Armstrong Technical High School - Reflector Yearbook (Washington, DC)

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'GIBCXSQIBCSSQIBFXQCYBFXSQIB KXEJQIE Gf5c'X9QI uc'x9Q1'uc'X9Q1'5c'QQ1A:c'X9 CN.9C'Z'B History of the Class of '46 , , I want to draw a picture of the class of '46, but I am not an artist. I might paint the picture, but I am not a painter-except when it comes to my own face. Nevertheless, the canvas, oils, brush, and all the facilities for doing the job are at my disposal. Hence, I shall attempt not one but three portraits of the class. My first canvas begins with September 1943. We see five hundred and seventy-nine bright-eyed students enrolling in high school for the first time. How eager cmd happy their faces are! But if one is a deep observer he can see that something overshadows that almost complete enthusiasm. Yes-a war! Even though young-not more than fifteen or sixteen-still they feel the effects of the war. Many are participating in the various war time activi- ties. They go all-out for the bond drives. Some are doing outstanding work in the various school clubs. Carlene Greene represents the Advisory? Councilg Leroy Foster, the Cadet Corps, Iames McPhail, Choral Club, Marian Fowler, the Honor Society, Helen Williams, Louise lones, Rosa Means, Girl Scout Organization. There are so many outstanding students in the other clubs that the canvas cannot quite hold them all. Merry faces are peeping out of the comers. They reflect the fun they are having at the new girls' party given by the Excelsior Circle. Yes, in spite of a war, these young spirits can not be kept down. Thus, the first portrait is completed all too soon. The time may have been fleeting, but the impressions and fun the class of '46 had their sophomore year are indelibly imprinted on their minds. The second portrait presents the same class as juniors. The spotlight in the portrait is thrown on Marcel Couze and Marian Fowler, winners of the Howard award. After having spent one complete year at high school, the Class of '46 is better able to understand the true significance of a high school education. They have a new purpose and a new outlook on school life. So ends the junior year and the second portrait. The final portrait of the same boys and girls who saw the complete war years in high school is a touching one. The portrait has a number of new' faces. These faces are a little older than the average senior's, but the differ- ence is not too apparent. These are veterans who have come back to com- plete their high school education. Some of the veterans are George Taylor, the Third, Frank Cozzens, Claude B. Allen, Iohn W. Burns, Malcolm Tillett and Charles Hooper. George Taylor did splendid work in the music field while in the Army. In the foreground are the members of the Honor Society. They are Roscoe Thomas, Marcel Couze and Mary Leake. Looking closely we see Gwendolyn Beasley and Laura Gambrell, the stars of Katinka. Near them are other outstanding members of the cast. These are Iames Bradford, Iune Norford, and Iames McPhail. Beatrice Woolfork also has a prominent position, for she was Miss Armstrong. If this final portrait could speak, it would tell you- Chains are not always formed by materials, Sometimes they are formed in the abstract, This is the chain built of learning, That time keeps forever intact. This chain has culminated between the years, Growing both steadfast and true, For the most important years of our life, We spent them in leaming from you. Each little link stands for something, Every day being encouraged anew, Is it no wonder that we feel blessed: When, Armstrong, we had you. -Mary Portia Leake. 6X.9C!0GX.7C 9C.1D6X.3 GXJLG QI3Ci9QIWC'S9QZ3Ci9?3fi9 . . 4 .' ' T 1 .. -- Li... -L L. 4.,... - nL'1..n-1 - - rf-1-A - A- H

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.- I WF, T: X - C29 QZYX9 CSD QZYSQQIZ Prophecy of the Class of '46 , . Graduation was over, school was closed, and the vacation had just started. I had decided to enter the Armed Service for a few years. I enlisted and likedg it very well, so after my first 3 years were over, I enlisted for three more. After those three were over, I soon enlisted for three more. I thought after those three were over, that I had enough of Army life and would become a civilian. I was discharged and returned to Washington. ' As soon as I had retumed, I tried to look up my school chums. This was a hard job. Most of them had started businesses of their own. So I though I would read the daily paper. To my surprise, I saw many articles concerning my school mates. The headlines read United Nations Gets New Headquarters. Under this I saw the names of Claude Ford and Leonard Ray, architects, who had drawn the plans for this new establishment. I also noticed that they had drawn plans for many other prominent monuments and buildings. After I read this lengthy article conceming these two young men, my curiosity was aroused to find out what others of my old school mates were doing. I then noticed an article headed Professor Marcel Couze's College of Mathematical Knowledge Has Open House. I noticed that it was necessary to have an I. O. of 199 to enter this college and that many graduates of the New Technical Armstrong High School led the registration. Reading on, I soon saw the names of the people who had been appointed to teach in the District for the year of 1956. There were many familiar names on the list. Maureen Adams, Delmar Barnes and William Brown were named to teach in the Physical Education Department: Stephen Anderson, who had received his Master's Degree in General Science, was named to teach Gen- eral Science at a local junior high school. Next, m,y eyes fell upon an article that read: First Negro Becomes Navy Commander. Steward I-loban, who had gone to Navv Radar School and had passed with flying colors, was now a radar specialist. Then I spied the article Francis Iohnson's Client Acquittedf' Later I read that he had become one of the best criminal lawyers in the city and ranked high with the nation's top lawyers. In the comer of the front page, I saw that Mary Leake, a Professor of English, was touring Europe. As an avocational interest, she was doing joumalistic research. Turning to the next page I noticed a column headed: New York Symphony in Concert at Constitution Hall. Making their debuts were Gwendolyn Beaseley and lune Norford. The author commented that these young ladies had climbed the ladder to success in less than l0 years, a marvelous record for any singer. Miss Beaseley had just finished her tour' of England and Canada as guest of the King and Queen and the Canadian Prime Minister. A few days later I read in Downbeat that Clement Wells had just suc- ceeded Lionel Hampton as King of the Vibes. His orchestra was driving the country mad with his groovy music: and it was still being debated whether this band or Billy Lee's band was the best. Billy's band had just run a record engagement at the Apollo. His piano arrangements were giving Eddie Hay- wood a hard push. The next article astounded me. It read: Color Ban Lifted at Navy Yard's Drafting Department. The first draftsmen who entered this department were Iames Cousins, Earl Washington, Benjamin Skyles, Wilbert Knight, Henry Kingwood and Thomas Howard. Mr. Cousins, the article stated, was to be ct consultant on Electronics. QIBGYJRZOGSJ GXJLZDGXJLIDGXJLZOCSSJLID GXJ'LlDGX.JL66LJllD6X.2'LIDGXJLZD6X2L1eJ saw-s .sf i