Page Two — THE GRYPHON — May 12,1977
Sir
22**r
The purpose of the Gryphon is to examine events in the school, the community and the world which affect the
lives of the students of RMSH. It is the Gryphon’s aim to stimulate awareness of issues, to promote a better
understanding of others, and to bring about positive action where change is needed. Student, faculty and
community response is welcomed and may be sent to the Gryphon, room 110; however, the editor reserves-
the right to withhold libelous or profane letters.
Year End Work
Seems Too Heavy
Lately does it seem as though
you do not have enough time to
complete your school assign
ments? If you do happen to do it
all, is it hard to stay alert in
class because you were up late
the night before trying to catch
up?
Frequently students are
heard complaining about the
homework situation by saying,
“She thinks that she is the only
teacher 1 have.” Or “I just don’t
see anyway that I can do this
work; there is too much of it.”
There are several explanations
for these complaints. Perhaps
the students could have avoided
the acccumulation of work by
doing the homework as it was
assigned instead of saying, “I
have got plenty of time, I will do
it later.” But even the students
who have been working
diligently and consistently are
feeling defeated because of all
of their work.
Many students make accusa
tions against some of the
teachers saying that the
teachers have not been follow
ing their lesson plans closely
enough, and now they realize
that they are behind schedule.
These teachers may feel
pressured to finish the book of
the unit of study and to do this
many of them are trying to
finish a whole semester’s work
in the last six weeks. This
proves to be frustrating to both
the students and the teachers.
As the time gets closer to
graduation students are becom
ing restless and excited. The hot
weather and the lack of
air-conditioning in a lot of the
classrooms only seem to irritate
the problem. An understanding
between the teachers and the
students is needed to make
these last few weeks a little bit
more bearable.
Teachers
Get The Scoop
How do the teachers always
seem to know what is going on
in the lives of their students?
Have your ever observed how
they seem to be able to zero in
on the direct subject no matter
how much you try to disguise it.
They seem to know so much
without having been told by
another student or by gossiping
with other teachers.
The students consider that
teachers are big eavesdroppers,
but actually they get the news
by just simply walking down the
hall. It's not all that pre
posterous. Try it for yourself as
an experiment. Maybe teachers
are just so concerned with the
students that they take the time
to listen and digest what they’ve
heard so as to be able to
communicate more effectively
with the students in class.
Maybe this ability to listen to
the conversation up and down
the halls and pick up the news is
a side effect of their profession.
Parking Lot Rules
For Students’ Safety
Damaged, scratched cars...
Stolen tape players...People
getting high...How do these
three fit together? According to
Assistant Principal Robert E.
Miller, these are the three
primary reasons for not allowing
students to sit in cars in the
school parking lot during lunch.
Mr. Miller cited several
instances of damage and theft
occurring to cars in the lot
adding that the damage could
have been avoided or the person
could have been caught if there
were not so many students in
the lot. Furthermore evidence of
alcoholic consumption can be
found in almost any trash can on
the lot.
In answer to some students
queries as to "why can’t we
have the first two rows to park
on to eat or sit?” Mr. Miller
replied, that it wouldn’t be fair
and that everyone can’t park
on the front rows. The situation
EDITOR’S NOTE:
We regret that we omitted two names from the list of the local winners
in the Junior Woman’s Club Fine Arts Festival. In piano, Terri Connor
placed first and Nancy Davis placed second in the same category.
SECRETARIES HONORED — Mr. Elton Newbem honored Rocky
Mount Senior High School secretaries during National Secretary
Week by presenting them corsages. Pictured in the main office
are: Doris Dupuy, Irene Dixon, Vivian Anderson, Faith Lehman,
Susie Herrington, and Pat Johnson.
(Photo by Bulluek)
EX.H.Q,
l.l.h.G,
LLHU
By Jackie Wilde
Parents agonize; children
writhe. Why? Too often parents
try to mold their offspring into
what they conceive as "the
thing to do” or what “they wish
they had been.”
This parental-child conflict is
critical. I’ve seen too many
students turn completely
against their parents even
though the parental pressure
was well-intentioned. This is
sad because the turning away is
not always what the confused
child wants to do. Parents
should let the child grow and
mature dependent upon the
home guidance, but the child
should be free to develop
independent social and moral
values. There needs to be some
discipline, but some parents
over do it and use discipline as a
means of taking out their own
frustrations.
I’ve also seen too many
people resign to their parents’
"do's and don’ts.” This is sad
also because the child becomes
a prototype of his parent and
will never become his own
person.
Many of these parent-child
problems arise because of
academic ability. If one member
of the family is exceptionally
bright and the other member is
of average ability, the parent
tends to compare. This causes
jealousy between the siblings.
The child becomes hostile
towards the family. A family
should work together and show
rewards individually, not re
warding one and scolding the
other.
I've seen a parent try to
handle his child’s social life
which most of the time causes
disaster. Many children rebel in
order to get back at their
parents. This causes identity
crisis in the child and the
parent. Granted a child on his
own may make mistakes, but
he’ll learn from them.
Most parents, no doubt, only
want the best for their children.
Mr. and Mrs. Smith always
want Johnny to have all the
opportunities they missed.
However, they must remember
Johnny is not a carbon copy of
his parents. College or social
status may have been ideal for
Mr. and Mrs. Smith, but for
Johnny such things could be
torture rather than fulfilling.
would just get back to the way it
was before with students all
over the lot.
Mr. Miller also notes that if
restrictions were not placed on
the lot then non-students could
easily go into the lot and
possibly damage anyone’s car or
possessions. “It’s just a
situation that we can’t control;
the lot is too big, and it’s
sometimes hard to distinguish a
student from a non-student,”
Mr. Miller states.
THE GRYPHON
Rocky Mount Senior High School
308 South Tillery Street Rocky Mount, N.C. 27801
Member of Columbia Press Association
Member of QuIIl and Scroll
PUBLISHED MONTHLY
Managing Editor
Photography Editor
Advertising Manager
Business Manager
Circulation Manager
Staff Writers:
Jackie Wilde
Trey Bulluek
Kevin Maurer
Cathy Kilpatrick
Debbie Mosley
Clifton Barnes, Neely Blanchard,
Billy Carroll, Kathy Carroll, Mar> Davis, Mary Fleming
David Goff, Leslie Locke, Beth Hutchlsson,
Frieda Jordan, Keith King, Robby Noble, John Smith,
Cyndl Strickland, Dan Thorpe, Karen Walston
Advisor
Principal
Assistant Principals
Mrs. Henrietta Barbour
Mr. Elton Newbem
Mr. Charles Davis, Mr. Robert Miller