Benson High School - Tatler Yearbook (Benson, NC)

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•sp -- ' Mgsy ' ' --t-c mK,.. . •I President Vice-President Secretary ..Kenneth Ivey Treasurer Idaleen Parrish ..Patty Denning Sponsor Miss Leah Phelps Leona Johnson Sponsor Mrs. Jean Moore Sarah Adams Elizabeth Allen Shirley Allen Stacy Barbour Maureen Barbour Lela Pearl Barefoot Evangeline Blackman James Blackman Helen Capps Robin Clayton Kay e Clifton Leta Muriel Clifton Annie Lou Coats % Donald Creech Lynwood Creech Patty Denning Kenneth Dixon Betty Lou Eason Julia Ellis Walter Faulkner

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The time is a warm June night in 1962. The place is a beautifully decorated barn for a square dance on the outskirts of Benson. This is the scene of the reunion of the Benson High School class of 1952. Ten years have passed since this class left its Alma Mater to enter the great drama of life. These years have indeed been eventful for everyone concerned. Now as the band begins playing Buffaloe Gals, we see our old classmates entering through the main door. Some look the same as they did in 1952, but some are a little different. However, there should be no diffi- culty in recognizing any of them. Ray Allen is our first target. He has recently won the Memorial Day race at the Indianap- olis Speedway. Ray married Barbara Woodlief , and her schedule is so completely filled with domestic things that her other activities are limited. Look! There is Pat Gregory. Pat is a well known Metropolitan opera star. At the present she is unmarried, but we expect to hear wedding bells for her and a Wall Street multi-millionaire very soon. We see Shirley Langdon and Meta Sue McLamb talking near the main door. Shirley is now press secretary to the President. Meta lives on a farm, happy with her husband and six offspring. Ken Pritchard is so engrossed in a conver- sation that he doesn ' t hear his wife, Jean Lee, speaking to him. Ken attended the New Eng- land School of Theology in Boston, Massa- chusetts, and remained there as pastor of the Advent Christian Church. Our mechanically-minded Graham Mosely is discussing the latest thing in radar with Kenneth Johnson. Graham specializes in radar for the government. Kenneth took his father- in-law ' s place at the Barefoot potato house. It seems that people are taking to corners tonight. Clara Beasley, Shirley Whittington, and Jo Anne Eason have just been located. Clara is dean of women at Meredith College. Shirley is an interior decorator living in Seattle, Washington. Jo Anne has the highest position in the revenue building in Raleigh. Pat Thornton has just joined the little group. Pat has taken Minnie Pearl ' s place on the Grand Old Opera. The band has begun playing Possum In The Simmon Tree. Everyone is gathering for the Virginia Reel. Charles Jackson and his wife, Faye Barber, have paired off. Charles, our annual editor, is now editor of The New York Daily News. Faye is a famous photog- rapher ' s model. Gwen Johnson and Leroy Johnson will be second in line. Gwen is a big buyer for Mar- shall Field ' s department store. Her husband is top singer for Don McNeil ' s Breakfast Club. Leroy is a simple bachelor who has taken over the operation of his father ' s woodworks shop. We have a few disinterested parties for this dance. Three have been located engaged in an agricultural conversation. Joe Denning, Don- ald Creech, and Lee Penny have become the richest farmers in North Carolina. As the dance progresses, we see Kenneth Barbour and Betty Margaret West doing both hands around. Kenneth is, along with Harvey Johnson, a professional football player for Los Angeles Rams. Betty Margaret is married to a slick operator living in Johnson County. Near the bandstand, talking excitedly, are Annie Mae Barefoot, Janie Johnson, and Lettie Neighbours. These three are topnotch tele- phone operators in Raleigh. With the Virginia Reel ended, a new song begins a square dance. More are taking part in this. At the head of the line are located Stacy Miller and Ruth Evelyn West. Stacy plays second base for the New York Yankees and is a greater star than Babe Ruth ever was. Ruth has just returned from Russia with top American officials. She has become the most valuable interpreter for the United States government. Raymond Johnson and Grace Moore are doing the birdie-in-the-cage. Raymond is head of the motor vehicles department for the State of North Carolina. Grace is dean of women at Campbell College. Sally Lou Byrd and James Rabon are also dancing this round. James is the star player of the Sauline Players. Sally succeeded in marrying Levon. She is now busy keeping house, and combines this with private-duty nursing on the side. Golda Hardee and Melba Hall are watching from the sidelines. They are the top two nurses at Duke Hospital. Bobby Langdon and Thurman Whittington are drawing a crowd near the center of the room. Bobby and Thurman are finally rival comedians on competitive networks. In the crowd we see Bobby Wheeler and Jimmy Wheeler. Bobby teaches students in New York for Charles Atlas. Jimmy is a great painter who gained his fame in Paris. Dewey Mangum, warden of Sing-Sing Prison, is standing with his hat pulled over his eyes as if he were searching for a criminal. As the band plays Turkey In The Straw, the old classmates separate and begin moving toward the main door. This reunion has been a joyous occasion for the Benson graduating class of 1952. The past decade has brought fame to several of the class members. We hope the future will bring fame to many others. As the band plays our Alma Mater, everyone will re-enter the drama of life, playing the role that fate has determined for them. Ruth Evelyn West, Prophet. 19

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Sarah Holland Kenneth Ivey Belva Johnson Charles Johnson Homer Johnson Leona Johnson Nona Johnson Hazel Lee i Robert E. Lee Connie Mac McGee I Shelby McLamb Jerry Miller Nina Naylor Stacy Norris Randy Overby lot Hi Martin Parker Ova Lee Parker Catherine Parrish Idaleen Parrish ! Shirley Penny n Mavis Phillips Joyce Smith Sue Sugg Betty Lou Surles Faye Surles Hf P r Franklin Watson Helen Wallace Lunette Whitman Sarah Whittington Peggy Wood Joseph Young