PAGE TWO
THE BLACKBIRD, ROCKY MOUNT SENIOR HIGH SCHOOL
TUESDAY, APRIL 26, 1955
Out Of Chaos — Unity!
When an argument is won and a question is decided,
there are those who must yield and abide by the decision.
They must put to use that which they have learned from
birth—a respect for authority.
Nothing can be gained by rashness, bitterness, re
bellion, and malice. We must accept that which we can
not change and make the most of it.
We must put aside individual interests and think of
others. We must put our school first. Our school is more
important than any social organization or individual.
We must think and act calmly and sensibly. We can
not afford to overlook education and our school and
wander blindly into disorganization, discontentment,
and chaos. Unity for better education is what we must
seek. Let us put the emphasis on the essential and the
essential is education.
It is not too late to retract rash statements and view
the problem sensibly. You must keep your head when
all of those about you lose it. We must bring out of chaos
—unity. This is our task.
M. B.
Stop. Stop, Stops!!!
stop. Stop, Stops!!!
No, there’s no thief running away with valuables,
but this is an SOS, just the same .... an SOS for
stops, door stops, that is.
Since the weather is getting warmer, classrooms
are a lot more comfortable if the doors are left open.
But this causes a draft and the doors ‘go with the
wind’—BANG! Sounds like a little Hazel and it doesn’t
help the doors any, not to mention what it does to the
nerves of those who’d rather be on the beaches anyway.
Perhaps this idea will interest homerooms, shop stu
dents, or some clubs in providing these little items for
the classrooms. The homerooms may wish to donate a
sum in order to buy a door stop for their room or the
,shop students may decide to make enough for all class
rooms. Just an idea!
Sterling Or Plated??
There are many people who appear to be sincere,
but who have ulterior motives for their actions.
A person who is genuinely sincere is one whose
word means the truth and whose character is beyond
reproach. He always thinks of others before himself and
his actions lean in this direction instead of for his own
personal gain.
Genuine sincerity is like a sterling silver spon and
false sincerity resembles a plated one. A spoon that is
marked sterling is made completely of the finest silver
and its composition contains no flaws, while a plated one
has only a thin coating of fine silver with its inside filled
with a lower grade of metal. While it may appear to be
sterling, it takes only time to show its real composition.
Rust, corrosion, and a rough inner surface soon appear
and the spoon becomes of little value and use.
In this challenging century of war and turmoil one
has many opportunities to prove his real worth and
sincerity. Certainly in this day and time we want to
possess sterling qualities.
Admires Sign After 50 Years!
After The Bell
By Jimmy Moore
Seniors, do you remember when
you were wandering around the
halls of the old high school as
green freshmen and saying to
yourself, “Oh, I wish I were a
senior!” Well, here you are now
with only twenty eight more days
and then you will be marching
down the aisle to get that sheep
skin. Seriously, don’t you wish you
had just one more year left?
Kay Williford Likes School;
Wiley Shearin, Future Dentist
Editors and business managers of The Blackbird and
the Hi-Noc-Ar have unanimously selected Kay Williford
and Wiley Shearin as the personalities-of-the-months of
April and March, respectively.
During her four years in high school, Kay Williford
has had various homeroom offices. Also, in her freshman
year, she was a student organization representative.
Kay, an enthusiastic worker in all school activities, was
the secretary of her sophomore class and vice-president
of the Good Sports club. She is now publicity chairman
of the student organization.
Hey! all of you mathematical
geniuses who took the statewide
algebra and plane geometry test,
next time the teachers tell us to
study for a test of this nature,
we’ll do it, won’t we?
Well, our ivery affable and ver
satile history teacher, Coach 0. C.
Cleetwood, has done it again!
This time, with the help of “The
Jugglers”, he won first place in
the “Stunt Night” sponsored by
the Hi-Noc-Ar. That day was, in
a sense, a double victory for him,
because his Blackbirds also won
their first conference game. Con
gratulations, Mr. Cleetwood!
50 Years Ago .,.
Whitehurst Has
Historical Home
“One of the best, most progres
sive, and fastest growing cities in
North Carolina”, quotes the
ROCKY MOUNT RECORD, a
catalogue of the city in 1906! If
they called us a progressive city
then, what in the world would
they think of us today?
Many of the traditions of the
“old Rocky Mount” still remain
today, either in spirit or in form.
Many descendants of those who
helped make the early history of
the city are in our midst every
day.
Among the outstanding contri
butors to Rocky Mount’s early his
tory was Mr. W. D. Cochran,
Peggy Whitehurst’s grandfather,
who claimed to have the most
modern store in Rocky Mount. His
line of merchandise included
men’s ready-to-wear and other
clothing apparel.
On the side-walk in front of the
City Industrial Bank there is still
the brass sign that marks Mr.
Cochran’s business.
At the left are pictured his
granddaughter, admiring the sign
that marks his business, and a
recent photo of his home. The
Cochran home still stands, having
been remodeled in keeping with
the times. It has been moved to
Howell Street, where Pggy’s fami
ly live today. Built around 1897,
it is one of the interesting fea
tures of the “old Rocky Mount.”
This is one of two articles about
students with interesting relatives.
Next month other Rocky Mount
families will be featured. Surely
there are other students who have
interesting family stories ... If
you will share them with the staff
Uhilchurst admires the members, then we can share them
SISII lh.it mjiks the site of her with others! Someday, our decen-
«;r.iiidt.i(licr s business back in dants might even be writing about
1006. Her liume is at the right. us. Wonder what they will say 50
Photo By Barringer years from now!
“Shall I tell them you’re goingto be a dentist”, says Kay to Wiley
in planning her next issue of Hi-Lites.
Photo By Barringer
She is a member of the National
Honor Society and last June she
was a commencement marshal. In
her freshman year, she won the
Civitan citizenship medal.
For all three of her class’s
dances, she has been chairman of
one refreshment committee and
this year she is on the Hi-Noc-Ar
staff.
Wiley Shearin, the personality
for March, has maintained various
offices during his high school
career. Among these have been
the treasurer of the senior class
and homeroom president.
He is a member of the National
Honor Society and also on the
'Hi-Noc-Ar staff. Last year he re
torted on the magazine “Student
Life” to the student organization.
When he graduates from high
school, Wiley plans to enter Caro
lina and prepare for a dental ca
reer.
Way Back When ...
Gregory Was “Biggest Talker”
“Does that person look like Doug Hunt to you?” asked Norma
Savage of Jimmy Moore, as they were looking through a 1920 Hi-Noc-
Ar.
“Yes, it does in a way. I wonder if his picture is in the senior sec
tion?” replied Jimmy. “Why, yes, it is here and it’s Richard Frederick
Hunt. That must be his father. How about that!”
“Well, he’s not the only person in here that have children that
have been to this school. Here are some more.”
For instance, Peggy Whitehurst’s mother, then Helen Cochran,
was on the Hi-Noc-Ar staff and also the “Most Studious” in the class
of ‘23. Peggy is the news editor of The Blackbird and she is also a
member of the National Honor Society.
“Cheese” Gregory doesn’t have anything on his father just be
cause he can talk a lot, Mr. Henry Gregory was voted the “Biggest
Talker” in the class of 1923!
“Yes”, said Norma, “This all goes to show that the old adage,
‘Like father, like son,’ is very true.” (And that goes for ‘Like mother,’
like daughter’, too!)
THE BLACKBIRD
Official Publication of
Rocky Mount Senior High
Member of the
Columbia Scholastic Press Association
Julian Aldridge
Busine^ Manager Lucinda Oliver
FACULTY ADVISER Mrs. T. D. Young
Published nine times during the year by the Journalism Class of
Rocky Mount Senior High School.
Subscription Rate
$1.00