BLACKBIRD
Published by the Joornalism Class of Rocky Mount Senior nigh School
VOL. XXXVII—No. 7
ROCKY MOUNT, N. C.
FRIDAY, JAN. 27, 1967
PHOTO BY KILLEBREW
JUNIOR OFFICERS (1 to r): Bobby Thompson, vice-president;
Benjie Smith, president; Kitty Keel, secretary; Stephen Draper.
Three Leave RMHS
As Semester Begins
Second semester will begin
January 25 with several facul
ty changes announced by Mr.
V. J. Colombo, principal. In
a special release to The Black-
bord, Mr. Colombo presented
tlhese shifts.
Mr. Frank Hammond, who
has taught band in the City
School System since 1960, left
the teaching profession entire
ly January 6 to become a pilot
with Piedmont Airlines. Mr.
Hammond began his career
here with the students who
are now seniors; he taught
them tho fundamentals in the
sixth gra^fc Rocky
seen its -JiiUJid enj^y
al growth during hfe tenure.
As muon as he loves teacliing
and working with young people
and music, Mr. Hammond finds
the draw of flying, a long-time
avocation, and the better place
for his family too much to
ignore. When asked how they
felt, most of his istudents could
only say, “He’s a great guy.”
Mr. J. C. Sykes, who is
also a longtime instructor for
the city system, replaced Mr.
Hammond. Mr. Sybes has pre
viously worked with the Jun
ior High bandis. Having helped
many students no wat Senior
High, his will not be a strange
face.
Mr. James Hart, first se
mester art teacher, left the
school January 24, to take on
a new position as Director of
Audio Visual Aids and Special
Services for the city system.
Mrs. Rusty Spears, known
to many through her affilia
tion with the Rocky Mount Arts
C3enter, replaced Mr. Hart.
Mr. Edward T. Smith, as
sistant principal during the
first semester will leave the
city to become principal of
Enfdeld Graded Sdhools. Mr.
Smith taught English there bo-
fore coming here. He left
Rocky Mount January 25 and
will assume his duties there
around February 1.
Mr. Dudley Whitley, head
football coach, will become
assistant principal.
Mrs. J. C. Sykes, wife of
the new band director, will
take over Mr. Whitley’is eco
nomics class and Mr. Smith’s
English classes.
State
Officers Elected
By Three Classes
m!
For Second Half
During Iho months of Dec
ember and January, Senior
High Students went to the polls
to elect officers to serve tliem
through tho second semester of
1966-67.
After first hearing speeches
promising more leadershiip, the
classes elected these all-im
portant officers. Sopliomores
elected thiedr first officers since
coming to Senior High, juniors
elected those who will guide
them through the Junior-Sen
ior; and seniors elected offi
cers to serve them during
graduation.
Senior officers elected are Cor-
nilia Dotortty, president, Jim
Middleton, vice-president; Bev
erly Rosser, secretary; Julian
Ruffiin, treasurer.
Jundors elected: Benjie Smith,
president; Bobby Thompson,
vice-president; Kitty Keel, sec
retary; Stephen Draper, treas
urer.
Officers for thie sophomore
class are Ken Thiompson, pre
sident; Jay Bobbitt, vice-presi
dent; Ramsay Lea, siecretary;
Anne Pittman, treasurer.
Teresa Rhodes, chairman of
the Elections Committee, term
ed the voter turn-out “poor.”
As usual, sophomores led the
school In the percentage of
voters registered voting. Un
official tabulations show 53%
of the seniors voting, 67% of
the juniors, and 73% of the
sophomores.
PHOTO BY KILLEBREW
SENIOR OFFICERS (1 to r): John Ruffin, treasurer; Jim
Middleton, vice-president. Missing were Cornelia Doherty and
Beverly Rosser.
Open House To Be Held
After Ball Game Tonight
The Social Committee of the
Student Organization will hold
an open house Friday, Jan. 27,
following the Enloe basketball
game. The open house is to
be held In tlie school cafe
teria, and will last from about
9 o’clock until 11 o’clock.
Gwen Seigman, chairman of
the Social Committee, has an
nounced that the event will
be for all students of RMSH
who will receive an invitation.
Gwen reported that the open
house would be informal re
quiring only school clothes.
A juke box will provide
music for dancing. The stu
dents may play card games,
chess, and other games pro
vided by the committee. Re
freshments for the get-together
will be served by members of
the committee, ^veral of the
members helping out with the
planning are Kathy Cherry,
Dickie Seaton, Ramsey Lea,
and Dillon Coleman.
Tonight’s soiiee will be
similar to the ono held last
year after the Jacksonville
basketball game. All students
are invited to attend and bring
their dates.
e Student Organization
“The Student Organization-
A microphone for the student
voice.’' This microphone has
definitely been utilized by the
Student Organization during
the first semester. This is
widest in the various accom
plishments and activities un
dertaken. Some work has been
acknowledged, other work has
been performed befliind the
scenes. But most important,
the work has been done by the
students themselves and great
er accomplishments are ex
pected next semester. FoUoW'
ing is a detailed outline of the
work of each committee thus
far this year.
I. Publicity Committee Projects
A. Special News bulletin
board in “A” building.
B. Twelve theme bulletin
boards in “B” buiMing.
C. Five special bulletin
boards in “C” building
PHOTO BY KILLEBREW
SOPHOMORE OFFICERS (1 to r): Ken Thompson, president:
Rrms-jy Lea, secretary; Anne Pittman, treasurer; Jay Bobbit.
V.oo-presidc0v
1. Homecoming
2. Thanksgiving
3. Christmas
D. Maintenance of the Tilery
at Hammond Street sign.
II Activities of the Publica
tions Committee
A. Publication and distribu
tion of handbooks at a
cost of $600.00.
B. Publication and distrlbu
tion oif student directories
at a cost of $260.00.
C. Designing, printing, and
plan for distributiom of
thank-you-grams at a cost
of approximately $30.00.
III. Activities of the American
Field Service
A. General activities in wel
coming and orienting AFS
Student.
B. Selection of gift at Christ
mas for AFS student.
C. Writing of 50 letters to
civic clubs in Rocky
Mount requesting contri
butions to AFS budget.
D. Acknowledgement to AFS
contribution to the bud
get.
IV. Operation of Student Store
A. The daily operation of
store, 8:15^5:30 in morn
ing, part of first lunch
period and' one afternoon
a week after school.
B. Accurate records of pur
chase and sale of all ma
terials.
C. Payment of sales tax
monthly.
V. Services of Lost and Found
Committee
A. Accepting and filing rec
ord of all articles turned
in to the lost and found
department.
B. Publication of aU articles
through daily bulletin and
bi-weekly report to the
3. »0. Assembly.
C. S(^ziesti3rDfd! tS
all articles.
D. Disposition of unclaimed
articles at semester end
VI. Service of the Fire Drill
Committee
A. Holding of fire drill month
ly-
B. Replacing of instruction
signs in rooms.
VII. Service of the Traffic Com
mittee
A. Beginning-of-thc-year direc
tion of new students through
the building.
B. Cooperation with House and
Grounds Committee toward
improving the parking lot.
VIII. Service of House and
Grounds
A. Work in the parking lot
1. Repainting trash cans.
2. Filling in holes in park
ing lot.
B. Cooperation with Mr. Phill
Overton of the City Health
Department by submitting
write-up and pictures £or
city cleanup scrapbook.
C. Cleaning up planter in
lobby in preparation for
new plant for spring.
IX. Activities of the Elections
Committee
A. Opening of books for reg-
'istration of transfer stu-
dent.s, sophomores, and any
othei- unregistered students
for one week.
B. Preparing for and con
ducting the throe class
elections for Second se-
mestsr class olficeins.
X. Services of the Social Com
mittee
A. Orientation party for trans
fer students in Sept. at
approximately a cost of
$10.00.
B. Homecoming dance in Nov
ember at approximately
coat of $200.00.
C. Managempit of Mendsfilpi
b'orciiVany iliirin'j liblf ti'aAf*
of home conference bas
ketball games.
D. Operation of concession
stand at Homecoming
Dance.
XL. Service of Assembly Com
mittee
A. Preparation for and co
operation in two weekly
assembly totalling seven
teen assemblies.
B. Types of Assemblies
1. Two guest speakers
2. Motivation Assemblies
a. Magazine kick off
b. Hi-Noc-Ar Assembly
c. Paradign Campaign
d. Blackburd Campaign
e. Fire Prevention
3. Inspirational Assemblies
a. School Spirit
b. Veteran’s Day As
sembly
c. Christmas Assembly
e. Mount OHve Choir
4. Recognition Assemblies
a. NHS Assembly
b. Black Masquers As
sembly
c. Football Awards As
sembly
5. Demonstrations Assem
bly
a. Edsonian previews
b. England As We Saw
It Assembly
c. Stage Side Chats
XII. Activities of School Spirit
Committee
A. Sponsoring of five Bon
fires and pep raUies.
B. Printing posteis acknow
ledging athletic events be
fore each game.
XIII. Activities of the General
Organization
A. Regular Attendance at S.O.
meetings.
B. Attendance of delegates
at the State Student Coun
cil CoDgresis.
D. ^romotdon of the maga-