Bedford High School - Echo Yearbook (Bedford, PA)

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C lass H istory I don't suppose I can put it off any longer. Mr. Borden has been after me for these names for weeks now. This Bicentennial is a lot of bother, anyway. Why, these are names of all the children I taught! I remember when all of those bright-eyed little tots began school twelve years ago. They were very frightened that first day, September 7, 1942. Just think of all that's happened since! Well, here's Smith Fariss. He reminds me of the Tom- Thumb Wedding given in the fourth grade. Smith was the groom and Barbara Overstreet was the bride, and Bill Winton made the cutest preacher imaginable. Oh, yes, Laura Holland and Nancy Fizer sang I Love You Truly. Not too much happened during those early years, they were just a normal group of children. Of course, they had the usual little disagreements, and they had to work pretty hard to get through the sixth and seventh grades. But it wasn't all work, they went to Dixie Caverns and Cave Mountain Lake, and they really enjoyed that. As that all important year drew to a close, they were all very glad to graduate from the seventh grade. I remember those dreadful red faces they wore the first two days of the eighth grade, but they went to work right away by electing Bill Winton as president and choosing class colors and flowers. That year they had quite a time in science class. One day one group were doing an experiment when it blew up. june Dooley ran down the hall as if something were after her, and we thought for a fact we had a girl track star. The picnic at the lake was the high spot of the eighth grade and all rode out on the back of Mr. Niday's truck and really enjoyed the food and fun, but how they suffered with those blistered backs and faces! That year many decided to leave the class for one reason or another. Among these were: Donald Blankenship, Earl Creasy, Eddie Croft, Paul Fink, Grey Martin, Parker Nance, Garland Miller, Clarence Sigmon, Edwin Brown and Billy Bandy. The last named lost his life in an unfortunate hunting accident. This was one of the darkest spots in their high school years. But somehow they managed to struggle through and enter the Freshman class the following year. Mary Babb Venable was their capable leader. They really gave Miss Magann a rough time, especially in history class. Between keeping Charles awake and Bill Bower and Tommy Maxwell from talking, she was kept pretty busy. To change the usual routine, a duck even appeared in the classroom, apparently unassisted. I think Mr. Thaxton finally ended up by taking the forsaken creature home with him. Bobby Phillips, Clark Key, Aubrey Grey, Curtis Sigmon and Tommy Layman left the class to seek their own fortunes. Their Sophomore year proved to be relatively uneventful, with Bill Bower ably leading the class through the year as president. Quite a few were dropped from the class roll or were transferred to other schools. These were: Dot Marshall, Douglas Bush, Chrisman Hardy, Ed Bell, Lawrence Blankenship, Zane Nance and Jimmy Wheat. The Sopho- more picnic and the Paper Staff dance provided the out- standing entertainment. The football team won their championship, as well as the girls' basketball team. Both teams included sophomores, twelve and eight respectively. The Junior year arrived-a year of fun and also hard work, for the class began to make plans and earn money for the senior trip. Charles Goodman was an able leader. I remember five juniors broke from the usual routine and joined seniors in chemistry. It was an exceptional class, and those juniors really had a rugged existence. The football team again proved itself superior by win- ning the championship. Many junior boys turned out to be valuable assets to the team. The girls' basketball team also won their championship for the second consecutive year. The junior-Senior Prom was one of the high spots and the very successful Junior-Senior Picnic the other. Then came this year-their year of years. In the beginning, they found valuable assets in the addition of Tommy Holdren, Etta Lemon, and Pauline johnson, the latter of whom was with them but a short time. Bill Winton was elected president, Nancy Fizer editor of The Otters Lookout, and Mary Babb Venable editor of the annual. This year the football team won the championship for the fourth straight year. Bill Bower and Bennie Coleman were co-captains, Bennie won the gold football, and Charles Goodman won a gold wrist watch as best linesman, a new award this year. Also, they won the district track title. Nancy Fizer and Harriet Hylton madetheir class proud of them in the Latin tournament, which is held annually. In December they presented a very successful senior play, and in March an equally successful Variety Show. But the major part of the year was taken up with various ways of raising money for the Senior trip. And on April 15, they were on their way to New York for a wonderful four days. It seems that Cauthorn Walker became quite the Romeo on the homeward journey, his excuse being that he was celebrating his birthday. I wonder!! In all, it was a very successful and rewarding trip. Then ca.tne May day, with Betty Reid as queen, Laura Holland as maid of honor, and Marilyn Cundiff and Betty Lee Howard as attendants. The theme centered around various holidays during the year. The senior girls' April Fool May Court stole the show. I remember Bill Daniels and Bennie Coleman were making a fire extinguisher in Chemistry and it exploded, almost declothing several members of the class and disintegating the instructor's blouse. This year the Junior-Senior Prom proved to be the most enjoyable ever, perhaps because of the music furnished by Club 88 of Roanoke and the beautiful decorations provided by the Junior Class. Time was now growing short for those Seniors. They really enjoyed the banquet given them by the Council of Churches, when Bibles were presented to each senior. Two other much enjoyed events were parties given by Mr. Charlie Green and Lyle's Drug Store at the Legion Hall. Three seniors who really did honor to their class were Barbara Overstreet, who won the D. A. R. award, Nancy Fizer, the valedictoriang and Harriet Hylton, the salutatoriari. They really deserved these awards. Yes, I remember those children. I could sit here all night recalling little incidents which happened during those twelve years, but if I don't get busy on these names Mr. Borden will have me scalped. H ittorhm JEAN TURNER +El16l3+

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JEANNE ALICE TURNER femme Aw, shoot! .... Jeanne is our dark-haired, tall senior who has a wonderful sense of humor. Jeanne has contributed much in basketball towards the school's fine record. She's a hard worker and an exceptionally good student. We wish you all the luck in the world in the future. MARY BABB VENABLE Baby Oh, hon, that's fabuluous! .... Babs is a swell gal and a good student. but boy, is she a flirt! Her chief interest is boys, and she specializes in that field. Laying jokes aside, we think she's swell and wish her lots of success in every- thing, especially in her music career. CAUTHORN WALKER Cauflmm Who knows their Trig? .... Cauthorn is quiet and an outstanding student. He is our only woman hater, but is a well liked fellow. We all know he will be a success in whatever he strives for in life. VERNA SUE WELLS Verna You had better not do that! .... Verna is a real funny gal and is well liked by all her classmates. Verna always has a joke to tell or something funny to say. We all know Verna will make good in the future, and we're all wishing her the best of luck. all Class of 1954 LOIS MAE WILKERSON Lois I want to be different! .... Here's a girl that'll go places in the future. She's a line student and has added much to the class. We'll miss you and we wish you lots of luck. ALBERT JACKSON WINTON Bill You think so, huh? .... Bill is a tall, dark-haired senior and one that has added much to out years in high school. He's a merry fellow and one that likes a good time. Bill's chief interests are his studies and girls, and he seems to have done very well with both. Bill has always been willing to lend a helping hand, no matter what the case might be. We all feel he will make great accomplishments in the future. JAMES SHIRLEY WITT iSlJirley Who did their French homework? .... Shirley is a quiet and well-liked senior. He is a good student and also a good sport. Shirley is ambitious, and we all wish you luck in anything you do. ' 15

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Last Will and Testament LADIES AND GENTLEMEN, TEACHERS AND FRIENDS Upon behalf of my client, the Class of 1954, of Bedford High School, of the City of Bedford, State of Virginia, United States of America, I have called you together upon this solemn and serious occasion, to listen to her last will and testament, and to receive from her dying hand the few gifts she has to bestow in her last moments. Cutting so rapidly loose from life, and owing to the flighty condition of her brain, and the unusual disturbance in its gray matter, she begs me to state for her that she may quite possibly have been mistaken in her inventory of giftsg but such things as she thinks she has, she hereby gives into your possession, praying that you will accept them as a sacred trust from one who has gone before. Listen, then, one and all, while I read the docu- ment, as duly drawn up and sworn to: we, the cfass of 1954, in rhiffyaine individual and distinct parts, being about to pass out of this sphere of education in full possession of a crammed mind, well-trained memory, and almost superhuman understanding, do make and publish this, our last will and testament, hereby revoking and making void all former wills or promises by us at any time hereto- fore made, or carelessly spoken, one to the other as the thoughtless wish of an idle hour. And First, we do direct that our funeral services shall be conducted by our friends and well-wishers, our principal and his all-wise and ever-competent faculty, who have been our guardians for so long, only asking, as the last injunction of the dying, that the funeral be carried on with all the dignity and pomp that our worth, our merit, our attainments, and our positions as Seniors of grave and reverend mien must certainly have deserved. And First, we do direct that our funeral services our own strong hands and brains to win for us, we do dispose of the same as follows: ITEM : We give and bequeath to the dear faculty, who have our instructors in all the wisdom of the ages, a sweet and unbroken succession of restful nights and peaceful dreams. We, also, give to our beloved faculty all the amazing knowledge and startling infor- mation that we have furnished them from time to time in our various examination papers. We know tht much which we have imparted to them in this way must have been entirely new to them, as well as to all teachers and students everywhere, and would throw much new light on many a familiar line of thought, throughout the whole world of science and learning, even outside the halls and walls of Bedford High School. If the faculty see fit, they are hereby authorized to give out such of this information to the world as they may feel the world is ready to receive. It has been a hard strain on them, for seniors are said to be at all times and under all conditions difficult to manage. But they have all done their duty, and now shall they have their well earned reward. ITEM : We give and bequeath to our beloved Principal, Mr. J. L. Borden, our sincere affection, our deepest reverence, our heartiest gratitude, and the whole un- limited wealth of our eternal memory. In an attempt at partial payment for all that he has done for us during our long years at Bedford High School, we make over to him, here and now, a heavy mortgage on our future in the Great Unknown beyond. ITEM : We give and bequeath to the school a student body, which will appreciate, uphold, and promote the high standards of sportsmanship, scholarship, and citizenship which have been maintained by the school in the past years. ITEM: We give and bequeath to the juniors our seats in the classroom and in Assembly. We likewise leave them the balance of our senior treasury to buy rain- coats and overshoes for their senior trip. Moreover, any stubs of pencils, erasers or scraps of paper that we may leave behind us in the excitement and haste of gathering up our cherished treasures for the last time. May they feel free to make use of them, and in some mystic way, impart some of our great knowledge to them. ITEM : To our home room teachers, Mrs. Thaxton and Miss Bibb, we give and bequeath the profound admiration and ever-enduring friendship of the Class of 1954, in individual as well as collective mani- festation. ITEM: The following may seem but trifling bequests, but we hope they may be accepted, not as worthless -tl 1713+