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THE feLACKBIRD, ROCKY MOUNT SENIOR BIGH SCHOOL
Senior High Commended
On February 9, three buses of Senior High students
journeyed to Goldsboro to see a basketball game. Because
ot ths iniense livau'y with Goldsboio, those going were
warned about possible trouble.
Although losing the game was a disappointment, most
of t_he Senior High fans mriintained their sportsmanship.
However, when the Ians left the g’ym thsy were con-
fronted bj a ling of Goldsboro students who dared them
to pass. Tempers were lost and fighting broke out.
_ Several students were injured, but none seriously. The
fighting would have been worse had not the students
riding in tho buses immediately boarded them.
Most students Ircm Senior High are to be commended
for their behavior. They showed intelligence that few
schools would have under tho circumstances.
New Semester, New Cliance
As we start second semester, we all probably have many
hopes and aims. To accomplish these aims we must work
hard. Looking back on the first semester we can see our
weaknesses and our strong points. Now, this semester, we
can put our concentration on the subjects we did poorest
in.
To many seniors, failing or passing a subject this last
semester means gi’aduation or not. This is one of the rea
sons why studies should be taken seriously during this
semester.
Those who are newly elected officers must work hard
to keep their promises. They should use this chance to
prove their abilities to those who thought them capable
of the responsbilities. This semester can be a me'jnorable
one and one in which much can be accomplished if all
work hard and co-operate with their leaders.
A
Easy Ways To Make Friends
By Changing Personality Traits
Unusual Symptoms At S. H.
There is nothing wrong with our dances except that
there are not enough people attending them. What should
be a crowd turns out to be a small group. Students should
realize that attending school dances is just as important as
attending a ballgame. We should not only support our
team, but all the other school activities as well.
How' would you feel if you planned a party and none of
your friends came to it? The dance committees work hard
preparing for the dances only to find that their efforts
are almost useless. What would happen if these committees
were to stop their work and if the school were to prohibit
dances? Yes,_ the whole student body would complain
about the strict decision of the faculty. They would fail
—tiLjzeaJiza-that-dances are expensive, especially if no one
attends.
Plan to attend the next school dance now. Don’t help
make the next dance a flop.
What’s Wrong With Dances?
Many people in our school today are suffering from
terrible chronic ailments. One of the most common of these
is Gymitis. This disease has strange effects. It causes its
victim to miss basketball games and to lose interest in
school activities. The symptoms of Gymitis are homework
pain and excessive laziness. There is a cure for this dread
ed disease, however. Doctors say the patients should be
aroused to go to the games. This is the best and only cure.
Another ail'ment is the 8 p. m. droop. This disorder
causes its victim to become drowsy just before a basketball
game. The remedy for this disorder is one dose of Spirit.
T.V.! Yes, many poor helpless students are suffering
from this disasterous disease, it is caused by a germ known
as the T.V. germ. This germ also causes its victim to miss
basketball games. By the use of Gym-Ray this disorder
can be easily cured. The patient must be exposed to the
gym about twice every week at 8 p. 'm.
Some students are suffering from Basketball phobia,
a common mental disorder. The patient with Basketball
phobia must be treated with Gym-Ray also.
Are you sick?
“Wihialt’s wrong with me? VS^liy
don’t I have more friends?”
We who honesitly desire to make
more frienas afte'ii ask ourselves
these qu'esitaons. Unfortunialtely, this
is as far as meat of us get in seek
ing ouit the ohstaides which keep us
fnom maJdng valuable friendships.
Many titneis 'the problem is due
to a failure to forgeit curselves. The
ability to lose ouinselves in the oon-
vensaltion of others is just not
there. Many times it is caused by
fear. We are afraid to let thait
warm feeling we have for some
one we like go. Instead, of beaming
a nice waim smile, we choke up
and murmur a snobby “Hi.”
One of the first steps in maiking
good friendships is the realization
of your par.ticular problem. After
'this step you shiauld work toward
improving your meithods of mak
ing friends.
Ftor instance;
SMILE — not like a ninny at all
but as if your were expecting the
best to happen insitead of tihe worst.
WAUC — with your head high
and your shoulders back even if
your feet hurt.
DON’T TALK ABOUT YOUR
POSSESSIONS — sly or fontiiright-
ly. This nioit only shows bad taste,
buit reflects a basic sense of in-
seomiity on your pant and reveaJs
a hostile and aggressive nature. If
the i>eirson you are talking to has
more possessilons, you are already
beajten. If he is less wealthy, you
only succeed in making him feel
bad.
DON’T MONOPOLIZE THE
CONVERSATION — If you keep
busy teiUing all you kniow you won’t
learn anyfthdng.
DON’T SHOW ANGEIi OR UN
COMPLIMENTARY EMOTIONS
IN PUBLIC — These aatdons show
immaburity.
DON'T BE AFRAID — If you
are too shy, people who wanft to
be your friend may feel that you
do not desire 'their friendship.
TUESDAY, FEBRUARY 27. 1962
TV Poll Conducted
By Blackbird Staff
O'Ut of 83 students thaJt were ask-
■: ed aibouit thedr favioriite televfeion
j programs 23 stated thait they iiked
Ben Casey and 10 preferred Thril-
:i ler. Rouibe 66 was third favorite
■: Wiilbh eighit votes and BonJanza was
^ fourth with six votes. Dr. Kildare
j received four votes tying with
i Oheckmate. Advenjbures in Paradise
received three votes and Bozo the
Clown was sevenibh with two votes.
T’he programs receiving only one
vote were: Surf&ide 6, Saturday
Nigihit at the Movies, My Three
Sons, 8Tth Precincit, Twil.ight Zone,
The Datedtives, jack Parr, Hinlt-
Sbones, Gain’s Hundred, The New
Breeid, Rad Skellton, Garry Itoore,
The Untouchables, Leave It To Bea
ver, The Diick Van DUie Show,
Dansarama, Circus Boy, Donna
Reed, Omnibus, Paladm, Andy
Grifflith, Dick Tracy, and The Three
B'booges.
Teachers seemea to favor Ben
Casey, The Garry Moore Show, and
The Perry Como ShJow. These pro
grams received the same number of
votes. Others mentioned as favor
ites were: WTi/at’s My line, U. S.
Steel Hour, College Bowl, aiwl I’ve
Got a Secret.
These figures siiow thait teachers
eno'oy about the same programs as
the s)tuden/ts do.
T’. V. anyone?
Principal Edson Gives Views
Concerning School Problems
Senior High has faced many pro
blems during the years. Second
semeater will be no excenitdon.
According to the presenit out
look there will be more absentees
during second semester because of
Ifche flu epidemic. There will also
probably be more dlS'Ciplinte pro-
tolems. In first semaat.er students
were -too busy adjusting to school
life to get into mischief. K'owever,
during second semester skipping
ochool and other mischief becomes
frequent.
v/ill have problems supervising the
graduation committees and gabting
the seniors ready scholastically for
gradua-tion.
Problems at Senior High are
oujneious but are solved with plan-
n'lng and inlbelligence so as to main-
.tain its high standards.
During fiir^t semester there wa^
much deatruabion of sohool proper
ty. Desk, tables in the new biology
lab, and bathrcom partitions were
marked, screws were locsened in
new desk, and trash was thrown
in the parking lot. The equipment
has been used with great care.
Athletes will find it hard this
semester to keep up sohool work
beoause of numerous trips which
will have to be taken. The faaulty
Opportunities for Scholarships
Given To Senior High Students
THE BLACKB9RD
official pablication of
Rocky Mount Senior High'
Member of the
Columbia Scholastic Press Association
4ssa'-
Editor Dwight Thomas, Jr
Assistant Editor Dell Harris
Circulation Manager Stephanie Matthews
Business Manager judy Felton
Advertising Manager _ Nancy Helms
Assistant Advertising Manager Marilyn Spencer
1st Page Diane Wilhalf, Jimmy Williams
2nd Page Barbara Davis, Sue Xaylor
3rd Page Carlton Edwards, Katrina Kobylarz
4th Page Ronnie Arrington, Stephanie Matthews
5th Page Mike Floyd, David Lamm
6th Page Lee Cuthrell
Advisor Mrs. Z, L. Williams
Principal Mr. 0. M. Edson
JiTe you a junior and are you
planning to go to college? Per
haps you have deoidied to bscome
a lawyer or a doctor and desire
to fumbher your educaltion in one
of those fields, juniors who plan
to go to college have an oppor
tunity to take several tests that
could lead to valuable scholarships.
One of these is the Preliminary
Sch'Olasibic Appitude Test, which is
offered to the juniors by the col
lege boards. This tesb aids the
student in finding the college for
wlaich he is beab suibed, wliat his
weaker subjects are and v/hat he
should work to improve. In De
cember the test scores are retunr-
ed and the schtool advisor explains
what the scores mean in relotion-
ship to college preference.
Anoifiher of these test is the Na-
'tional Mierit Scholarsihip Test.
This test is given to students to
find those who have superior schol
astic abdliities.
The Nattonal Ivlerit Scholarship
Corporation was eebabldishjed in
1955 and the sponisors have con
tributed direct finaincial aid to over
5,000 situdents in the lasb six years.
Paribicipanlts are not only con-
isiidered by priviaite organiaabilcciis
for speoiad sdholarships. These sch-
ollarsihips are awarded to dhose
whiO quailify as semi-finalist.
The names of the semd-finalist
are printed and sent to all colleges
laeiking for the names. Out of that
Mat this year 5,000 semi-finaM will
receive financial aid.
These chances to quaUfy for
sohol'arships in the junior year
ahould be eagerly anlUoipabed by
the freshmen and bhe sophomores.
Juno Day Changed
To Valentine’s Day
The celetoraition of VaJenltine’s
Day goes back to the reign of Em-
porer Claudius, in 260 A. D. At this
time there were three CShrisitdan
Martyrs, Saint Valen)tine, his son,
and his grandson. These men re
fused to celebrate the day of Juno,
the God of the heathen Roman
people. As a result of their refusal
they were beheaded.
Three generations after this Gre-
goiy the Grealt, being hdmseif a
Roman Pope anid Christian, desired
to pay homage to these bhree cour
ageous men. Gregory did not be
lieve in Juno so he changed the
celebration of juno to the Day of
ValenJtinie.
The custom of sending and re
ceiving valenttines came under the
reign of Gregory also. This is con
sidered antiquity because it is be-
Ueved that birds mated on this
day. On the eve of Sainit Valen
tine’s Day the young people of the
village would gather ait a particu
lar spot, and each drew lioibs, names
of the opposite sex. This way each
genJtleman got his lady for his
valeniUne and became the valentine
of the lady. Someitimes the drawings
became announcemenits for Banns
of Matrimony.
Ittiese are a few of the beldefe
of times of the origin of Valen
tine’s Day. Of oooirse today the giv
ing of valenJtines is merely a way
for young pec^le to show friend
ship toward one another.
Ben Blackbird Sez
Glass, china, a!nd reputation
are easily cracked and never well
mended.
If a man could have half his
wishes he would double his trou
bles.