Black
Heritage Week
THE GRYPHON
Published by the Journalisni Class of Rocky Mount Senior High School
Welcome Home
POW's
VOLUME IV, No. 6
ROCKY MOUNT, N. C.
WEDNESDAY, FEBRUARY 21, 1973
RANDOM SHOT OF PARENT'S VISITATION NKRT
Second Semester SRA Meets
The first meeting of the se
cond semester SRA representa
tives was held Tuesday, Feb
ruary 6, at sixth period in the
auditorium.
In the absence of SRA Pre
sident JohnDinan, Vice - Pre
sident Steve Braswell presid
ed. After the meetingwas call
ed to order. Secretary Christal
Gagnon read the minutes, which
were approved as read. The
treasurer Russell Ruffin stat
ed that a total of $2050.83,
was in the treasury, there be
ing no receipts or disburse
ments.
New cabinet members Mary
Thane Barnes, chairman of the
Lost and Found Committee, and
Steve Bryant, chairman of the
Traffic Committee, were in
troduced as the only changes
in the second semester Presi
dent’s Cabinet. The cabinet,
was approved by the represen
tatives.
Committee reports were gi
ven, The Publications Com
mittee reported receiving “Hi
ghlights", The Fire Drill Com
mittee requested that the repre
sentatives report any room not
having a fire drill poster. The
Publicity Committee announ
ced that any club or homeroom
which desired to sponsor abul-
letin board should sign a sheet
in the guidance department,
Old business consisted of
three requests which had pre
viously been made concerning
library fines. One request was
that the library fine stop when
New Qass Officers Installed
In Junior, Sophomore Meetings
Sophomore class officers
were installed by the SRA se
cretary, Christal Gagnon, due to
the absence of the SRA Presi
dent, John Dinan, and the re
signation of its Vice-President,
Steve Braswell, in the gym
Wednesday, February 8,
Installed were the new class
President, Nancy Davis; the
vice-president, Joy Osborne;
Secretary, Cammy Reirson; and
the Treasurer, Bryant Al
dridge,
After the installation of the
class officers Christal aslced
the homeroom officers to stand
where they were and repeat the
oath of office as she read it.
At the conclusion of the in
stallation, Miss Kitchin and
Mrs, Sledge discussed the ne
cessary things about the upco
ming reaccreditation.
Junior class officers were
also Installed by Christal Gag
non in the auditorium Febru
ary 8,
Bill Roebuck was Installed
the new President of the junior
class. Chip Pearsallwas insta
lled as Vice-president; Paula
Murrill as Secretary; and Bill
Mebane as Treasurer.
After the installation of the
class officers, the homeroom
officers stood where they were
and repeated their oaths of of
fice.
At the completion of the in
stallation, Mrs, Sledge spolce
to the Junior class about reac-
credttatlon.
pictured above are (1-r) Steve Bryant, Camilla Lucas, Leigh Jef
ferson, and Doris Eakes, making plans for reaccredltatlon ban
quet.
a book was returned. The de
cision on this request was that
the student would have one week
after returning the book to pay
the fine without accumulation of
that fine. Another request was
that there would be no fine if
the student was absent on the
day that his book was due. The
ruling on this request was that
there would be no fine if the
student called Mrs. Davis on the
day he was absent to tell her,
and brought the book back to
the library on the day he re
turned. The third request con
cerned having no fine over the
week end or a holiday. No de
cision had been reached con
cerning this request.
Steve began the new busi
ness by reading his letter of
resignation in which he asked to
be relieved of his position be
cause he was unhappy with the
student organization. After dis
cussion, his resignationwas ac
cepted by the SRA.
Christal Gagnon thendismis-
sed the meeting since there was
no further business.
Assembly Marks
End Of Festivities
For Black History
On Thursday, February 15,
the Black Heritage Week festi
vities ended at RMSH with an
assembly in tribute of past
black accomplishments,
Ronnie Osborne presided o-
ver the assembly. He introduc
ed Cavaretta Martin, whose
opening statements gave text
to the complete assembly, Gwen
Sanders welcomed the students,
faculty, and visitors. Some vi
sitors included Hall of Famer
“Buck” Leonard and Mrs,
Ruth B, Jones, The Black Na
tional Anthem “Lift Every Voi
ce and Sing” was sung admira
bly by Carol Reid. Scriptures
was read by Norma Petway and
the prayer was given by Renee
Wilkins.
The Modernaries performed
“Swing Low Swwet Chariot”,
featuring William Farmer as
soloist, Deborah Bulluck in
troduced the speaker Alfred Da
vis, His statements toW of
Black achievements in the past
and the Black’s future endea
vors, ) Gloria Carney read
poems Dy Langston Hughes, The
program ended with a creative
dance featuring Beverly Po
well, Robin Shaw, Theresa Hi
nes, and Diane Lancaster.
RMSH Anticipating
Reaccreditation End
RMSH has been going through
a process of reaccreditationfor
the past two years and the cul
mination of all this effort will
conclude at a Banquet Tuesday
night, February 20 and a Visi
tation Day Wednesday, Febru
ary 21,
The reaccreditation process,
which occurs at least once every
ten years orafter a major chan
ge in purpose or program, is one
that will exhibit the school’s
improvements in educational
programs. It benefits a stu
dent to go to an accredited sc
hool for the school’s academic
level is then acknowledged as
being at a high level.
Teachers and committees
have worked hard to assure the
reaccreditation by the Southern
Association of Colleges and Sc
hools. Their hard work has had
much to do with the success of
the reaccreditation program.
In a recent talk by Mrs. Sled
ge the importance of this hard
work and also the vital role
played by students was explain
ed. She also explained how the
whole school was Involved in the
process, not just committee
members.
The whole process of reac
creditation involves many phas
es. One phase was the Parents
Visitation Night, held February
15, which allowed the Rocky
Mount community to become ac
quainted with the school and its
departments. Another phase of
the process was a banquet held
February 20 in honor of the vi
siting reaccreditation officials
and also school members who
worked on the process. The
program will be concluded by
the Visitation Day when offi
cials evaluate RMSH during the
schedule of a regular school
day.
Dr. Currin, one of the many special guest attending open house.
Open House Attended
By RMSH Parents
Parents of Rocky Mount Se
nior High students attended Pa
rents Visitation Night at RMSH
Thursday, February 15 in or
der to learn more of the school
current activities.
The meeting was called to
order by Mrs. Ruth Bell Sled
ge, Reaccreditation Steering
Committee chairman, and gree
tings were extended by Prin
cipal E. L. Newbern, Jr. Mrs,
Sledge then spoke of the signi
ficance of accreditation,
INTRODUCTION OF
DEPARTMENTS
Featured in the opening of the
meetingwas the introduction by
departmental heads of the uni
que features of each depart
ment, and also introduction of
February 21 - Visiting re
accreditation team
March 3 - SAT at Wilson
Fike High School
April 20-23 - Easter ho
lidays (two school days)
June 6 - School closes
June 7 - Commencement
each teacher, Mr, Robert Hines,
Associate Principal, used slid
es to take the parents on a tour
of many of the departments,
PARENT CLASSROOM
VISITATION
At the conclusion of the pro
gram, the parents were invited
to the Home Economics Depart
ment for refreshments. After
wards, atour of the building with
student guides was given. Tea
chers were available in their
classrooms to answer questions
of the parents.
In a letter sent to the par
ents prior to the meeting, the
need for the parents “to know
your school” was stressed. The
acquainting of the parents with
unique innovations in the sc
hool’s program as well as the
explanation of the significance
and process of accreditation
were the main topics of inter
est reviewed by the parents
and teachers.
Dr. Ben Currin, Rocky Mount
City School Superintendent, was
among the many special guests.