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THE GRYPHON
State of the Organization
The Opportunity
1973 - a year which is now history. A year full of
parties, tests, fun, and worries. A year not to be
forgotten but to be remembered and used as a basis
for a new beginning for a new year -1974.
1974 will offer many opportunities for
everyone. But to take advantage of these op
portunities one needs to plan - plan for today,
tomorrow, and next year. One needs to examine
himself and decide his goals, his morals, and most
important, his capabilities.
For many, 1974 will mean graduation. One more
semester to go and it will be all over. But these
upcoming graduates need to remember it is not over
yet and these last four months can be very im
portant to them. One's high school years can be
cherished memories and should not be tarnished by
some foolish act.
For graduates of future years, this new year
offers them a chance to better prepare themselves
for graduation and their future. With mid-term
exams over, one may begin with a fresh, new start to
make this new year the best yet.
The past cannot be changed. What lies ahead is
what is most important. A new year is a perfect
beginning for improvement. With a new set of New
Year's Resolutions, one has a chance to make 1974
the best year yet. it sure is worth a try, isn't it?
Voting Pays Off
A couple of months ago RMSH received a very
important honor. In fact, it was the highest honor in
the state a school could be given - The Louise Hunter
Award. RMSH received this honor because we have
the best student council in North Carolina.
RMSH students worked hard for this honor. A
tremendous amount of school spirit, school activity,
and school unity enabled us to be labeled No. 1.
As students of a No. 1 school, RMSH students are
supposed to be the best. It is up to them to uphold
the dignity of this honor. Recently they didn't
uphold the dignity of the honor as they should have.
Students did not show the amount of interest in
class elections that should have been shown.
Numerous students were either too busy or too lazy
to go vote. This may be noticed by the percentages
of students who voted in the first election - 52
percent, 38 percent, and 31 percent. The runoff
percentages were even worse - 39 percent, 30
percent, and 25 percent.
The above figures are a bad indication of in
terest in our school's government, it is a duty of each
student to vote. If apathy Is this bad in school
elections. Imagine how bad it could be when today's
students become the leaders of tomorrow's society.
Civic elections are often bod today and if students
do not develop the interest in government now they
will become worse in the future.
Our forefathers fought long and hard so that we
would have a freedom of choice in our government
and a chance to vote for what we believe in. We must
guard and use this privilege.
RMSH students will become the leaders of
tomorrow. Who knows, maybe even yourself? All
leaders need support so why not start giving them
your attention and interest now, while they are
young. It can pay off!
By: Bill Roebuck, President
It has been said that there
are three kinds of people in the
world; the Will’s, the Won’ts,
and the Can’ts. The first ac
complish everything. The
Second oppose everything.
The Third fail in everything.
Looking back on the work
accomplished during the first
semester of this school year, I
sincerely hope that members
of our Student Organization
can be classified with the first
of the above groups - those
with the wills and desires to
accomplish everything! As
your president I have worked
closely with the President’s
Cabinet and the SRA.
The cabinet is composed
of your other three S. 0. of
ficers; Jeff Collins, Paula
Murrill, and Shirley Bulluck,
and also eleven appointed
committee chairmen. These
people worked very hard, both
collectively and individually.
Before school ever started we
met and set some goals for the
upcoming year.
Basically, the three goals
were as follows:
1. Vitalize the S. 0.
committees to perform their
duties and involve as many
pe(^le as possible in their
activities.
2. Vitalize the SRA and
give the students a voice in the
administrative policies of the
school.
3. Seek to gain respect for
the Student Organization and
the work it accomplishes for
students, teachers, and ad
ministration.
Each of you, as members
rf our Student Organization
can judge for yourselves
whether or not we have ac
complished these goals after
the evidence is examined.
The committees of the S.
0. were very active first
semester. One of the busiest
and more familar committees
was the School Spirit Com
mittee. Patricia Edwards, as
chairman, had an article
published in the school
newspaper about the origin of
the Gryphon. Thank-you-
grams were sent to many
students for varied out
standing achievements.
Homecoming football ac
tivities included a breakfast, a
float in the parade, and
assistance with the pep-
rallies. This committee also
sold season football tickets for
the Sportsman’s Club.
Ronnie Farmer, head of
the Fire Drill Committee,
planned an assembly program
for Fire Prevention Week with
his committee, and has held
fire drills once a month.
The Student Store
Committee with Renee
Wilkens as chairman, was
open every morning,
something new this year, and
besides selling regular school
supplies, sold Gryphon T-
shirts.
The Publications Com
mittee, headed by Evangeline
Simmons, prepared ana
distributed the “Gryphon”
folders.
Pam Costen and her Lost
and Found Committee worked
to sort out lost articles and
helped students recover their
misplaced items.
The Publicity Committee
was very busy. Tina Staton
and her committee planned
countless displays m the the
bulletin boards, constructed
an outstanding float for the
mini-parade,had a weekly
article about RMSH activities
put in the Evening Telegram,
and had spots on the local
radio news. This committee
also drew the large exhibit
used for the National Student
Government Day Assembly.
The Human Relations
Committee was originally set
up to be a grievance com
mittee for racial problems,
student-teacher problems,
and other personal-type
conflicts. I encourage the
students to utilize this com
mittee when complaints arise.
Grace Dortch is the chairman
of this committee.
Around the Campus
By Debbie Harvey
Second semester is now
the thought of many RMSH
students. First semester with
all its exams is now over and
students are now wondering
about second semester and
what it will have in store for
them.
If RMSH organizations
and clubs are as active and
take as many honors as they
did first semester - the 1973-74
school year will really be
something! Already we have
experienced the honors of a
No. 1 Band, No. 1 Student
Council, and a great football
team. I wonder what will be
next?
RMSH students sure
enjoyed the long break after
their exams were over.
Congratulations to all those
Seniors who were exempt
from their exams. It sure
seemed nice to get a few hours
extra sleep and forget all the
hustle and bustle here at
school. One nice thing for
RMSH students was to be able
to wake up with light shining
in their windows - not the pitch
darkness we have ex
perienced lately.
The SRA recently set up a
new committee to work on
evaluating and possibly
revising our present system of
giving detention slips as a
means of punishment. This
committee is labeled as the
Committee on Discipline
Procedures. Tony Brabham is
the chairman of this com
mittee. He and his committee
are investigating the methods
of discipline other schools use
and their effectiveness. They
would welcome any ideas
Robert Thompson and the
House and Grounds Com
mittee had a barrel of laughs
picking up trash and old
posters left by irresponsible
students. They also cleaned
out the rock garden beside the
main office, and tried to get
the school sign fixed.
The Social Committee,
with Jamie Council as
chairman, planned a Hey Day
for all new students and
teachers. They welcomed all
the teachers the first day of
school with an apple and a
poem. The committee served
as marshals for the visitors on
College Day. Bigger, more
exciting things are yet to
come, with a second semester
dance coming up soon.
The Elections Committee,
chaired by Pat Watkins, held
Sophomore registration (74
percent registered) and
conducted second semester
class elections.
Whew!!! What a job these
chairmen have done! Have we
vitalized committee work?
Yes No
The second basic goal was
to vitalize the SRA. I must say
here that the SRA can only be
a vital tool when you use it.
The SRA made ten official
requests to the administration
concerning such things as
disciplinary procedures,
honor roll changes, student
basketball season tickets, and
a host of others. Five requests
were answered affirmatively
by Mr. Newbern. Two were
tabled for further in
vestigation, and three
requests were denied. The
SRA could have done so much
more if you the students would
involve yourselves and ex
press your opinion on school
matters. Don’t be opinionless
nobodies! Express yourself!
After reading the article
and witnessing the work done
by your Student Organization
do you respect the work it has
done and will continue to do?
Finally, the S. O. is
presently working to get a
foreign exchange student for
next year and also working to
get a student representative
on the School Board.
“Progress is unique in as
much as it must have a
beginning but it need never
has an ending. You are
either on the way or in the
way! The World will not wait.
We dare not look back on
great yesterdays. We must
look forward to great
tomorrows.”
THE GRYPHON
Member of Columbia Press Association
Member of Quill and Scroll
PUBLISHED
Editor
Advertising Manager
Business Manager
Circulation Manager
MONTHLY
Debbie Harvey
Myra Fisher
Maxine Joyner
Marcia Robinson
Staff Writers Cathy Allen, Joy Bradley,
Sara Jane Collier, Nancy Davis, Dawn Gindrup,
Phyllis Goffney, Terre Kilpatrick, Janice Joyner,
Kim Nelson, Gail Parrish. Georgetta Sharman,
Deborah Turner, Isabel Williams, Bill Matthews
and Joe Reeves.
Advisor
Principal
Assistant Principal
Assistant Principal
Mrs. Margaret Williams
Mr. Elton Newbern
Mr. Carl Edge
Mr. Robert Miller