THE BLACKBIRD
Published by the Jonrnalism Class of Rocky Monnt Senior Hiffh School
VOL. XXXVII—No. 8
ROCKY MOUNT, N. C.
FRIDAY, FEB. 24, 1967
Jane Ferrell Is Chosen As Miss Print
In Traditional Blackbird Competition
STAFF PHOTO
EDITOR GEORGE CLACK crowns Jane Ferrell during the
annual Miss Print Contest, Runners up were Charlotte Looney
and June Ellis.
Tropics And Robinson Bros.
Engaged F or^ Junior-Senior
The Music Committee of
Junior Class, under tlie leader-
sihip of Harry Harles anid Bobby
Thompson, ihave secured the
Tropdcs and the Robinson Bro-
theirs for the Junior-Seniioir to
be held May 12. This fabulous
group has been boolied tlirough
Marslhall Henry, a former Sen
ior High graduate, and The
Jokers Three of Greensboro.
The Tropics began their
career ais a small group play
ing in Reidsville. They were
often seen performing at the
local American Legion Hut or
at private parties. In 1964 they
were Joined by two other boys
from the area wlho were rapid
ly becoming known for their
singing ability. These boys,
known as the Robinson Bro-
tiiers, isoon began to live up
to their reputation as “soul
sdngers.” Since that time the
popularity of the Tropics and
tlhe Robinson Brothers has
grown immensely and they
have quickly become estab
lished as one of the better
groups in the Carolinas. The
Tropics have recently played
at a local club and were ac
claimed by all who saw them.
They also have made numer-
Assembly Presented
On NASA Space Move
The students and faculty of
Senior High were giiven a spe
cial treat last Monday when
Mr. William A. Lockhard, II,
presented a demonstration con
cerning the space mobile. This
is one of the many education
al phases of the National Aero
nautics and Space Administra
tion (NASA).
Mr. LocMiard informed the
students about the space sci
ences and activities of NASA.
He traced tlie history of rock
etry and problems encountered
in space launching and space
flights. This included the re
cent tragedy of the throe astro
nauts at Cape Kennedy. He
also gave an insight into the
“Whys” and “Hows” of Ameri
ca’s Venture into Outer Space.
ous*appearances at the Univer
sity of North Carolina at Chap
el HUI and have performed in
Virginia, Georgia, and other
spots throughout the South.
Their performances are filled
with action and the modern
music of today. The higihiliight
of the show is the appearance
of the Robinson Brothers and
anyone who has seen this
group can asisure you that there
is never a duU minute. Their
recording of “It’s Growing”
and “Thie Happy Hour” is a
classic example of the show
manship and musical talent of
this swinging group.
Friday, February 17, Jane
Ferrell was crowned Miss
Print of 1967 by George Clack,
Editor of The Blackbird, dur
ing the assembly sponsored by
Th© Blackbird each year. She
was chosen from a field of 20
candidates judged on the basis
of personality, beauty, wit, and
poise.
Presented in alphabetical
order, the contestants were
Mary Elizabeth Bradley, spon
sored by the Kudos Club and
escorted by Bill Griffin; Caro
lyn Davis, sponsored by the
Student Organization and es
corted by Bobby Thompson;
June Ellis, sponsored by the
Phalanx Club and escorted by
Sidney Johnston; Judy Farris,
sponsored by homeroom 221
and escorted by Sandy Easley;
Jane Ferrell, sponsored by
homeroom 122 and escorted by
Jim Middleton; Betsy Gatling,
sponsored by the Booster Club
and escorted by Michael Eas
ley; Genie Harden, sponsored
by the SOS Club and escorted
by Larry Smiley; Shebe Har
ris, sponsored by homeroom
118 and escorted by Dan Bal-
lance.
Elsebeth Kamstrup, sponsor
ed by the Good Sports Club
and escorted by Benjie Smith;
Susie Lamm, sponsored by the
Black Masquers, escorted by
Scott Ryals; Charlotte Looney,
sponsored by the Good S'ports
Club, escorted by Tommy Ming-
es; Donna Ostercamp, spon
sored by tlie Black Masquers
and escorted by Dickie Seaton;
Cheryl Pollard, sponsored by
the Radio Broadcasters’ Club
and escorted by Andy Parker;
Priscilla Roderick, sponsored by
the Varsity Cheerleaders and
escorted by Stephen Battle;
Mary Jo Sheridan, sponsoi^
by the Black Masquers and es
corted by David Walker; San
dra Tharrington, sponsored by
homeroom 219 amid escorted by
Bryan Tuttle: Marilyn Whit
field, sponsored by the Na
tional Honor Society and es
corted by Johnny Gower; Ellen
Winstead, sponsored by the Hi-
Noc-Ar staff and escorted by
Frank Bradley; Rhonda Flem
ing, sponsored by the D. E.
Club and Nancy Wilson, spon
sored by the Hi-Noc-Ar staff.
To judge the girls, three
judges were chosen by the com
bined junior and senior Black
bird staff. They were Mrs.
Mary Alice Dunn, Coach Bobby
Dunn’s wife and a former
RMSH Homecoming Queen; Mr.
Aubrey Almand, an outstand
ing young citizen in the com
munity and owner of Almand’s
Drug Store; and A1 Denson,
coach of the local American
Legion baseball team and
manager of Bunting, Hardy
and Minges.
Wednesday evening, February
15, the girls were Interviewed
by the three judges on serious
as well as humorous topics
designed to make them think.
Friday they were presented to
the student body and judges
in evening dress. The rating
of this presentation was added
to that made Wednesday night.
Lynda Harrell, managing edi
tor of The Blackbird, was Mis
tress of Ceremonies during the
assembly. Following the girls’
presentation, the judges left
the auditorium for a brief con
sultation on the final decdsion.
During the intermission the
“Sunnyside” — David Walker,
Chip Penick, and Millard Wood
ard entertained the student
body. Their performance was
followed by the announcement
of the new queen.
Second runner-up was June
Ellis and first runner-up was
CSharlotte Looney. Mack Pridg
en, circulation manager of The
Blackbird, presented the queen
and her two prinoesiaes with
roses as they were announced.
Mrs. Hobbs Leads Invasion
Of Edsonians To New York
BULLETIN
The National Merit Schol
arship Exam will be given
on Saturday, February 25, at
9 a. m. A fee of $1.25 will be
collected from each student
who takes the test to cover
the cost of the tests, reports
of scores, and other materials.
Genie Harden
Betty Crocker
Lillar Eugenia Harden, by
finishing first in a written
homemaking knowledge and
attitude examination, became
Rocky Mount Senior High
Sciiool’s 1967 Betty Crocker
Homemaker of Tomorrow. The
examination was given to sen
ior girls on December 6. As
a local winner, Geniie is now
eligible to compete on the
state and national level for
cash scholarships. Her test also
earned her a specially de
signed' silver charm from Gen
eral Mills, sponsor of the Betty
Crocker Search for the Ameri
can Homemaker of Tomorrow.
Th© award was presented to
Genie dwing the assembly
period on December 27.
A state Homemaker of To
morrow and a runner-up will
be chosen from thie winners
of all schools in the state, with
the former receiving a $1,500.00
college scholarsliip. Her school
will bo given a complete set
of Encyclopedia Britannica. The
runner-up will be awarded a
$500.00 educational grant.
The Betty Crocker Home
maker of Tomorrow from this
state, together with those from
am other states and the District
of Columbia, will join in an
expense-paid educational tour
Selected As
Homemaker
GENIE HARDEN
of Colonial Williamsburg, Va.,
and Washington, D. C. next
spring. Each winner will be
accompanied by her school ad
visor and if Genie becomes the
state winner she will go with
her home economics teacher,
Miss Josephine Grant.
The National winner—the 1967
AU-American Homemaker of To
morrow—will be announced at
a dinner in Williamsburg. She
(Continued on page 8)
Thirtynsix Edsonians will leave
Rocky Mount on Wednesday,
March 15 for their annual trip
to New York. This trip, for
dramatics I and II students
who have at least a “C” aver
age, is a reward for those who
have worked hard in dramiatics
and for its educational value.
The students will meet at the
ACL Station at 6:50 where they
will board the train. AU stu
dents will ride together in re
served seats on a private car.
Upon thedr arrival in New York,
they will take a private bus to
the Hotel Chesterfield where
they wiU stay.
Thursday they will take a
walking tour of Rockefeller
Center. Also that morning they
will visit NBC studios for the
taping of a T.V. show. After
lunch, Mrs. Hobbs wiU lead a
lawfcing tour of Fifth Avenue,
including Saint Patrick’s Cathed
ral, Sak’s, Taffany’s and other
places of interest. Aftor dinner,
they will attend “Star Spangled
Girl” and it has been arranged
for them to meet Tony Perkins,
Connie Stevens, and Richard
Benjamino backstage for a ques
tion and answer period. After
the play, the students are al
lowed to giet' food before being
checked back into the hotel by
Mrs. Hobbs.
Friday is concerned mostly
with an aU day tour which
covers many places of interest
in New York. That night they
vi^ll see “Don’t Drink the!
Water” and visit with Tony|
Roberts. Saturday morning will
be for doing anything in New
York except for catching up
on sleep. That afternoon they
will see a matinee perform
ance of “Hello DoUy,” on© of
the biggest hits on Broadway.
After the matinee, there will
be free time until the show
that night, “Cactus Flower.”
The students hope to meet
Barry Nelson, the male lead
in “Cactus Flower.”
Sunday morning the students
may slieep late. Mrs. Hobbs
does not require the students
to attend church because she
feete they need the rest after
being up late three ndgttits. How
ever, she will go to the church
with them or see to it that they
get in the taxis headed for the
church they wish to attend.
After eating lunch, they will
pack, then the same bus takes
them to the Pennsylvania Sta
tion where they board the train
for Rocky Mount. The next
morning, brigiht and early, all
th^ istudents will “rise and
ishine for another Monday at
RMHS.
Finalists Affirmed
In Merit Program
The National Merit Scholar
ship Corporation, in a special
release to the Blackbird, has
announced the finalists from
Rocky Mount Senior High School
in the 1966-67 Merit Program.
This year the finailists are
Linda Harrell, Bill Meakin,
Mack Pridgen, Rebecca Sher
iff, Roger Stancil, Chris Stan
ley, and Ellen Winstead. These
seven students were also the
semifinaliists from RMSH an
nounced eairlier this year. ‘
From a group of about 14,200
national finalists, approximate
ly 2300 Merit Scholars will be
si^ected in 1967. AU Finalists
^ be notified of their status
in the competition by April 20.
The winners of Merit Scholar
ships will be notified by March
27. They are then requesited to
keep this information confi
dential until th© public an
nouncement of Merit Scholars
scheduled for May. 3,
A certificate of merit and
a letter will be awarded to the
finalists during an assembly
program.
They became finalists due
to an endorsement from their
school, compleOng and return
ing of the SemitinaUsts Infor
mation Form, and confirming
thedr hig’h scores on the Na
tional Merit Scholarship Quali
fying Test by their perform
ance on the Scholastic Apti
tude Test.