Mrs. Joyce
Thomas.
The queen, wearing a dazzling
silver crown, carried an arm bou
quet of multi-colored flowers.
See “Queen Dot”
P^ge Four