Westminster Schools Atlanta - Lynx Yearbook (Atlanta, GA)

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HISTORY OF THE The class of 1962 arrived at Westminster in 1957 as the largest in the school ' s history. Because the ideas and abilities of the members of our class were so varied, we were able to develop and exceed our great potential. Coming from many different backgrounds, not only did we have to adjust to the school, but also to each other. During our first years, our failure to appreciate and utilize this variety of talents often hindered us. But as we matured, we came to realize that our power as a class lay in the very factors we had resented. After the weird gaieties of Rat Week, we settled down to serious work, chiefly that of filling our Miss Leonard ' s science worksheets, which, in later years, were forgotten for the tomes of Mrs. Sessions and Miss Outler. This ton of paper work was turned out by Mrs. Weatherly and her mimeograph machine. Each year she has turned out more aspirin, mimeographed sheets, and smiles to our class. We will always remember this lady who directed us to classes then, and who has been our devoted and beloved friend ever since. We began an academic tradition that was later climaxed by higher College Board scores than those of any other senior class. With Lucile Scoville as president, we entered enthusiastically into extra-curricular activities. Though we were not always vic- torious, we learned a valuable lesson: simpliciry and unity are the basis of victory. Using this as a method of operation, we were able to win the Mardi Gras skit competition that year and two more glorious times. We met the challenge of athletics and laid a firm foundation for varsity playing. Also in the play- ing field, we went on our first class party. Under the assumption that we were establishing a tradition, we made our way to Ida Cason ' s for two successive years. This delusion was swept away in our sophomore year, and we have not been on an all-girl class party since. For the last three years the boys have condescended to bless us with co-ed class parties. We ended our first year flitting across the front lawn, African style, to the strains of May Day drums. In the ninth grade we accomplished many things, but our achievements held little meaning, for we were not a united body with a common goal, backed by common efi orts. Mr. Blake and the Music class came to Westminster that year. Each day little herds trooped, through the mud, to the newly- constructed Music Hut, and returned singing such beloved tunes as Six Green Bottles. He revolutionized the Music Department; his charming accent and RAF blazer drew many new members to the Glee Club, which subsequently produced a delightful operetta. In sports, we contributed several varsity players. Lynne Rudder surprised herself and everyone else by making the ' Varsity Basket- ball team in her freshman year. Gretchen Brooks swam away with many medals. Unfortunately for the glory of the school, she eventually abandoned swimming and resorted to twisting. Lindy Howell ' s illustrious tennis career was then launched, and, in her junior year, she became captain of the varsity team. Pat Gilham, destined to be Student Council president in our senior year, led the class. Under her leadership we were the second freshman class in the history of the school whose leading lady became Mardi Gras queen; Nancy Rittelmeyer reigned in the Westminster Fantasyland. In our freshman year, the perennial academic flowers — ■Vandy Freeman and Jorgensen, Wellesley Baxter, and Swarthmore Hocking — blossomed forth. And, like all other classes, we had our crop of ephemeral blooms who came and went. May Day featured a circus, and many of our members were cast as trained monkeys. . . . The dancing ability of our class was revealed in such prima ballerinas as Margaret Windsor Hornefler, ' Milla Meyerson, Nell Theobald, and Constmction Boss Edwards. That year we were disorganized, a class of cliques. And yet, out of separate groups, individuals came forward to lead. Their efforts gave personality and purpose to our class. Sophomore year was a combination of contrasts. Like the famous little girl, when we were good, we were very, very good, and when we were bad . . . We carried on two successful charitable projects that year. We donated bus fare to the children at the Fairhaven School, and gave support to the Savannah Street Mission. Our work with Savannah Street was very rewarding for, not only did we dis- tribute a great many clothes, but we also drew the attention of other charitable groups to the somewhat-neglected mission. Also that year, our food-filled canoe placed third in the Thanksgiving Basket competition. Kay Baxter, ultimately to be our May Queen, was elected for the first year of her three-year term as president of our class. Laura Dorsey, the present captain, was our representative on the varsity cheerleading squad. Sally Angel and Lynne Rudder formed a valuable part of the varsity basketball team. Eudora Simmons came to Westminster that year and began her victorious fight through Caesar ' s Gallic Wars. Her triumph over Cicero and Caesar was eclipsed only when she became editor of our annual in 1962. Miss Nonie joined the Hut staff, and her I

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Benie ' s party before the first gam We have such a genteel chi Septeynher 7 at Uncle John ' s Mrs. Dudley fed us more than anybody else. It takes all kinds. Who will ever forget Jamaica? Christmas party at Egleston Remember this? Where there ' s food there ' re seniors. Our courageous Cai

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CLASS OF 1962 sparkling personality and helpful attitude have made her every- one ' s friend. The close of the year 1959-1960 brought with it the turning point of our high school career. The lack of communication and understanding between the various cliques erupted in a falsified election. As a class and as a school, we were shocked and stunned by this overt act of disloyalty. But some good grew out of this seemingly irreconcilable situation. We were strong enough to accept the blow, and the shock was so great that we were forced to take a second look at ourselves. From this time on, we became a strongly united class, a class of friends who worked for and with each other. Our junior year was the best we had ever had. After the avalanches of sophomore slump, our work load seemed lighter and our whole outlook changed. We were working together and our goal was to be the best the school had ever seen. Our greatest triumph was in Mardi Gras. With Windy Horneffer as our Ice Maiden, we were the first class to win both the skit and float competitions. Bo Diddley played at Jazz Weekend, and Laura Dorsey and Mary Mack Tharpe represented us on the court. Laura ' s lovely face also sparkled on the Homecoming court. At the Christmas dance, Camilla Meyerson and Duke Terrell, as Mr. and Mrs. Santa Clas, added a humorous touch to the festive occasion. All the varsity teams — soccer, basketball, hockey, tumbling, and swimming — were well-stocked with members of our class. Eudora Simmons was voted Most Sportsmanlike, and Lindy Howell was Best First Year Player in basketball. Lucile Scoville and Ann Patton were the last of the class dolphins. We formed the Ballad Club with Mrs. Hitchcock as sponsor, and the Symposium with Mrs. Smith. Everyone profited from the problem discussions with Mrs. Smith, and aU who came loved the paint-and-supper party at Mrs. Hitchcock ' s. Many of our girls were active on the Lynx, Chimes, and Embryo staffs. After years of Co-operative examinations, we were finally allowed into the inner sanctum of the PSAT ' s, SAT ' s, and, best of all, the Achievement examinations of the testing program of the CEEB. That year Dorsey Collins and Karen McCord entered Westminster. The fall of 1961 — seniors at last — commenced with the tra- ditional Senior-Rat Barbeque. It was hard to believe that four years had passed since we had attended our first school function. We looked forward to a year of jolly good fun. We were finally at the top, and we had every intention of staying there. We settled down to the unsettled routine of ever-changing schedules. Almost immediately we stumbled upon two amazing discoveries: (1) the senior boys were not exactly what we had always supposed them to be; (2) whoever said that senior year is crip obviously never made it. And while we ' re on the subject, what is this about knowing the college of our first choice, our roommate ' s name, our dormitory number, our major, and the subject of our M.A. thesis (or Ph.D. dissertation) on the first day of school? Our hopes for senior year were well realized; we led the school in every activity and made an excellent showing on the Honor Roll. We surged ahead in class points with our first-place vic- tories in Sing-Song, Thanksgiving Baskets, and Homecoming lapels — we finally placed! Our Sing-Song glory was increased by the alleged cheer entered by the senior boys: Bo-bo . . . What with filling our multivoluminous forms and checks for the CEEB and guarding our section of the parking lot, this final fall sped by, and it was suddenly Christmas. Christmas carols resounded throughout the school; however, in the environs of a certain Senior all-purpose room, the undying strains of The Bonnie Blue Flag triumphed over the celestial student singing. We hoped our second semester — post-exams, post-Introduction to College Algebra, post-Cole, post-NeweU. and Post hoc propter hoc — would bring some relief from labor. Unfortunately our academic burden was not reduced, but the atmosphere was brightened by our Mardi Gras victory and the arrivals of college acceptance notices. Other spirit-boosters were the Outler lunch debates, liberally sprinkled with tales of our predecessors, and the Room 3 Provision Pantry. Filled with information and raisins we eagerly await our revised May Day and graduation. Our five years in high school have been years of growth and education, years in which we have changed from children to young women. We have made many dear friends — both students and teachers— in the semesters since 1957, and it is with great regret that we part from them, in some cases forever. High school is m many ways a gay and joyous time, but it is also a time of hard work, great pressures, heavy competition, and crushing dis- appointments. When we look back over the past five years, we sometimes wonder how we made it through all the important academic work and disagreements that drained the strength of our class. Though we would not wish to go through it all again, there is one year which none of us would trade for any- thing in the world, senior year. This last year has been the sweetest, friendliest, funnest, and most harmonious year that we have ever experienced, as individuals or as a class. We deeply thank Westminster, as a complete school and as separate per- sonalities, for the education and insight we have received. But most of all, we thank you and every girl in the class of ' 62 for our wonderful, wonderful senior year.