Big Island High School - Islander Yearbook (Big Island, VA)

Page 24 text:

It is now the spring of 1960, and I ' m returning to Big Island for the first time since I graduated in 1950. One would hardly believe that this busy indus- trial city was at one time a quiet little village of less than five hundred people. As I ride along the streets of Big Island in a new transit bus, I begin to wonder what has become of the people I knew here, and especially of the gra- duating class of 1950. As I look through the window of the bus, I see--yes, it ' s June Addison, one of my old schoolmates! I hurriedly ring the bell and get off the bus. Imagine how surprised June was to see me, and since I was full of questions, we decided to go across the street to the Somersault Tea Room which is owned and operated by none other than Billy Turpin. Billy is doing fine in this business and his place of business is very modern and one of the best places to eat in Big Island. Billy hasn ' t married yet but he is contemplat- ing it. June invited me up to her home, Castle Haven , overlooking the James River, for dinner. Two years after June ' s graduation, she and Bobby Spence were married and now have two children. Being curious about the rest of the graduating class of 1950, I asked June if she knew where they were and what they were doing. She knew about most of them and began with telling me about Joe Sanderson. Joe had continued to work with his father on their farm after graduation and in less than ten years established a dairy of his own. He now supplies Big Island consumers with all kinds of dairy products. Joe is still the bachelor type, but it is rumored that he is interested in one of his old schoolmates, Nellie Turpin. After gra- duation Nellie Grey went in training for a nurse and received her diploma from Virginia Baptist Hospital. She ' s now a stewardess for one of the big airlines and has just flown home from a trip to Paris. Although she meets many young men in her travels, she still has a flame for those boys back home. One of the biggest lumber yards in Big Island is owned and operated by Jimmy Manley, whose lofty ambition enabled him to be successful in a business of his own. Incidentally, Jimmy married a very pretty girl from Bedford and they are wonderful parents to their triplet daughters. Frances Nichols and Wayne Rhodes were married the summer after gra- duation. They now own the Double X Ranch in Texas, and raise the best breed of horses in the West. The last time June heard from Frances, Wayne was teaching Wayne, Jr. to lasso one of the wildest horses on the ranch. Junior is one of the best little cowboys any mother could hope for. I was wondering what happened to the boy who was voted the most likely to succeed-Paul Putney. Well, after Paul graduated from Penn State University, receiving a degree in Civil Engineering, he started constructing a bridge across Hunting Creek. He also owns a swanky nightclub, complete with pool room, on Big Island ' s Fifth Avenue. Recently, he was voted the most eligible bache- lor of 1960. Jennie Lee and Maynard Reynolds built a white stucco bungalow now known as Traveler ' s Inn , for they have enlarged it into a tourist home. Many dis- tinguished people stop there, and Jennie Lee and her maid, ' Tilda, are kept busy running the place and caring for the children.

Page 23 text:

Lost Will and Teslament We, the Senior Class of 1950, do make, publish, and declare this to be our last will and testament: To Mr. Bird, our principal, we leave our many thanks for his guidance during our high school years. To Mrs. Wilson, our class sponsor, who has so willingly stood by us, we leave our many thanks and appreciation for her efforts and interest in our class. We wish to thank the entire faculty for the faithful help that they have given us during our high school career. To the Junior Class, we leave the honor of becoming Seniors. To the Ninth Grade, we leave our athletic ability so that they may keep B. I. H. S. shining. To the Eighth Grade, we leave the opportunity of becoming Freshmen. Nellie Turpin leaves her flirtatious ways to Betty Hudson. Henry Vest wills his way with the girls to Bobby Collier. Joe Sanderson wills his position as assistant shop teacher to James Cox. Paul Putney wills his athletic ability to Bobby Spence. To Ethel Wilson, Maria Tolley leaves her title as the best“looking girl in the Senior Class. Marian Smith leaves her height to David Ragland. June Addison leaves to Mildred Burks her position as captain of the bas- ketball team. Phillip Wilson leaves his black and wavy hair to Jack Trevey. Jennie Lee leaves to Jean Collins her ambition to become a good housewife. Francis Sanderson leaves his cute and teasing manner to Ida Manley. Jimmy Manley wills his quietness and politeness to Bobbie Noel. Billy Turpin wills to Clarence Sligh his seat in government class, where he catches up on his lost sleep. Sylvia Cash leaves her witty and carefree ways to Rachel Arrington. To Barbara McNeely, Jane Plott wills her friendly ways and nice disposi- tion. LaVerne leaves to Norma Smith her ability to get along with all of the boys. To Mary Parks, Frances Nichols wills her position as Editor of the Telle- torium. Edith Markham leaves to Bobby Patterson her government notes, as he might need them when test time rolls around. Testators; Frances Nichols June Addison

Page 25 text:

That hilarious fifteen- minute radio program on WWBI is carried on by Francis (Scrubbie) Sanderson. Yes, Scrubbie cooks up gags that keep you laughing all day. Not only that, but he has finally mastered the harmonica, and with his musical wife at the piano, they furnish the music. June didn ' t have to tell me about that famous actress, Maria Tolley, who has had leading roles in fifteen pictures so far. A talent scout saw Maria in a school play and realized that she had just what filmland was looking for. It is rumored that Maria and Montgomery Clift are interested in each other, and well, who knows??? Henry Vest now has a large farm in the West Virginia mountains, where he can do all the coon and fox hunting he wants to. He has open house twice a year and invites distinguished hunters from the whole United States to join him in his big hunting trips. That famous dietitian at the remodeled Riverside Inn is Marian Smith. A graduate in home economics, she was offered this position at the hotel. Mar- ian is truly a career woman. There has been much in the papers recently concerning a famous bill that ' s being debated on the Congressional floor in Washington, having been introduced by Edith Markham, Representative from Virginia. Yes, Edith has done well in the political field. Captain Phillip Wilson just anchored the Seawolf in the harbor at Norfolk. Yes, Phillip is the captain of this ship which travels t o ports all over the world, carrying various products. As the old saying goes, Phillip has a girl in every port. After graduation. La Verne Collins entered the Philadelphia Conservatory of Music, from which she obtained her master ' s degree in voice. She then became a singer on Broadway, and since then she has made many recordings of popular songs. After a long engagement La Verne and John were finally married. The class prophets only desire to do half as well as the rest of the class of ' 50 has done! Class Prophets: Jane Plott and Sylvia Cash