PAGE TWO
TheNaiy Potter Gazette
Vol. LXX — No. 1
Oxford, N. C.
Published Quarterly by the Journalism
Potter Student Body.
December, 1965
Class for the Mary
Editor William Carter
Associate Editor Francine Chavis
Business Manager Taze BasketviJle
Art Editor Taze Baskerville
Editorial Editors Francine Chavis, Hildred Barnes
Layout Editor Frank Clark
Sports Editor Roy Bass
Feature Eklitors Betsy Greene, EUaine Slaughter, John Mayo,
Hildred Barnes
Photographer William Carter
Circulation Manager Francine Chavis
Typist Tj'ping II Class
Adviser Mrs. Esther McGhee
.
THE MARY POTTER GAZETTE
A Crying Need For Courtesy
As we consider the emphasis being put on the education of
youth and adults today and observe, first-handedly, the attitudes
and conducts of high school aspirants, there appears to be a
crying need for courtesy, if our academic training is to produce
well-rounded citizens.
Where and when should this course in courtesy begin? By
all means in the home and at the child’s earliest age of under
standing. It should be nurtured on through his pre-school years
and demanded by his teachers.
Common courtesy is genuine and habitual politeness and re.s-
pect for others, based on self-respect. Therefore, good manners
must be taught early enough to become a habit, and self-respect
must be an inherent quality to be stressed early.
The school must also uphold courtesy as one of its underlying
principles, rewarding students who portray it and disciplining
those who lack it. It is and probably will always be a fact, that
in many cases the school must supply the necessary facets of the
environment which the home does not offer.
The change of time nor place should alter the old-fashioned
standards of politeness. Boisterousness, unkindness, disrespect
and bad conduct cannot be veneered with education and spell
success.
There is a crying need for courtesy in our schools today, if
our Civics is not to end in thievery and our literature end in lust.
The Sfudenf-Teacher Relationship
The student-teacher relationship is one of the many aspects of
a student’s school life. In it, the student is glad to know he has
someone to share his problems and misunderstandings for the
time that he is away from home.
It is very comforting to know that the respect that both—
teacher and student—have for each other is one that is unsur
passed by any other relationship.
Then too, there are times when the student needs aspiration
and criticism to help him better his living habits. The teacher
helps provide these also, by going over the student’s problems
with him so that he can understand his mistake and correct it.
The teacher, who substitutes for a mother or father during
the child’s stay at school, should conduct herself so that she can
influence her students to do their best.
The teacher also plays an important role in a student’s pre
paration for The teacher knows that to prepare efficiently
for all that life demands in the future is not an easy task. She*
knows that preparation for life includes more than the “basic”
attainments. To be adequate, she says “Preparation for life
must include also preparation for work and leisure time.” After
she has observed the student’s growth and progress, she can just
about tell what a student’s career will be and how well he will
be able to advance in this career.
During a student’s stay at school, the teacher seeks only that
which is best for her students. If she sees that a student has the
ability to excel, she will try to prepvare for him the best there
to offer. If she sees a student that has the ability, but shuns h
best, she will try her very best to enlighten him to such an extent
that he will recognize his ability and try to make the best of
DECEMBER. 1965
From The
Principal's Desk
SEEK MORE KNOWLEDGE
Courtesv Doesn’t Hurt
P. T. A. SETS AGENDA
No one can foretell with exact
ness all of the new wonders which
our scientific and technological for
ces will produce tomorrow, but we
can be sure of this that more of
the unknown secrets of the vast
universe in which we dwell will be
unlocked, and as each secret door
is opened, even just a small crack,
it will have a profound significance
on our lives and the lives of those
we love.
Are you going to be contented
with just to-day, with just the re
quired subjects, or will you take
all the extra subjects to help you
develop the future as well as enjoy
it? It is more than to just earn
a livelihood but to get enjoyment
from living.
Our hope is that you will seek
the help and aid of all the facilities
here for you—use them, for they
will not come again.
The Mary Potter Parent Teacher
Association elected officers and be
gan on its yearly agenda at the
regular meeting of the body held
in the school auditorium October
26.
Mrs. Annie Ridley, who has been
serving as president of the organi
zation for the last two years, was
re-elected for another term of office.
Mrs. Mary E^ton was elected as
Vice-President, succeeding Mr. Wal
ter Davis, and Miss Evangeline Mc-
Callum was elected secretary, suc
ceeding Mrs. Rejean Wilson, Com
mercial teacher.
The Reverend Charlie Atkins was
re-elected chaplain, and The Rev
erend Ira Friend, Pastor of the St.
Peters Methodist Church was elected
as assistant cliaplain.
The principal, Mr. Jimmie Vaughn
Morris has requested this body to
help the school to secure uniforms
for the school band, and he has
also requested that parents share
more of the responsibility of chap
eroning
affairs.
their children at school
Open House Observed
In recognition of National Edu
cation Week and as a parent-teacher
activity. Open House was observed
Thursday night, November 11.
This activity, in conjunction with
the P. T. A., is an outgrowth of the
Future Teachers of the school. .
Annually, as wa.s the case this
year, parents visit the classrooms,
observe the work being done by
their children and to di^uss any
problems having bearing upon their
children with the teachers.
The Mary Potter Future Teachers,
who serve as guides, are responsi
ble for the congeniality shown to
parents upon entering the building,
upon being served, and upon being
escorted to and from the various
classrooms.
Approximately one hundred and
twelve parents visited the school
this year.
English Department
Begins Syllabus
Realizing the tremendous need for
some uniformity in the teaching of
English in Grades 8-12, the princi
pal, Mr. Jimmie Vaughn Morris,
has asked that a syllabus be drawn
up this school term for the English
Department.
Several meetings have been held
in the school library with Mrs.
Elsther McGhee serving as Chair
man; Mrs. Bessie Redding, Co-
chairman; Miss Thelma Howard,
secretary; Mrs. Thomasina Ander
son, reporter; and Mr. Leonard
Platt, historian.
The syllabus will be used as a
guide in teaching those necessary
fundamentals to the below average,
the average, and the above-arerage
students.
STUDENT POLL
Electronics Becomes
Part of Curriculum
In order to establish a better
knowledge of world happenings Mr.
Charles Edmonson Gregoy recently
conducted an essay poll for his 7th
grade North Carolina history class.
The reporters for this poll were Hen
rietta Strater and Willie Darby.
The question adminstered was
“What is your reaction to the pro
test to American involvement in
Viet Nam.”
Some of the foremost answers
were as follows:
I think the people who are burn
ing themselves are just plain foolish.
This self-sacrifice is not helping the
war at all.
—Joaime Pulliam
If we cannot win this dreadful
war, the whole country will be taken
over by the communists. I don’t
think that we should bum ourselves
like those two men.
—LaVerne Wortham
I think we should fight for our
country, and win the war instead of
protesting.
—Melvin Harris
In order to receive a more rounded
view of this question, we have asked
the opinions of other persons on
campus.
I am not against the protest a-
gainst the American involvement in
the Vietnamese War, because I feel
that these persons have the right,
as citizens in a democratic society,
to express their viewpoints on this
situation.
—Francine Chavis
These protests against American
involvement in Viet Nam, on a
whole, are totally uncalled for. I
believe, as the mass of the Ameri
can people do, that, though these
p>ersons have the “right” to demon
strate and give their viewpoints,
these protests only make the mat
ter of accepting the crisis worse.
—William B. Carter
I have a strong disapproval of
demonstrations against the war In
Viet Nam.
Why do I disagree? First of all,
the United States is fighting for a
principle; this principle is demo
cracy. As Woodrow Wilson said
years ago. “This is a war to make
the world safe for democracy.” The
lost of Viet Nam to the Communists
would mean the probable lost of the
entire area of Southeast Asia, and
the lost of Southeast Asia would
mean a stronger Communist foot
hold on Eurasia, the largest and
most populous land area in the
world. If this takes place, the huge
continent of Africa would look
askance upon the United States, and
many of the countries now neutral
would be inclined to turn communis
tic, referring to the United States
as a “quitter.” The U. S. must con
tinue this fight if democracy is to
triumph.
Also, the American soldiers need
our support if their morale is to be
strengthened. How can they fight
effectively, if 10,000 are marching
in one small city in protest of the
war?
—Peggy Hudson
The course. Electronics Techno
logy recently added to the curricu
lum, as taught now deals with
theory.
The projects in the course de
velop practical skills, and few tools
are required. Tuose few tools that
are required are generally found in
the home.
The knowledge of electricity and
electronics is becoming a necessary
part of American life. It is felt
that, that which is gained in this
course, will open up new and in
viting paths for the twenty-two
youngsters taking it.
A great number of vocational op
portunities are available today, and
they are multiplying rapidly in this
area which is leading progress in
most occupational fields.
A variety of exciting hobbies offer
themselves; and the students, hav
ing a knowledge of electronics, will
have the acute satisfaction of grasp
ing the essentials of an imp>ortant
part of their everyday life.
■
Western Auto
Associate Store
137 Hillsboro .Street
Oxford, North Carolina