THE BLACKBIRD
VOL. XXXVII—No. 3
Published by the JouraalLsm Class of Rocky Mount Senior BQ£h School
ROCKY MOUNT, N. C.
FRIDAY, NOVEMBER 3, 1967
Ji
n
R.M.S.H. Hosts N.C.E.A.
For Annual Convention
TAPPED INTO NATIONAL HONOR SOCIETY
Shown from left are (Front Row) Fran War
ren, Marsh Pully, Betsy Elmore, Kitty Keel,
linda Ray; {Second Row) Doug Bradham,
Margaret Winstead, Kacky Harrison, Sherry
PHOTO BY KILLEBREW
Pope, Carolyn White; (Third Row) Charles
Houseworth, Terry Thompson, Ronnie Eg-
gers, Stephen Battle, Stephen Draper. Ab
sent from picture is Wynne Gatsis.
Wita A. Bond National Honor Society Taps
Sixteen Seniors In Assembly October 27
Friday, during activity period
sixieen seniors were tapped in
to the Wita A. Bond Chapter
, of the National Honor Society.
Mary Jo Sheridan, president
of the Society, presided over the
assembly. Homer Vernon gave
the devotion. Hatcher Kincheloe
talked about the requirements
for admission to the National
Q.nor Society,
■ Sixteen Seniors
The eighteen old members
then went out into the body of
the auditorium and tapped the
new members. Those tapped
were Steven Battle, son of Mr.
and Mrs. Turner W. Battle;
Doug Bradham, son of Mr. and
Mrs, Ingram D. Bradham; Ste
ven Draper, son of Mr. and
Mrs. E.V.S. Draper; Ronnie
Eggers, son of Mr. and Mrs.
Charles Eggers; Betsy Elmore,
daughter of Mr. and Mrs. A. R.
Elmore; Wynne Gatsis, daugTi-
l.er of Lt. Col. and Mrs. Andrew
J. Gatsis; Kacky Harrison,
daughter of Mr. and Mrs. W.
B. Harrison; Charles House-
worth, son of Mr. and Mrs. C.
W. Houseworth;
R.M.S.H. Delegates Travel
To Kannapolis SO Congress
Sunday, November 12, the
North Carolina Student Council
Congresis will convene at A. L.
Brown High School in Kannapo
lis, N. C., for its three-day ses
sion.
Present at the statewide
meeting will be delegates from
all North Carolina member
schools, including 5 from
RMSH: Benjie Smith — S. 0.
Sr. High Plans
Homecoming 67
RMSH Homecoming vvill take
place Friday, November 10, as
the Blackbirds take on the Dur
ham Bulldogs.
On Monday, Tuesday, Wed
nesday, and Thursday of Home
coming Week, students will ex
lubit school spirit in several
different wiiy?. Wearing ties to
stand for the slogan “Tie Up
tJie Bulldogs," wearing hots to
express “Ten the Bulldogs,’’
painting black eyes to signify
“Beat Up the Bulldogs,” and
■siwrfinQ; boots to show “Stomli
thp Bulldogs ” f’re wme of the
ingeniiis ways decided upon by
the Scl'.orl Sririt Committee.
The band is in charge of the
Ilomeccmni" Queen fe^ivities
.■;s part o' its participation in
the Hrmecoming Program.
While being crovvnod by Sheila
Stone, the head majorette, the
Queen vdll receive one dozen
red roses.
As is customary, the RMSH
Band will lead the Homecoming
Parade.
Presiident, Mike Dixon — House
and Grounds Committee Chair
man, Ken Thompson — S. 0.
Secretary, Miss Kate Parks Kit-
chin — our s^tudent advisor, and
Mario Obreque — our AFS stu
dent. Benjie, Mike, and Ken
wiere chosen to represent
RMSH by the members of the
Sifcudtcjnt Orgam^ation at the
last S. 0. meeting.
The NCSCC was organized in
the school year 1927-28, and was
probably the first organization
of its Idnd in the naition. It is
sponsored by the Secondary
Principals’ Association, of
which Principal V. J. Colombo
is president.
The purpose of the NCSCC is
to give expression to the
thoughts and prob'ems of school
life and to provide training for
students in democratic living.
It provides the student’s only
real opportunity for training
tlirough participation and prac
tice.
Since 19.36, Rocky Mount has
been represented at every an-
lual session of. the NCSCC.
RMSH has token an active pari
in the development of the
\C3CC since its inauguration in
1927. Rocky Mount entertained
‘he Congress for its 16th annual
’^eepion in November, 1942 and
for its 29th annual meeting in
October, 1955, Jean Griffin, a
Rocky Mount student, served
as President of the State Con
gress for the year 1943-44. Miss
Kiteihin served a ZVz year term
as Executive Secretary of the
Congress from 1952-1955.
Kitty Keel, daughter of Mr.
and Mrs, Page Keel; Sherry
Pope, daughter of Mr. and Mrs.
J. T. Pope, Jr.; Marsh Pully,
daughter of Mr. and Mrs. Young
A, Pully; Linda Ray, daughter
of Mr. and Mrs. William E.
Ray; Terry Thompson, son of
Mr. and Mrs. H. A. Ttompson;
Fran Warren, daughter of Mr.
and Mrs, E. J. Warren; Carolyn
White, daughter of Mr. and Mrs.
William J. White; and Mar
garet Winstead, daughter of
Mr. and Mrs. Jake Winstead,
Charlotte Looney was overall
chairman of the tapping. In
charge of the stage was Grey-
son Shuff and Homer Vernon;
flowers, Faye Casey; robes.
Hatcher Kincheloe; certificates,
Lee Simrell; ribbons, Charlotte
Looney; publicity, Lynne Pul
len; pianist was Mary Elizabeth
Bradley, and program, Mary Jo
Sheridan,
The requirements for adlmis-
sion to the National Honor So
ciety are that a student should
maintain a 90.5 average since
the ninth grade and that he be
evailuated and rated by the
faculty according to service,
leadersMp, character, and
growth.
About 2,000 North Carolina
teachers attended the 45th An
nual C/onvention of the North
Carolina Education Association,
Fri’cay, October 20, at Rocky
Moutit Senior High School. The
teachers came from the North-
eas'ern District encompassing
18 coun'ies in this area,
A general session of the teach
ers began ait 10 a. m. in the
Scnio; High Auditariuin. Presi
dent R. Eugene Rogers wel
comed the group and Dr. W, O.
Fields gave the invocation. Dr.
Charletsi F. Carroll, state super
intendent of public instruction,
talked' to the delegates about
matters concerning the teach
ing profession. Dr. A. C, Daw
son, NCEA executive secretary,
spoke to the teachers on major
problems facing the teachers of
this state. Some of the prob
lems discussed were those con-
COTing a pay raise, merger
with North Carolina Teachers
Association, and teacher sanc
tions.
President Rogers adjourned
the general session. Following
the general session tlie seven
NCEA Honors
Mr. Colombo
Vincent J. Colombo, principal
of Rocky Mount Senior High
Sdii^, was rtxrenlly named
president of the principals’ di
vision of the North Carolina
Education Association (NCEA).
The board of directors of the
principals’ division met October
9 at 2 o’clock, in Fayetteville
to discuss the elevation of pres
ident Wallace West, former
principal of New Hanover High
School, who was pronwted to
assistant superintendent of New
Hanover County Schools. Since
Mr, West was no longer a prin
cipal, he had to step down from
his posit as president of the
principals’ division.
The board of direotors named
Mr. Colombo to fill West’s un-
expired term for the year 1967-
68. Mr. Colombo was president
elect for the year 1968-69, so
that he will continue as presi
dent through next year.
divisions and 21 departments
met separately to elect officers
for the year and to talk about
present problems. Several
Rocky Mount Senior Higli teach
ers were elected a.s officers.
These were John Behr, secre
tary of the Art Department;
Mrs, Surcanne Sifford, pre.;ident
of the Modern Foreign Langu-
.Tge Department; ondiMrs. Ruth
P. Bell, president of the Social
studies Department.
NMSC Reports
1968 Test Date
Rocky Mount Senior High
School students who expect to
complete their secondary school
requirements and to enter col
lege in 1969 can register now
to participate in the 1968-69 Na
tional Merit Scholarship Pro
gram, Principal V. J. Colombo
announced recently.
The first step for all students
who wisih to enter the nation
wide competition is to take the
National Merit Sclwlarship Qua
lifying Tesit (NMSQT). The test
will be given in the school at
9:00 a, m., Saturday, February
24, 1968.
Participating students pay a
$1.25 fee. If an unusually pro
mising student is unable to pay
the $1.25 test fee, it will be p?id
by the National Merit Scholar
ship Corporation (NMSC) at tlie
request of his school.
When his NMSQT scores are
reported, each participating
student will receive a handbook
to help liim evaluate his scores.
Education Week
National Education Week is
observed each year in Novem
ber. The purpose is to instill
in America the idea that edu
cation is the most important
cotnodity educators have to
sell.
This week is set aside also
to honor educators through
out the country who are giving
their very best in trying to
help educate the youth of
America.
Youth Council Elects New Officers
The Rocky Mount Youth
Council met on October 24, to
elcct officers for this school
year. At the meeting, now mem
bers were wel'comod into the
council and told of tlie history
and functions of the Youtii
Coundil.
Harry J, Harles was chosen
by the .is memb''r,s present to
be tlie new nrevident, Othe:.'
officeiT. elected wrre Greg Cop
ley, vice-president; Ruth Ed
wards, secretary; and Judy
Hunter, treasurer.
Presiding ot the m^etin!: was
Bob Chapman, acting president.
Bob announced that the trea's-
ury had more than doubled
since the beginning of the sum
mer. He said that all of the
dances had been successful, and
he told of plans for future
dances,
SeveraJ members were recog
nized for their volunteer during
the summer with a class of re
tarded children.
YOUTH COUNCIL OFFICERS for 1967-68 are (left to right):
Harry J. Harles, president; Judy Hunter, treasurer; airf
Greg Copley, vice-president. Absent is Ruth Edwards, secre
tary.