Published by Journalism Class of Rocky Mount High School VOLUME XXI V ROI.KY MOUNT, N. C. TUESDAY. MARCH 24, 1953 NUMBER 7 Photo by Barringer RM Student Wins Oratorical Contest “Will each of you join me in an imaginery situation for a while? For the sake of illustration, try to picture the city of Washing ton the day after an atomic bombing ’’begins la Verne Fleming’s winning essay in the American Legion’s national high school oratorical contest held at Liberty, March 13. This state championship brought La Verne along with honor for herself and her school, a $500 scholarship. She previously won the county, district, and division al contests which makes her eli gible for the regional contest. If successful among entrants from several states, La Verne will be eligible to go to the national con test. Xhiid Victory For RIMLHS La Verne’s feat marked the third year in a row that a Rocky Mount girl has been victorious in the state event. Kay Pinch broke a record by winning the two pre vious years in succession. Mrs. Mildred Kramer, drama tics and speech teacher, coached both the girls and assisted them In their composition and delivery of essays. The n^ state champion is a transfer student from Enfield where her family formerly lived. She has been unusally active in school, church, and civic affairs, having served as president of the Tri-Hy-Y and now of the Y-teen Club. She also represented RMHS at Girl’s State this past summer. Other activities have included outstanding work in music dramatics, and speech. Contestants Chosen For Jr-Sr Honors; Judge Unannounced “The time has come,” the Wal rus said, “to speak of many things.” Yes, the time has come and there are many things to talk about. One of the biggest is the Junior-Senior dance. Of course the highlight of the pro gram is the crowning of the queen and the selection of her court. Contestants for the honors have already been chosen. The queen must come from the senior class but the rest of the court may be from either junior or senior. The judge has not been announced. Here are the lucky girls. Sen iors are Sally Adams, Sylvia Crocker, Mary Ruth Divine, Janet Fulcher, Barbara Putch, Elva Griffin, Joyce Thomas, and Marie Tyler. Juniors are Sally Ann Bartholomew, Mary Jo Mears, Patsy McAuley, Ruth Sides, Penn Strandberg, Elizabeth Thompson, Elizabeth Vann, and Gordon Wilkinson. Gregory Elected Sue Gregory was elected vice president of the North Carolina National Honor Society at the NHS convention last weekend in Winston-Salem. Sue, was among the three offi cial delegates that attended from Rocky Mount. The other official delegates were John Marriott and Sonny Hallford. Mary Wilkinson, Beryl Peters attended as non-offi cial delegates along with the chapter adviser, Miss Wita Bond. Mary did an excellent job of leading a discussion group en titled “Our Responsibilities to God.” Another honor came to the locals when their scrapbook won second place only to Reynolds high in Winston-i^lem. Plans are being made to hold the next NHS convention in the new high school in Rocky Mount next year. Career Day Presented Under the joint sponsorship of the Student organization of Rocky Mount high school and the Rocky Mount Junior Chamber of Com merce, the fourth annual Career Edy was held in RMHS, March 16. Wilh the purpose of aiding stu dents in Lelectin? occupations in preparation for the future, the Career Day program was divided into three periods, an opening ses sion, discussion periods, and a final gensral session. With the ex ception of freshmen, who attend ed the opening session only, the whole school participated in the events of the day. Dr. Edward Adams, senior counselor of the Bureau of Guid ance and Testing at Duke Uni versity, was the key speaker of the da’’. He spoke on “Your Major Career, To Kno-» Yourself.” Under this topic he discussed three freedoms—“Freedom to be yourself. Freedom to explore your environment and test your capa cities in relationship to that en vironment, and Freedom to make your own decisions and to abide by the consequences.” During the discussion period forty-two groups met in different classrooms to discuss individual occupations in full. The largest of these groups concerned commer cial work. This was divided into three sub-groups. Other interest ing groups were engineering, ■ medicine, nursing, music, home- making, and radio. In the final session a panel dis cussion was held on the topic “The World of Work in Review.” Mr. W. L. Thorp, Jr., Mr. John Smith, and Mr. John Scott spoke on different professional field.*;. Mr. Neal A. Adkins was the mod erator and Dr. Adams was th; consultant. NEWSEES Journalists Receive Qiie Rating After Attending CSl^A:Convention “All together one” is the motto of the 1953 graduating class Green and white are the selected colors, and the white carnation is the choice of flowers. These were announced by Donald Bryan, chairman of the committee at the senior class meeting held March 12. Maay students in the past months ha\e had the honor of appearing on Margy Staton’s program. Billy Knowles. La Verne Fleming, Carolyn Gard ner Janet Fulcher, and George Knight are among these who have been so honored. Editor Deans Now Bobby Deans was recently elect ed on the Hi-Noc-Ar Staff to edit next year’s annual. Other senior members of the staff are to be elected soon. Congratulations are in order for Bobby, who has worked as a junior member this year and promises to make a number one editor. Bobby is also an outstand ing sports figure on th(? campus. Band students are in the pro cess of giving their spring con certs. Already they have played at Red Oak and Edgemont school. The high school Y-Teen club presented a skit at West Edge combe school, March 20. Groups sponsored by different clubs and organizations gave skits. The Y-Teens presented “Bungl ing Burgulars.” Minnie Branch is the newest addition to Rocky Mount high school. This black haired sopho more has been assigned to Miss Craighill’s homeroom 18. The First Baptist students will recog nize her as the daughter of their new pastor. Local Boy Receives A ngier Duke A ward Billy Knowles, a senior who came to Rocky Mount high school at the beginning of this year, brought an honor to RMHS and to himself when he came away with the Angier B. Duke scholar ship given in the eastern distri.t. News of his success came sud denly in a special delivery letter lavst Wednesday morning. Bill said, “Boy, was I suprised. Could n’t believe my eyes at first.” Worth $3,000 the scholarship will pay most of his expense through the four year period. Such a scholarship was no easy job to win. It took two elimina tion exams and three interviews before Bill was chosen top man. Billy, who was recently tapped; into the National Honor Society, is planning to study electrical engineering. Fay Batts, a local talented Freshman, represented the Nash County 4-H club in speaking before the Kiwanis Club last Thursday. As president of the Niash Senior 4-H group she told or some accomplishments which gave them first place over the Edgecombe 4-H club. For the first spring concert, the RMHS choir presented a program of varying kinds of music before the Lion’s Club, March 12, Under the direction of Mr. H. T. Parry they sang “All the Things You Are,” “Country Style," “Alleluia” and others. 1 I'noto by Barringer . :“No.'I’m ttot kidding! We really •did!.”, was, the exclamation heard in the LovVe'Library of Columbia University'when members of The Blackbird staff learned that the paper hadv^yeceived first rating among th^,.]3ation’s printed high school newspapers. Whei),.. seven Blackbird staff members and eleven Hi-Noc-Ar members'- and their advisers set out for N6v# York City to attend the Colujiibia Scholastic Press Conyejjitioi^^ they hoped to win such , a, rating. Still, when they learned of their good fortune, they could Hiirfily believe it. Kivr' Classification The classification in which Rocky Mount competed was for printed -newspapers in Senior high schools with 751 to 1000 students. Papers aye judged on the basis qf several .important characteris tics.. Among them are the content of the paper, writing and editing, makeup-of' layout, advertising and general considerations, which take in the character and personality of the paper as a whole. So many pointd &r'e-t;it:ditet! uO cacji ulvi- sion, To. receive a one rating a patfer get betwten 850 and lOOO ptiJiltS- credit. ^)itlier First Ratings ■ iy *1^49 and in 1950 The Black- bint:. licj^ied first ratings. The following, ^year found the paper with'a'high second place rating, having redeived 815 points out of the 850.,needed for a one placing. Official- score books of this year’s judging have not yet been mined’ €iit to the adviser. The score >vlll show how much The Blackbird won on content of the patier. wWting and editing, make up,.;, and advertising and general considerations. “Medalist” rating is awarded publications especially selected from the first-place group for outstanding qualities; howe.er, it is accorded to not more than ten pfer crat of all the entries in the class. 9Qp,cerned. Members of The Blackbird- staff returned from th'ei/H*ii5 with determination “to get .^..j^^^alist rating next year.” — ■ Grads, Seniors Receive Monors Honors have been piling in on both seniors and grads of Rocky Mount high school during the past month. Both s' holarships and high office positions have been won by many. Billy Knowles came away with the eastern district Angier B. Duke $3000 prize taking the big gest award honor so far this year by a local student. Mary Wilkinson and Edward Hallford were chosen as candi dates for the scholarship given by the Benevolent and Protective Order of the Elks. They will also enter national contests. Former grad Phyllis Leggett was elected president of the student body at Flora McDonald. Bobby Gorham,''Legiori’ctintest this year. She is another RM graduate, is running ''now a-contestant for the nation- for prefident of the student body. al. ‘cnljitest. Five-hundred dollars at the University of North Caro-, ‘arid' 3 cup was the reward from hna. „ , the state. Rocky Mount has produced some outstanding speakers. In the last three years a RMHS student has walked away with the top honors in the state American- Legion oratorical contest. .Kay Finch, v,'h'> gra.iiuftei last year, won last j ear and the year before. Recently Kay won a “‘Freedpin. Award” in a national oratorical contest. La Verne Flemming was the state winner of the American Wilson Pitt was selected by the RMHS school faculty to repre sent ■ the school in taking the Herbert Worth Jackson Memorial .^chplar^ip of Carolina. This pro vides a^$3,000 scholarsip. . Six seniors were selected from the National Honor Society to take the NHS scholarship exami nation. They were Wilson Pitt, GeoVge Patseavouras, Billy KnoWl^, Edward Hallford. Mary .Wilkixtson, an dDonald Edwards.