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PUBLISHED EACH SCHOOL MONTH BY THE STUDENTS OF THE OXFORD HIGH SCHOOL
Volume XVI
Oxford, N. C., May, 1953
Number 1
CommenGeinent [xercisos To Bo
Juno 5
Dean Leo Jenkins to Address Seniors
Plans for graduating exercises of the
class of 1953 have been completed, as an
nounced by Dr. Budd Smith, superinten
dent of Oxford City Schools, and Mr.
M. R. Vickers, principal of Oxford High
School. The annual Baccalaureate sermon,
which will begin the exercises, will be
held at the First Baptist Church at eight
o’clock on May 31. Dr. George Griffin,
Professor of Religion at Wake Forest Col
lege, will deliver the commencement ser
mon.
CLASS NIGHT
Class Night for the class of ’S3 will be
held on June 4 at eight-fifteen o’clock in
the high school auditorium.
The valedictory and salutatory will be
delivered at this time by Sarah Hall
and Janet Hicks, respectively. Also at
this time, Henry Saye will deliver the
Class Prophecy; Sarah Baker, the Class
Poem; Billy Crews, the Last Will and
Testament; Jo-Anne Knott, the Class His
tory; and Anne Wallace, Class Giftorian,
will distribute gifts. Various awards and
medals will be presented, and the class
gift to the school will be presented by the
seniors.
GRADUATION NIGHT
On the night of June 5th at eight-fifteen
o’clock members of the Senior Class of
the Oxford High School and the John
Nichols School, will receive their diplomas.
Leo H. Jenkins, Dean of East Carolina
College, will address the seniors of both
schools.
Those who will receive diplomas are:
Julia Ann Adcock, Christine Marie Allen,
James J. Averett, Louis Elliott Averette,
Betty Brown Baird, Frank Hartwell Baker,
Sarah Elizabeth Baker, Mary Elizabeth
Beasley, Mildred Frances Blair, Thomas
Lyon Blalock, Jr., Robert Sutton Bradsher,
Jr., Ambrose Harrison Brooks, Jr., Marga
ret Hayes Burwell, Mildred Louise Caron,
Phyllis Ann Coley, Sara Alice Crews, Wil
liam Barker Crews, III, John Harris Crum-
pler, Pella Carroll Daniel, Samuel Wright
Daniel, Dora Lee Dickerson, Younger Blan
ton Dickerson, Ernestine Parham Dosher,
Shirley Ann Ellington, Billy Herbert Ellis,
Ruth Jones Ellis, James E. Evans, Herbert
Braxton Finch, William E. Fleming, Judith
Lambert Gholson, Sarah Hall, Joseph Carr
Hamme, Sallie Louise Hamme, Francis Eu
gene Hart, Goldie Janet Hicks, Mary Ann
Howard, Bobby L. Hughes, Marilyn Eliza
beth Hughes, Sadie Florence Jackson,
Maude Jenette Jones, Iddic Suretha Knott,
Jo-Anne Knott, Jane Hunt Mangum, Jaxie
Leigh Morton, Roy Lee Noblin, Jr., Hallie
Rue Oakley, James Eldridge O’Brien, Floyd
Carson Parker, Jr., Doris Lee Preddy,
Michael Ferry Powell, Mary Katherine
Quicke, Ronald McDuffie Ragland, Peggie
Anne Reynolds, Ellen Marie Riggan, Henry
Arthur Saye, Donald Lawrence Sizemore,
Mary Elizabeth Suitt, Daniel Crawford
Tippett, Lawrence Meredith Tippett, Otha
Anne Wallace, David D. Watkins, James
Thomas Watkins, Jr., Blanche Thomas
Wilkins, Sylvia Ann Winters, Thomas Du
vall Wright, Jr.
M. R. Vickers
Resigns
Next year Oxford High School will be
gin the school year without the services
of one of Oxford’s hardest working school
men. For more than twenty years Mr.
Vickers has been in association with the
Oxford School. In 1931 Mr. Vickers came
to Oxford after beginning his career in
Columbus in 1929. He taught science and
coached sports at Oxford until he became
an officer in the army. His coaching and
his teaching were of superior quality. Ox
ford had some of its greatest years in
football while Mr. Vickers was coaching.
At one time O. H. S. beat Hender
son eleven straight years. At the present
Mr. Vickers plans to complete work at
the University of North Carolina for his
master’s degree in education.
Good luck, Mr. Vickers, and we want
to say we are sorry you are leaving.
Taylor To Head
Council'
SARAH HALL
Valedictorian
Hall, Hicks Are
Honor Students
JANET HICKS
Salntatorian
At the student council elections held
during the latter part of May, Dick Taylor
was elected President by the majority of
student voters. Dick has just successfully
completed the vice-presidential duties of
this year’s student council.
Sam Royster was elected to serve as
vice-president. Sam was unopposed and
gained his office by acclimation.
The office of Secretary was filled by
Haldane Dosher. Haldane is a newcomer
to the student council as she is an upcom
ing sophomore.
Another freshman, Nancy O’Brien, will
take over the office of treasurer.
lot of enthusiasm was evident in the
election. Posters, campaign speeches and
gags were very original. The Student
Council is expected to do the fine job next
year that it has in the past.
##
Farewell,
Dr. Smith
ff
Farewell, Dr. Smith. We regret your de
parture; however, we realize that a better
opportunity prevails for you in your re
cent appointment as President of Wingate
Junior College. We know that you’re the
top flight man for Wingate and that you
\vill make a fine President. We, the “Owl”
Staff, should like to express, for the student
body, our sincere thanks for the kindness
and sincerity which you and Mrs. Smith
have shown us since you first came to
Oxford. We should also like to say,
“Thanks Very Much” for the vast improve
ments in our curriculum and activities.
Had it not been for some of your wise
and just decisions, we would not have
made steadfast progress on problems that
troubled us. We hope for you a successful
term of office and that God may be with
you alwaj’s. We invite you to come back
to Oxford whenever you feel the desire.
We hope that it \vill be very often.
This year our valedictorian is Sarah Hall.
This five feet three inch body, packed with
brain and spunk, is one of the youngest
students of the Senior Class. Sarah started
her school career at the Oxford Orphaniige.
Si 2' akipped the secom^ grade and com
pleted her last ten years at the Oxford
City Schools. Sarah plans to attend W.
C. next fall where she will study to be a
primary school teacher. There have been
many clubs in which Sarah has taken part.
Her average is in the upper nineties.
Janet Hicks follows Sarah in her scholas
tic records and claims the honor of Salu-
tatorian. Janet is a very quiet girl with
golden blond hair. At the present Janet
has a wonderful job working at the bank.
Janet is always ready to help you with
a helping hand.
Both of these honor students have an
older brother or sister that has taken the
honor of Salutatorian at Oxford. Helen
Hall, who graduates from W. C. this year
was Salutatorian in 1949; and Buck Hicks,
a student at Carolina, was Salutatorian in
1950.
Knott Is Editor Of
Oxonian'
u
Mi
Betty Sue Knott was elected without
opposition to edit the 1954 “Oxonian.” It
was the choice of the Junior Class that
she be the only candidate for this office.
Betty Sue is a member of the Girl’s Athle
tic Association, Dramatics Club and was
past Associate Editor on the annual staff.
She has excelled in basketball these past
two years.
ASSOCIATE EDITOR
Serving with Betty Sue will be Harvey
Horowitz, associate editor. Harvey, a ris
ing Junior, is a member of the Student
Council and the Public Speaking Class.
BUSINESS MANAGER
Ronald Sneed, Class of ’54, was elected
business manager of the “Oxonian”.
Ronald drives a school bus and had a nice
part in the Junior Play this year.
ART EDITOR
Doug Bradsher, a freshman transfer stu
dent from Stem will serve as art editor of
the annual. We offer congratulations to
the Staff of ’54 and know they will work
together to create a fine “Oxonian” for
next year.
Junior-Senior
Members of the senior class of Oxford
High School, fast approaching the reali
zation of graduation, spent an evening
Friday as guests of members of the junior
class on their Old Plantation.
Old Plantation, made realistic with rose
bowers and trellis and garden scenes, was
set up for the evening in the cafeteria of
the College Street School. The nightcap
of the delightful evening was a dance in
the plantation ballroom, the library of the
same building.
Elbe Mitchell, president of the junior
class, gave the welcome. As the waiters
and waitresses, members of the freshman
class with their faces black and in attire
befitting their role in the evening’s enter
tainment, served their guests, an interest
ing program of toasts and entertainment
was presented.
Betty Sue Knott gave the toast to the
seniors and the president of the graduat
ing group, James Watkins, made the re
sponse. Warren Stephenson gave the toast
to the high school principal, M. R. Vick
ers, who responded. Dick Taylor addres
sed Dr. Budd Smith and the Oxford school
superintendent responded. There was spec
ial music by a quartet consisting of Charles
Jones, Bunny Ragland, Ollic Barker and
Talton Hughes, alumni of the school and
entertainment by the waiters and the wait
resses before the program continued.
Ben Averett addressed his remarks to
the faculty and R. C. Culton responded.
Ellie Mitchell toasted the school committee
and Chairman J. P. Hall responded. Jackie
Shaw did the honors to the mothers of
the juniors for their assistance in preparing
and making the banquet possible and Mrs.
Nat Burwell spoke for the mothers.
At the close of the course dinner, a
group of members of the junior class pre
sented a minuet.
Mrs. Tom Harmon arranged the enter
tainment for the intermission.
The menu consisted of grapefruit halves
with cherry center, southern fried chicken,
brown gravy, lima beans, new potatoes,
tossed salad, hot buttered rolls, home made
ice cream and cake and iced tea.