Benson High School - Tatler Yearbook (Benson, NC)

Page 26 text:

The time is a hot July night in 1966. The place is the new school gym on the out- skirts of Benson. Here, the Benson High School Class of 1956 has gathered for a class reunion and to renew old friendships. Only ten years ago, we were all single and enjoying senior privileges. Everybody looks just as fine as Graduation in 1956. As our honored guest tonight we have Marian Jones who is home on furlough from the Misson field in the Philippines. She is being escorted by Alonzo Parrish III, a successful Interior Decorator in New York. Listen! Who could be starting that beautiful music? How surprising to know that Don Neighbors, who is chief engineer with the radar plant, also has a small band. Mar- tha Phillips, a Metropolitan opera star, is his vocalist for this reunion. As the band begins playing a good square dance tune, Stacy Moore and Faye Young are attempting both hands around . Stacy now manages his own Western Auto Store, and Faye has a job as stenographer in Raleigh. Neither are married, but we are expecting it every day. On the other side of the gym we see Larry Smith and William Ralph McLamb. Wil- liam Ralph is telling of his responsibilities as owner of a service station. Larry seems to be very enthused about his position as Captain of the U.S.S. Forrestal. We see several groups who don ' t seem to be very interested in dancing. Levon Allen, Shelton Hudson, and Robert Barefoot, three prosperous farmers have been located in one corner discussing their farms. Levon and Robert have a proud family now, but Shelton still hasn ' t found the one . By the way, Robert is agricultural teacher in a local school. Look who is entering the dance line! Glenda looks very pleased with her husband, Dr. Rollins Johnson. Glenda had a secretarial job during her first year of marriage, but now she is keeping house and caring for her two children. While Dr. Johnson and Glenda are dancing, they meet two of Glenda ' s best classmates, Jean and Judy. Judy hassuc- ceeded in being head nurse on nurses ' staff at Duke. Jean is now dean of women at Woman ' s College. They have both been married a couple of years and seem to be very happy. As the dance progresses, we see Marie Young, Jessie and Jackie Hudson. They are married and each have an average family. Marie is manager of a large department store in Washington. Jessie and Jackie are bookkeepers for local merchants. Over by the door we see Foy Dean, Gealder and Betty Jean. Foy Dean is describing Tennessee to the others. Her homehas been there since she and James Smith were mar- ried six years ago. Gealder and Betty Jean are expert telephone operators in Raleigh. Watching from the sidelines are Loral Godwin, Geraldine Glover, and I. B. Tart. Loral hasher own family to care for now. Geraldine and I. B. still haven ' t found a com- panion. Geraldine is a secretary in Raleigh and I. B. has his own grocery store now. We hardly recognized Dixie, Jo Anne, and Kay Frances who just entered. Homer, Donald, and Toonie must have been good husbands to them these years. They were mar- ried just after graduation, and now they each have a nice happy family. Penny, Anita, and Sue Frances have finally joined the group. Penny and Anita are married now, and Penny is Treasurer of Sears. Anita has just settled down to housekeeping. Sue Frances is very happy over being airline hostess for Eastern Airlines. She plans to resign soon and settle down with Billy. Michael Niland and Ray Campbell haven ' t had much to say tonight. Since they are working now as F.B.I. Agents though, we can understand that they are trained to talk when necessary. We were beginning to think that Jack Creech, Leroy Adams, and Gartha Suggs weren ' t coming. Jack was delayed by his duties on his plantation, which by the way, is the largest in the South. Leroy is now Admiral of the U.S.S. Bonne Homme Richard, and Gartha is manager of a clothing store in Richmond. Looking more closely we find little Joe John- son, who hasn ' t grown any, among them. He now owns his own Barber Shop and his small son is his shoe shiner. Who can that be drawing attention near the band stand? None other than Honey and Sue Wheeler discussing their husbands. Honey is now on a local high school staff as Bas- ketball Coach, and is also training her own forwards at home. Sue Wheeler has finished her nurse ' s training and is head nurse at an army base in Washington with Jimmy. What would a reunion be like if our old comedians, Richard and Stacy weren ' t here. There they are on the band stand performing one of their new acts. Richard gave up his position as centerfield for the Yankees to join Stacy in Radio City.N. Y., where they have taken over for Dean Martin and Jerry Lewis. It is getting late and the hours have been short. As the band plays the last number the old classmates separate and begin leaving. This has been a joyous reunion for all of us. We hope the next decade will bring as much fame to the class of 1956 as the last one has. Prophet Libbe Jean Lee 24

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24. Stacy Moore ' s ability to be Mr. Barefoot ' s righthand man and atthesame time flirt with every girl who walks by the office to Don Clifton. 25. Anita Morris ' s love for Majorettes to Jane Haller. 26. Judy McLamb ' s sweet and understanding ways to Sylvia Gaines. 27. Ralph McLamb ' s 16 Tons to Wee Willie Hayes. 28. Don Neighbors ' intellectual ability to J. R. Register. 29. Michael Niland ' s high record of tardies to anyone who can do a day ' s work before school. 30. Glenda Norris ' ability to skip school and get by with it to Jean Dale Freeman. 31. Alonzo Parrish ' s industrious characteristics to W. A. Barbour. 32. Martha Phillip ' s ability to laugh in class and get away with it to Libby Massad. 33. Larry Smith ' s woman-hating ways and good -looks to Shae Baddour. 34. Gartha Suggs ' school bus to anyone who has the patience to drive it. 35. I. B. Tart ' s ability to pass the drivers ' test on the ninth try to Pat Medlin. 36. Honey Vann ' s love for basketball to Brenda Langdon. 37. Faye Young ' s place in the office 4th period to Ruth Barefoot. 38. Marie Young ' s mathematical brain to Judy Dixon. 23

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SENIOR SNAPS 1-Our editor; 2 -Some party, Eh? ; 3-Jr. Play; 4 -Barefooted; 5-Guess who ' s; 6-Handsome Brute- 7-Kill ' em!- 8- Smiles ; 9-Smithfield; 10- Susie ; ll- Honey ; 12 -Mrs. Holland (to be)- 13-Little Rat - 14-Drink it?; 15-Jackie; 16-Larry ; 17-Speedy ; 18-Foy D. ; 19-Buddies; 20-Any Male- 21-22 Wedding Bells- 23-Jr - Sr. Kids; 24-Worms?; 25-Kay ; 26-Out of season? v ea h. 25