HAPPY EASTER!!
THE GRYPHON
Published by tihe Journalism Class of Rodcy Mount Seniw Hi^ Sdiool
HAPPY EASTER!!
VOLUME rv, No. 8
ROCKY MOUNT, N. C,
WEDNESDAY, APRIL 18, 1973
Walkathon Ruled
As Big Success
Pictured above is Leon Robbins, starting the March of Dimes sponsored Walkathon^
Band Begins Concert Season
By Debra Stancell
The Inaugural Parade in Ra
leigh for Governor Jim Hols-
houser brought to an official
end the marching season for
the Rocky Mount Senior High
Band, The termination of af
ter-school practices for Friday
night half-time shows and a
halt to street marching signi
fied the beginning of concert
season for one hundred thirty-
one band students.
During concert season, the
instrumental department is di
vided into three classes: the
Concert Band, directed by
Charles Woods- the Wind En
semble, directed by John Sykes;
and the Dance Band, which be
gins to meet each day under
the direction of Mr. Sykes.
The Concert Band and the
Wind Ensemble placed special
emphasis for the past four
months on preparation for the
Eastern North Carolina Band
Contest-Festival held here Fri-
Gryphon Awarded
First Place Rating
The Gryphon was awarded
a first place certificate for high
school newspapers by the Col
umbia Scholastic Press Asso
ciation on March 16, 1973 in
the forty-ninth annual contest.
Three 1972 fall issues were
sent to Columbia University in
New York. They were compared
with papers of other schools
throughout the United Stated
which were In the same class
ification as The Gryphon,
Newspapers are classified by
the number of students in the
school, by the way in which the
paper is printed, and by the pre
sence of absence of sports and
advertising.
The Board of Judges evalu
ates the relative standing of the
newspaper and give construc
tive criticism. The content,
style, form and organization are
rated with respect to a typical
school newspaper.
Among the comments and
suggestions of the Board of Jud
ges was“The Gryphon has a
nice professional appearance
that should enhance its pop
ularity with its readers,”
day, April 13, Each band played
a warm-up march and two con
cert selections before a panel
of four judges. The judges were
Herbert L, Carter from ECU;
l!)onald Adcock from NCSU; Ri
chard Dill from Chesapeake
High School in Cheasapeake,
Virginia- • and Emory Fears
from Manor High School in
Portsmouth, Virginia.
Preparations are now under
way for the annual spring con
cert which will be held May 17
in the RMSH auditorium. The
program will begin at 8:15.
Admission wiU be $1.00 for a-
dults and $.50 for students;
Annual Jr. Sr.
To Be Biggest
Happening Yet
The annual Junior-Senior
prom, once again brought about
through the efforts of the Ju
nior class of RMSH, will be
held at Tarrytown Mall, May 11
from 9 p. m. until 1 a. m.
Aided by faculty advisors Mr.
HickE and Mrs. Sampson, five
committees were set up. These
were the Decorations Committ
ee, the Clean-up Committee,
the Band Committee, the Re
freshments Committee, and the
Program Committee, each of
which was aided by a faculty
advisor,
BAND
The Band Committee, through
Hit Attractions, Inc, of Char
lotte, was able to look at se-,
veral bands before deciding on
a group known as “Flic and
his Orchestra.” The nine-man
group which plays all types of
music—rock, soul, hard rock,
by individuals and groups such
as Isaac Hayes, The Allman
Brothers, Chicago, A1 Green,
and Santana. It’s a group that’s
bound to please everyone.
Once again the theme and de
coration scheme of the prom
will remain secret until the
night of the prom. Also, as
in the la.-t few years, therewill
be no figure, but Program Com
mittee chairmenSteve Braswell
states' that ^ different type of
program honoring the entire
class of 1973 has been planned.
tickets may be purchased from
any band student. Following
the program of various styles
of music, band awards will be
presented by Mr, Newbern, Mr,
Sykes, ?nd Mr. Woods.
As a part of the instrumental
music program, the Wind En
semble and the Concert Band
will perform at the grammar
schools within the city. Dur
ing the perfromance. Individual
(Continued on Page 4)
Over two hundred students
the majority from the student
body of Rocky Mount Senior
High received over $4,000 in
pledges in the city's first "Wal-
kathon” sponsored by the Sig
ma Omega Fraternity of North
Carolina Wesleyan College Ap
ril 8,
Threatening skies and chill
ing temperatures did not dis
courage thfe enthusiartic gath
ering from completingthe twen
ty mile trek through the local a-
rea in support of the March of
Dimes walk against birth de
fects.
The route was interrupted by
rest stops every five miles at
the City Lake, Benvenue School,
D. S, Johnson School and final
ly the return to the starting
point, Rocky Mount Senior High.
Each participant solicited
pledges at a minimum of ten
cents per mile. Upon comple
tion of the walk, certificates of
ordination into the “Order of
the Battered Boot” were is
sued, saluting the finishers for
their “heroic support of the
continuous fight against birth
defects, who most generously
lend the March of Dimes their
feet when we needed a hand.”
Prizes will be awarded to the
high soliciters following the
turning in of collected money
and checks to Planters Nation
al Bank.
The marchers included many
high school students, mixed in
with some parents, and younger
children, not to mentiononedog
who was picked up following 13
miles by the “poop-out-pick-
up” truck.
The first finisher in the event
was Leon Robbins, RMSH cross
countr . , who finished the course
in 2L34.
Concert To Be Given
By RMSH Chorus
The Modernaires and Mixed
Chorus are giving a concert to
night, April 18, at 8:00 p.m. In
RMSH auditorium. Admission is
$1,50 per person,
Mrs. Antoinette Battle, head
of the music department, said
that plans Ijegan for the con
cert before Christmas, The
concert will consist of excerpts
from several compositions by
Rogers and Hammerstein, The
music will be taken from “Sou
th Pacific,” “The Sound of Mu
sic,” “Oklahoma,” Carous
al,” and “Showboat,”
Four RMSH Juniors Announced
As Governors’ School Candidates
Matthew Armstrong, Wadye
Morton, Melanie Goff and Mary
Thane Barnes were recently
announced as 1973 candidatei;
for Governors’ School.
Matthew Armstrong is the
son of Mr, and Mrs, Matthew
Armstrong of 1108 Ryals Stre
et. He will study In the field
of social science at the Gov
ernors’ School,
Wadye Morton is the daugh
ter of Mr, and Mrs. Felix
Morton of 920 Shearin Street.
She will study in the field of
natural science at the Gover
nors' SchooL
Melanie Goff is the dau
ghter of Mr, and Mrs. David C.
Goff of 817 Burton Street, She
will study French at the Gov
ernors’ School.
Mary Thane Barnes is the
daughter of Mr, and Mrs, Jos
eph Barnes, Jr,, of 712 Mari
gold Street. She will also stu
dy French at the Governors’
School.
The Governors’ School is a
seven week residential program
of the Salem College campus in
Winston Salem, It is a pro
gram for “intellectually gift
ed North Carolina high school
student
The Governors’ School was
begun in 1963 and was financ
ed by a grant from the Carne
gie Corporation in New York
and individual contributions.
In 1965, the North Carolina
General Assembly voted an ap
propriation to finance the Sc
hool,
Governors’ School has a
four-fold purpose. First, it
provides a variety of distinc
tive educational experiences.
Second, it provides experi
mental and model practices
which may be used in local sc
hools. Third, It provides an
appropriate setting and equip
ment for intensive and profes
sional training. Fourth, it
conducts studies of the edu
cation and development of ex
ceptional youth.
Candidates for the Gover
nors’ School are selected from
rising junior and senior stu
dents on the basis of high in
telligence ?nd academic ability
or a high degree of talent in
one of the arts.
Candidates spend about two
thirds of their class time stu
dying in their chosen fields.
About one sixth of the candi
date’s time is spent in the de
velopment of general concepts.
The remaining time is spent
in personal and social develop
ment.
Pictured above is Mary Thane Barnes, Matthew Armstrong,
and Wadye Morton, the 1973 Governor's School candidates.