Phillips High School - Mirror Yearbook (Birmingham, AL)

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The Mirror AN EDUCATED BOOK While browsing in a bookstore once, 1 made a little find— A book it was, but such a book to satisfy the mind. It was old and torn, tattered and worn, so I decided to take a look, And what did I find? You’d be surprised. An educated book! It was written with notes so fine and good, I began to look it through. And I saw at once the wisdom it held, and that such kinds were few. Wien I realized my chance to get a prize, eagerly the prize I took, The little volume tattered and torn— My educated book! —Thelma Conomos WAITIN’ Sun ain’t shinin'; Sky ain't blue. Gee! I don't know Just what to do. Can’t cat nothin' Sick all through. And all because .My report card’s due. —Grant Murphrcc CLOWNS Clowns always have heaps of fun When they work, they play; When they play, they work. Gee! Why can’t 1 be one? [31] —Gloria Romeo

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T he Mirror THE BOOK LOVER These we have loved: That house where Hep .ibah. In rusty silk and cap frayed with years of wear, Moved as a ghost among the spectres of the past; where Gentle Pherbe, fair as the rose beside her window sill. Spent hours with Clifford, her voice dispelling the chill Of the House of the Seven Gables; the vision Of Sidney Carton nobly fulfilling his sublime decision; Bulfinch’s legends of ancient myths and gods: The spirit of Helen Keller struggling 'gainst these odds Set forth so vividly in “The Story of My Life”; Fcnnimore Cooper’s stories of the strife Of silent-footed Mohicans; and other volumes long held dear: The struggle of Hugo’s tragic hunchback with his queer, Misshapen body, and soul too full of selfless love; the human touch Which Sara Hay bestows to Bible tales we've heard so much; The life of Fanny Kemble, which like a golden thread Links the names of which we have read. We have loved the beauteous strength of Edna Millay, And Tennyson’s Idylls of that long-past day When Arthur held his court. The love we hear For Goldsmith’s quaint and charming Vicar can compare ()nly with what we feel for Tommy and the simple folk of Thrums. Ever heating in our brains we hear the drums Along the Mohawk; oftentimes we almost seem To see Gulliver and the Lilliputians of his dream. Sometimes we catch the odor of fresh venison in Sherwood Where Friar 'Fuck jokes with Robin; or we wish we could Sport with Titania and all the fairies of her band, And catch Puck the mischief-maker who's ever out of hand. While remembering Silas Marncr intent on hoarding gold, Ami thinking of selfish Scrooge and the carol Dickens told. We suddenly discover that playing through our minds Are some of Ogden Nash’s musings with their lilting, tilting rhyme . And beside the volumes worn where Little Women dwell, Are Milne’s children’s verses; then we fall beneath the spell Of that Pair of Blue Eyes Thomas Hardy knew, Or laugh with immortal Will at the Taming of the Shrew. Oh, a thousand others have claimed our leisure hours, And a thousand others still to meet—flowers To color the drabness of our days. “Oh. never a doubt but somewhere we shall wake,” And though remembering these dear ones, shall make “New friends, now strangers ...” If we must leave these we have loved with all Our hearts and minds, to answer the call Of hooks yet unknown, may others take up our dearest loves, and cry “ These they have loved—and they shall never die! . —Cornelia Banks. [30]

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1' ii e Mirror WHY GRADES? From the time a student enters the first grade until he graduates from high school or college, the importance of receiving high grades is stressed by parents, friends, and teachers. If an individual, while in grammar school, unfortunately makes a low grade, he is ridiculed by his classmates, while from his parents he receives a severe lecture or, in many cases, is threatened with a whipping if it should happen again. In high school one’s classmates, upon hearing of your low grades, mutter a few words about its being too bad and venture to show how brilliant they are by displaying a card of A’s and IPs. What is the result of all the lecturing and punishment concerning grades? The weak and timid, whom we shall call John, fearful of bringing home low grades a second time, might turn to cheating in order to obtain good grades on tests and other written work. The obstinate or persistent student, referred to as Mary, who has studied when she felt like it and still received low grades, decides to show that she is not to be bullied by mere threats and refuses to study at all. Then there is Joe, the individual who really studies hard and puts forth his best effort, yet he is unable to equal other students of his class. Thus he receives lower marks than the average. He keeps on trying, hoping that eventually he will make the honor roll. There are, too, those few students in every class who never make below 11 in any subject. Some of these students work exceedingly hard, while others are naturally intelligent and receive high marks without much effort. What is to become of these four types of students? Those that belong in the same class as John will perhaps, if not caught, develop the habit of cheating and get through high school on low marks. In the meantime they have earned the reputation early in life of being dishonest. Now Mary decides that she hates school and would be contented doing unskilled labor until the “right one” comes along, so she drops along the wayside. Joe keeps trudging along until the eventful day when he is given a diploma tied with a soft ribbon, and sent into the business world to establish a place for himself. That he was not a wizard in school, however, is no sign that he will not succeed in the business and social world. Our scholarly student will perhaps continue to broaden his education by going to college or find a good position for himself. Why is it so important that a student should always be reminded of studying for grades? Isn’t it more important to study with the ideal of really learning the subject? Nor is it always true that if a student really knows his subject he will make high grades on tests. Perhaps the day the test was given the student was worrying about some domestic trouble. Or perhaps it was just an off day. We all have them, you know. How can any instructor determine the exact degree of excellence of the work a student does, when the instructor comes in contact with over a hundred students each day and has so little time in which to really learn each student. The longer one knows an individual the more one learns about the individual. Moreover, grades may often cause hard feelings between student and teacher. It is my opinion that teacher and student should be friends and learn to understand and respect one another’s points of view. If a student receives a low grade he can be heard saying “Look what the teacher gave me!” However, if the same student discovers a high mark on his card he replies, “Look what I made!” —Martha L. Stochr [32]