VOLUME XXIX
Published by JournaUan Class of Rocky Mount Senior High School
Queen Names ‘Doll’
Dottie Lou Thorpe
Miss Print of ’57
In a setting of the Snow Queen’s
throne room permeated by the
Spirit of Christmas, the Queen
crowned Dottie Thorpe as the
most beautiful doll. Miss Print of
1957, duitog asisembl/yi last Fri
day. December 13.
Etottie’s helpers had worked 13,-
887 hours to miafce her the winner
R-unner-up was Bonnie Baker with
5,700 hours to her credit.
The contestants and their com
mittees brought in a total of 35,-
071 votes (hours) accumulated by
counting one vote for each penny
collected for The Blackbird, which
sponsors the Miss Print contest
each year.
The progi’am centered around
the search for a life-sized doll for
Snow Queen’s daughter. Bach doll
was presented to the Snawi Queen,
Carol Threatt, and then the two
girls with the greatest number of
hours to their credit, were recog
nized as Miss Print and lainner-
up.
At the end of the program, the
Spirits of Christmas, Gloria Gold
and Pat Bell; presented each gTrF
a small gift from The Blackbird
staff. Dottie received a silver disc
with “Miss Print, 1957” engraved
on it. The others received bracelets
and ear rings.
Other contestants were Molly
Arnold, Judy Brown, Linda Carole
Kelley, Linda Gail Pridgen, Anna
Spruill, Gloria Nelson, Jane Sut
ton and Sandra Weller.
, The program was made more
beautiful by the organ music of
staff member, Sandra Hedgepeth.
A special Christmas devotional was
given by Susie Street.
ROCKY MOUNT, N. C. TUESDAyT^DECEMBER 17.
Season's Wishes, Proclamation!
“Glory to God in the highest and cn earth paaee, good will toward men.”
Number 4
Ths Christmas season is v/ th us
once again and all of us are hap
pily looking ti the restful gay
times ahead. Arddst the joys of
the Yuletide seison majv; we (ver
be mindful of tie real purpost of
Christmas. Ma; your Christnas
vacation be filled with much hap
piness and whobsome enjoymeii;.
Therefore, I Principal C. M
Edson, by the authority invested in
me by the Ro;kyi Mount City
Board of Eduicat.cn, do proclaim
the annual Christmas vacation to
begin Thursday tftemoon, Decem
ber 19 at 3:15 aifi to continue im-
til Thursday mming, January 2
at 8:45.
C. M. Eison, principal
NEWSEES
After tying in the Senior High
Voice of Democracy contest, David
Harper went on to win for this
area which includes Senior High,
Benvenue, West Edgecombe and
Booker T. Washington; however,
he lost out in the district meet.
Lee Newby ’57 made the Honor
Roll at St. Marjfs Junior College
In lialei^7aiidrtiinriiBs tDiunmea
weekend privileges.
Another fonner student Bobby
Cash who now attends Admiral
Parragut Military Academy in St.
Petersburg, Florida, has made the
Honor Roll for the second time
this semester.
Choir Schedules Chb Dates
For 7 Holiday Perfotmances
Athletic Director C. V. Lund-
was the guest speaker at tte
Kiwanis Club luncheon, Decen-
ber 12. The varsity baskettall
team, who were also guests of the
club, assisted Coach Lundy ii ex
plaining and demonstratini the
game of basketball to the fCiwan-
ians.
Christmas if the toeme as the
choir, du-ecitid by Mr. Harold
Parry and accompanied by Judy
Brown, makes music fo" seven pro
grams.
The progBm, schedu^^ncludes
the perfdifflances for the Woman’s
Club, Djccmber 8; Ciutan Club,
Deoem)er 10; Gorham ?TA, Dec
ember 12; Eotarj-i Club, December
16; Jun-ent Topics Club, Decem
ber 16; and a special “sirg” at as-
sfrtibly, December 19.
A concert, sponsored by the
Junior Chamber of Comnerce, Is
scheduled for December 13. There
wil be a comn.unity “sing” after
the concert and the public is cor
dially invited to attend.
The program includes “If I Can
Help Someone,” tht official Christ
mas seal song, “Adoramns” by
Watch that Paintlrush, Frank!
Palestronia,” ‘Alleluia” by James,
“Carol of the Bells” byi Wilkou-
sky, March otthe Wisemen” by
^^ans, ‘Trepak’ by Tchaikovsky,
Christmas Nigte.gale” by Barthe-
Ison, and “BirtSidy gf the King”
tov Nerdlinger. ,
It has long been at.i-adition for
the choir to sing at th. chi.ist^^s
assembly. Members of t^e choir
practice for v;eeks beforethe holi-
diay season for their presmations
at school, as well as for en;ej.tain-
ing other organizations, undu
able direction of their leader,
Parry^
The choir receives praise from
those who hear it for their out
standing Christmas programs. The
group strives to present inspiring
as well as entertaining music.
Seniors, Juniors
Elect Candidates
For Beauty ’Test
Who v/ill toe Queen-of-the-Ball
for the 1958 Junior-Senior?
Well, one thing’s for certain. It
will be one of the eight senior girls
nominated by the class and the
Queen’s court wil be made up of
six girls selected from the other
seven seniors and the eight junior
nominees.
Seniors picked the following con
testants from their number: Molly
Arnold, Cecil Brake, Brenda Bur
nette, Linda Gail Pridgen, Sandra
Shaw, Anna Spruill, Lmda Carole
Kelley, and Carol Wilson.
Junior contestants are Bonnie
Baker, Kay Beach, Lou Bryan,
Janet BuUuck, Nancy Carr, Nancy
Coggins, Gloria Nelson and Vir
ginia Norment.
Eaoh girl was supposed to be
selected on the basis of beauty, not
popularity. Juniors nominated jun
iors and seniors nominated seniors.
Sponsored by The Blackbird
staff each year, the coronation is
one of the highlights of the Junior-
Senior prom. The announcement of
tihe Queen and her couH takes
place during: the Intennission pro‘-
gram. After nominations of both
classes are comipleted, a celebrity
is chosen by the newspaper staff
to act as judge. This year’s judge
h^ not been secured yet, but he
will be announced in a later issue.
Nominations for the beauty court
take place early so that the pic
ture ma.yi be made in time to ap-
jj|r in a special section of the
eaciR*^"^*’’ ^“‘^'^duial pictures of
Sunda|*;i usually appear in the
of the nearer the time
Music by ‘The Nightha>
Highlights Christmas
One of the
members of
Celia Brake,
big Santo Clauses IS taking shape as ginia Riddle, Vtky Taylor, and Jerry Blankenship
the social commit^e left to right, decorate flor th Christmas Dance.
Caroline Campbell, Frank Brake, Vir- Killebrew
Music by the “Nighthawks,”
beautiful decorations of snow
scene murals, Christmas trees, two
big Santa Clauses and a surprise
for the students highlight the in-
foi-mal Christmas diance in the gym
Thursday night, December 19.
from 8:00 to 12:00.
Seven Durham seniors who call
themselves the “Nighthatw'iks” will
furnish the music. The social com
mittee with Celia Brake as chair
man, secured this popular group,
who has already made a recording
on the “Beat” record, for $160. This
money is taken from a special high
school social fund.
Punch, sandwiches, and cookies
will be sei-ved during intei-mission.
Nancy Harlow, a senior member of
the social committee, is in charge
of the punch and the grade moth
ers are making sandwiches. Mrs.
Saul Gold will furnish twentjy, do
zen cookies from the Cake Box.
Chaperones for the cxscasion will
be members of the faculty assist
ing Miss Kate Parks Kitchen b>
Mr. C. M. Edson.
Eaoh student will receive a bid
to the dance. No one will be allow
ed to enter the gym without one.
Guest bids may be secured from
Miss Kate Parks Kitchcn, social
director. The bids are green cards
decorated with white Christmas
seals.
Regular rules for school dances
will be obsei-ved. They are as fol
lows: no admission without a bid,
no I'e-enitering the gym after leav
ing, no smoking in the gym, and
proper conduct throughout the
evening.
The social committee is compos
ed of the following students: Vickie
Taj lor, Caroline Campbell, Nancy
Harlow, Kay Toler, Esther Joyner,
Frank Brake, Jimmy Thorpe, Pat
Thurman, Jerry Blankenship, Ja
net Bulluck, Honey McIntyre, Eve
lyn Harrell, Reed Nelson, John
Hines, Butch Jones, Virginia Rid
dle, Sue Daughtridge, and Donna
Ramey.