PAGE TWO
TIIE BLACKBIBDi ROCKY MOUNT SENIOR HIGH SCHOOL
FRIDAY, DECEMBER 16, 1955
TB-The Unnecessary Disease
With all the modern miracle drugs and advanced
medical research available today, why did some 16,000
people die of tuberculosis last year and why are there
about; 400,000 who have the active disease with nearly
10,000 new cases expected next year?
Perhaps the answer lies in ignorance of the facts, or
maybe it can be found in the people themselves who just
don’t take advantage of the facilities offered them. The
more logical answer seems to be the second one, for there
is certainly no lack of information to be had.
Through local, state, and National Tuberculosis As
sociations mobile x-ray units, informative pamphlets, and
detection clinics are made possible. With the help of these
it is possible to detect and, therefore, stop the spread of
this unnecessary disease, caused by the tubercle bacillus
germ, before it reaches the complicated stage.
Let us take a closer look into why it should be called
the unnecessary disease. First there are relatively simple
and inexpensive methods of detection, the most prevalent
of which are (1) a tuberculin test, which shows if there
have ever been TB germs in the body, and (2) a chest
x-ray. which can show if the germs have done any damage.
In alliance with the germs is the person who care
lessly neglects to cover his mouth when he coughs or
sneezes. It wouldn’t take much effoi't to use a handker
chief when needed, and by doing so you would protect
other people.
Probably one of the most important ways to aid in
making this disease extinct is through the local TB Christ
mas Seal sale. Proceeds from these sales are used to de
velop new methods of treatment, to make possible the
mobile units, and to provide for care and rehabilitation.
If every citizen in this land of plenty takes active
part in the detection of TB and clean-up campaigns and
in the important Christmas Seal sale, tuberculosis, the
unnecessary disease, eventually will be eliminated from
the major ranks of death caused by disease.
S-D: - Stone Dead or Safe Driving
stone dead or safe driving, which did S-D day mean
then and the days ahead when safety and survival move
together against danger and death on the highways?
Teen-agers sometimes think that the “S” in S-D day
means scratch-off or step-on-it, and not safe and sensible.
If young drivers would take heed of the special emphasis
put on safe-driving and the accident which killed James
Dean, all America will enjoy the “Sunny drive” instead
of that “survival ride”.
Holding two hands on the steering wheel and sitting
in the driver’s seat does not mean a person is driving.
Driving a car is controlling it, and no car is being con
trolled which tends to cause accidents.
Driving is made up of knowing right and wrong on
the road, having a good mind, a healthy body and know
ing how to use both to the best advantage and keeping the
auto in repair and good running condition.
Adults are reckless but teen-agers have a larger
record in the eyes of the law. Those at the wheel and the
pedestrians must work together to promote safety-every
day.
Make Sefe Driving with a Sane Drive a Sensational
Delight this Christmas.
Dear Santa,
Bring Happiness
To This World
Hopes for fantastic ideas, tan
gible gifts for personal pleasure,
and happiness for the world are
some of the teen-agers Christmas
wishes, which range from the sub
lime to the ridiculous as the fol
lowing letter will indicate.
Dear Santa,
I’ve been a good school-spirited
student this year and have tried to
help my school whenever and
however I can. Therefore, I feel
justified in asking for a few gifts
this season.
To stai't with, please bring me
a more cheerful personality, some
good sense, a few new ideas for
my brain, and enough “A’s” to
last me through college. I would
love to have a reindeer too, so I
can ride through the sky.
If you see your way, please
bring me a new convertible and a
good looking person to date. The
next items on my list are a set of
luggage and some new clothes
which I need. I don’t mean to be
selfish, but I guess human nature
is that way.
Other things I want are not
really for me but for others who
deserve them. My mother and fa
ther come to mind first, so please
leave them all the things they
need, for I’ll never be able to re
pay them for their generosity. For
all of God’s children, I ask for
■^ne thing —^ peace!
Also, dgar Santa, please remem
ber all little children this Christ
mas and help them to learn
through the years that it is better
to give than receive, as I’m trying
to do.
Your devoted friend.s.
Students at RMSHS
P. S. Please bring safety to those
traveling during the holidays and
the days to comq,
True Spirit Of Christmas
Ed. Note: “TB — The Unnecessary Disease,”
written by Den Harris, was one of the winners in
this year’s TB contest sponsored by the National
Tuberculosis Association and the Columbia Scho
lastic Press Association. The other winning arti
cle, a feature by James Ezzell, is printed on page
three.
/V. O. Jazz^ NotExtinct!
‘7b The Scales’
THE BUCKBIRD
Rocky Mount Senior High
Member of the
Columbia Scholastic Press Association
EDITORIAL STAFF
EDITOR IIMMY MOORE
News Editor Anita Tayloi
Sports Editor Don Harris
Feature Editor , Edward RLncr
Exchange Editor Jane Falmgren
Columnist Eleanor Bulluck, Barbara Davis
staff Artists .!. Jean Williams, Ellen Joyner
staff Writers Earlene Glisson, John Pearson
Clare Davenport, Ed Justa,
Louis Pollard, Kelsey McGee,
Gail Sutton
BUSINESS STAFF
BUSINESS MANAGER NORMA BULLUCK
Assistant Business Manager . Martha Ann Fountain
Co-Advertising Managers James Ezzell, Foy Bradsliaw
Circulation Manager Sonny Cherry
ADVISER MRS. T. D. YOUNG
Published nine times during the year by the Journalism Class of
Rocky Mount Senior High School.
Words Produce
Faculty Profile
A bald head you note at a glance
. . . He always offers a second
chance . . . Mr. AtVins is an in
telligent man . . . His work fol- | players to b:
lows a definite plan.
Back again after only three
short weeks is your young reporter
v/ho will devote this month’s
column to a nearly extinct form of
music. New Orleans jazz.
Out of the beginnings in the
parades, rice fields, and funerals
of the Mississippi delta came this
new style of music which went
into the honky-tonks of the Cres
cent City in 1897.
Many Greats in N. O.
There were many great players
in New Orleans and several more
grew up there; but smce I am
oloser to the trumpet than any
jiher instrument for many reasons
(tiie main one is that I attempt o
play one), I consider he cornet
the best.
Willing to offer help if she may
. . . Esperially in a Roman .sort of
way . . . Miss Louise Parker
leaves all worries behind . . . She
is sweet, pleasing and kind.
Small and cute with short black
hair ... To evei'yone she’s al-
"■ays fair . . . Miss Boice show.'’
her friendliness when .she catche*^
your eye ... In drawing and
painting she rates very high.
We see a man with an intelligent
face . . . With .speech on his
mind he walks at a pace . . . Mr.
Graham wears a big smile when
ever he pa.sses . . . And does a
good job with all of his classes.
With Shakesneare’s quotation he’s
really a whiz . . . Bet he could
bass nnv test, puzi^le or quiz . . .
Mr. Johnson, our sunerintendent.
is friend to all; . . . And he’s al
ways ready to answer a call.
Many consider Louis Armstrong
0 bj Uie top New Orleans jazz
player of all time, but this isn’t
so chiefly because the great Sat-
climo was only seventeen years
old when the War Department
closed Storyville, the home of the
bands. After it was closed, Louis
took off for Chicago and later New
York to play with King Oliver.
Later still he played in his own
band where he established his
famous reputation of today.
King Oliver, Best Musician
Now back to King Oliver men
tioned above. I consider him to be
the best cornetist, if not musician,
to ever come out of New Orleans.
To give an example of his lung
power and audacity, there was an
establishment in N. O. called Pete
Lala’s Cafe, where played (about
1911) a cornetist, Freddie Kep-
pard.
About a block down the street,
Manuel Perez, another great, was
nnmly emrenched. Now this was.
the set-up in which Oliver made
his tremendous demonstration. He
sti'.od on a corne racross the street
from Lala’s Cafe and blew out the
blues as they had never been play
ed before. A week later, Jce Oli
ver was sitting in Pete Lala's Cafe
occupying the place that Keppard.
had seven days before.
Six Instruments In Jazz Band
To dwell on Oliver so long was
unintentional because there are so
many more great players on the
cornet ad also many more on the
six other instruments in the pro
per jazz band, (clarinet, trombone,
guitar, bass, drums, and piano).
On the other band, one interested
in Jazz cannot learn enough about
the Kig s contribution to jazz and
in turn, jazz — America’s own
original contribution to world cul
ture.
Help Fight TB
IK
Buy Christmas Seals
Above you find the 1955 Christ
mas Seals, which no doubt you.
have already seen since they were
mailed to families all over the
nation around Thanksgiving.
These seals with the little girl
and/or boy are not only decorative
foi a Christmas card or a package,,
but they are also a gentle remind
er to the public that the fight
against tuberculosis is still needed
and is everybody’s problem.