Axton High School - Axtonian Yearbook (Axton, VA)

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Classmates (Music: “Marching Along Together”) How we will miss you, classmates, We shall miss you all, we know. It’s so hard to leave you, But fate says that we must go. We’ve had good times together In all our work and play, Without hard feelings, without a fear, We will forget the griefs And sorrows which are to come. We must forget today; We’ll only try and remember Life with you has been such fun. To you our dear, dear classmates, We are leaving you this song Keep Axton High a’marching With the busy happy throng Make all the paths and highways Smoother for the ones to come, Without a falter, with a glad smile You’ll try to spread sunshine All along the weary, rugged miles. We’re glad to have known you, Marching along forever Hand in hand we’ll all be true. Lois Eanes

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THE AXTONIAN every winter, and she manages to find time to visit friends in Mountain Valley every summer. Now I’m getting a vision ! It’s getting clearer now. It’s an institution for those who are mentally sick. The inmates have a great deal of respect for their superintendent, J. T. Richarson. J. T. understands them perfectly and is very happy among many of his past friends of a saner day. Next is a group of serious faces. They’re Mary Elliott and Edith Gravely. Mary and Edith are private secretaries to successful business men on Wall Street. They are often seen at a very respectable restaurant with their bosses. Another school? Why, it’s an elementary school room in Wyoming. And there’s Re- becca Still teaching the English class. It is rumored that Rebecca does not spend all of her evenings grading test papers. Who is this in a snappy white uniform? It’s Edward Eanes and he’s an admiral in the navy. Edward is also married and has a very prosperous family. The wife of an admiral has a tough time living alone almost all of the time. Oh! This is very amazing! The scene has changed to a clear moonlit night. Varley Norton, a noted scientist, is studying mountains on the moon. A few years ago, Varley discovered that he could grow tomatoes in his own back yard. If Varley keeps trying, his name will be on the list of the world’s greatest scientists. The scene again has changed. It is a warm spring day in France. Lois Grant is a designer for the Darling Shop in New York and is visiting relatives in Paris. A French gentleman is spending a lot of time with Lois, if the society columns are up to date. The faces are fading and I can see nothing but the clear, blue water. With the dis- appearance of the vision, I will leave you to ponder about your future. Ellen Earles A LITTLE FUN IN AXTON HIGH Christine Wells: They tell me that Helen Greg- ory is learning to skate. Mamie Eanes : But I thought she learned last year. Christine: I know, but another boy is teaching her. You will never get indigestion by swallowing your own pride. Belva Riddle: So Hazel didn’t come back to graduate? Frances Wyatt: No, she decided to be a sailor’s wife. Belva : I suppose she married for love. Frances: Either that or some other foolish reason. Randolph : Daddy, a boy at school told me I looked just like you. Dad: And what did you do? Randolph: Nothing; he’s bigger than I am! Rebecca Still : Are you troubled with borrowing- in school? Mollie Wilson: Yes, a great deal, my buddies don’t usually have what I want. Mildred Holland: What did Mrs. Wasdell mean when she said “college bred”? Gertrude Watkins: Oh, I suppose it is a four- year loaf made with father’s dough. Pauline Wyatt: Good morning, Mrs. Bryan, what do we have for lunch today? Mrs. Bryan: Oh, we have hundreds of things today. Pauline: And what are they? Mrs. Bryan: Beans. Carleen Matthews (while turning the radio, had a pain in her back) : Oh, I believe Pm getting lumbago. Marleen Matthews: What’s the use? You can’t understand a word they say. Gloria Wyatt: Miss Bullington and Miss Ram- sey remind me of the draft board. Betty Jean: And how’s that? Gloria : They take all men between the age of 18 and 38. A woman is like a clock, beautiful hands, beau- tiful face, beautiful shape and hard to regulate. Page Twenty-six

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THE AXTONIAN What is the Postwar Outlook for Moral Standards RIENDS, patrons, and schoolmates, I salute you! Your presence adds much to our joy tonight. As we greet you with glowing faces, we are thinking of the many serious problems that confront us as we enter upon life’s career. Dur- ing our whole high school period, we have heard, in the seclusion of our homes and school, the terrible calamities of war. We have thought of war, read of war and some of us must experience war. But we see beyond this terrible cloud that overshadows us the day of peace, when our war veterans shall return. We know that many friends who have left us during our high school days for service are coming back different individuals. We wonder if the state of our homes, our churches, and our com- munities are such as to secure for the returning veterans and for us the “way of life” for which he has been fighting. I feel, as I salute you tonight, the seriousness of the situation in our country and I am going to ask you to think with me a few minutes on this ques- tion: What Is The Postwar Outlook For Moral Standards? First, let us consider our homes. Are the moral standards of our nation what they should be today? We know they are not! In a nation where one marriage in every 5.6 ends in a divorce court, there is something wrong. The sacred ties of marriage are being sadly ignored by many who are separated. Many marriages are too hasty; the parties have not known one another well enough. Sometimes not sufficient consideration has been given to the amount of money needed for essentials. Disagreement arises ; conflict of opinion causes rift in marital relations, which often ends in saparation or divorce. More forethought must be exercised in choosing one’s mate and more Christian forebear- ance after the choice has been made. Due to increased cost of living or patriotism, many mothers have thought it necessary to work outside the home, the children have felt neglected. They have somewhere to eat but not a real home. These mothers are too busy to be real mothers to their wayward sons or daughters. Some of the children are irresponsible and juvenile courts are correcting them. They must learn self-control and to be good citizens. Any child from twelve upward should feel himself responsible for his own conduct and should cooperate with his parents and other members of his family in making his home a happy one. The returning veteran is going to feel and know that changes have wrought havoc. He himself is going to be nervous, as Shakespeare put it, “jealous in honor, sudden and quick in quarrel” ; and unless there is some awakening, some forethought, there will be a moral collapse of the home. Mothers must give more time to their homes ; if possible, they must give up outside jobs after the war. They must make an effort to understand their sons when they return. If a boy was eighteen when he went away and he has been gone several years, that mother must realize that he is now an adult. She must respect his sense of independence. These men have faced death and the horrors of war, and these same men will have to be taught readjustment to civilian life. If the young veteran is married, the best thing the mother can do is to let the young people face their own prob- lems. The young wife of a veteran has more difficult problems than the mother. She must remember that her husband is under a strain, trying to adjust to civilian life and to mar- riage at the same time. The wife must study beliefs and ideals by which her husband lives. She must be patient and understanding until he readjusts himself. She must encourage him to grasp the opportunities at hand. The quicker he seizes upon them the better. Un- less the mothers and wives help these veterans and overlook their shortcomings, there will be many broken homes. We need to inspect our homes beforehand and see if we have the qualities our nation needs. J. Blanton Belk in his recent book Our Fighting Faith has given us a splendid talk on building sound homes. He brings out the qualities of a traditional Hebrew home: A godly family — disciplined children — genuine love — and unity. The thing which will win Page Twenty-eight