Central High School - Snips and Cuts Yearbook (Charlotte, NC)

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Reviewing the Year 1931-1932 In September, when faculty and students cast a glance into the future to see what the year 1931- 19.32 held for them, they had deep misgivings. Although our enrollment had increased by about two hundred over the previous year. there was to be a staff of four fewer in number. The building was too small for the former enrollment. VVhat would be the consequences with the greatly increased number and with more than five hundred new to the school? The exigencies of the situation demanded maximum use of all space available and complete and cheerful cooperation between every member of the school com- munity, students and faculty. The principal and faculty were somewhat doubtful of the plan for physical education. The idea provided for a class to be on the gym floor at all times. a second group to be in the shower or dressing room, while a third spent part of a period in the cafeteria or adjoining room in study. This procedure kept one hundred to one hundred and fifty instead of half that number in the gymnasium at all times and another fifty or seventy-five in the cafeteria which had not been used before except for lunch periods. This unique plan, which is not original with Central, has increased our available space somewhat and has made it possible to secure maximum use of the school plant. The students have responded so well to the schedule that the plan may well be declared a success. Although teachers have been called upon to supervise the fifteen- or thirty-minute study period, they have done it with cheerfulness as they realized the value of this departure to the entire school. The new plan has given more time in the clear for exercise and especially for the shower afterwards. Increased use of the shower is indicated by the increment in the number of towels usedfabout 200'Z, more. However, the students deserve much credit for making such a complicated plan work. Pressure of heavy class work and the duties of a home room teacher kept Miss Rankin from serving as adviser to the student council. Mr. Ready and Miss Fraser have snatched such time as they could find from their work to sit with the members of the council and deliberate with them. Under the able leader- ship of Meacham and Rogers the student body organization has done commendable work. Their discussion of school questions and the administration of the same have been sane and forceful. Both Councils have kept their fingers on the pulse of the school and have contributed to the pleasure and happiness of all of us. Proper regard for the elected ofiicials of the student organization was never higher than now. Election campaigns, contests, and drives have been carried on in such a manner as to deserve honest approval. The Student Assembly and Council have shown themselves intensely interested in the good name and repu- tation of the school: also in the comfort of every citizen of Central. They have seen to it that new flags replaced old and worn ones. Persistent effort to help keep the building clean has been put forth by the committee on buildings and grounds. Every few weeks the rooms have been ranked for their clean and attractive appearance. A committee has worked on a school banner. The whole Council and Assembly quite unselfishly spent their money in redecorating the offices of the dean of girls, the principal, and even had an office reconstructed for the dean of boys. Passing to and from classes and from the building at lunch time has been made much more business-like and efficient by the use of monitors provided for by the Council. Much credit belongs to these young people for their helpful work. Not only do we find student ofiicials serving as monitors and marshals but as otiice clerks, messengers. book store managers and librarians. Truly, Central boys and girls get much practice in developing initiative, self-reliance and responsibility. Both faculty and students realize the inestimable value of such work. The glimpse from September to May indicated that financing our three publications, the Rambler, SNIPS AND CUTS, and Lace and Pig Iron, would be difficult. The staff of the year book acted wisely in soliciting their advertisements before the year had gotten well under way. This gave them a budget of a known amount from which to work. Such foresight and good planning with the good management that the editor and business manager have shown will assuredly make the present issue a success. All praise is due Miss Henderson and her energetic staff. Those industrious workers continue to give us a paper second to none and keep out of debt. Although the source of income for the paper is limited to advertisements and subscriptions, wise management and industry keeps the Rambler out of the red columns. Even in a year of depression the practice continues and with no lowering of standards. Now and then we have six or even eight pages and always a fair sampling of pictures and cartoons. The school newspaper has been of immense help in crystallizing school opinion and in stimulating new thought. It has been unusually helpful this year. The publication deserves a real room properly equipped for work. The school magazine. Lace and Pig Iron, will be published. The material this year will prove unusually attractive. It will be paid for without recourse to advertising. This school organ has gained national attention. The students who have work accepted in Lure an-d Pig Iron are sure to be well received by authors of books that include productions of high school people. Last year, six pages of Younger Poets by Sergent, were contributed by former members of the creative writing class and contributors to Lure mm' Pig Iron.. Central students have just cause for their pride in their publications. The basal unit in the organization at Central is the home room. Here practically every student gets a chance to hold office or serve on some committeeg all have a chance to participate in the administration of the school. Each year marks a new milestone in our progress toward our goal of enlisting every student in the home room in some kind of active work. Committees have been particularly active this year in pro- viding good home room programs on Washington, vocations, and hobbies. Our attendance has been con- siderably improved in some instances bfy committees on attendance. The social program of the school has received a powerful impetus in the round of home room parties and picnics. More good fellowship and happiness have been developed by means of these relatively small parties than one would have thought possible unless he was a member of the group. Page Twenty-three

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Class activities have not been neglected. The Sophomore class has started a scrap book containing notes. pictures, and information in regard to the class or its members. This should proyg imfaluabie to the class historian two years hence. Both the Sophomore and Junior classes have set certain obiectives for themselvesg eg., presenting of information to their members concerning vocations, schools, and scholarships. The Junior class has had the additional task of providing entertainment for the Seniors. The reception this year was a decided success. The Senior class has been engaged in those activities common to Senior classes, buying of rings, arranging for commencement and making plans for next year. More genuine interest in making a wise choice of 21 college is apparent among the members of this class than any we have known. The following facts concerning this class prove illuminating and challenging: 5343 entered Sophomore class September, 1929 1379? are still in school AVE, have withdrawn or. of those who entered September. 1929. 5052? will graduate at Commencement for last! 17'l, are demoted to Junior class-Y--retarded KSQQ, have withdrawn This last group is made up as follows: 15.704 withdrawn and nothing known of them SJW moved away from Charlotte 4.09, gone to private school 4.0'7lv withdrawn to work 2.091 withdrawn to loaf LW? married .47 withdrawn because of ill health ,Z '72, dead 33.0'7Z Total These figures suggest the need of a guidance program that increases the holding power of the school. lf we eliminate the group that has withdrawn because the family has moved away we still have lost one- fourth of our class that entered in September, 1929. Through personnel work on the part of the deans, principal. and teachers. through a wholesome and enthusiastic school spirit. and through courses of recognized value. we might to be able to hold more of these young people. Raising the educational status of our citizenship should make our city and state a better place in which to live. This has been a particularly successful year for our musical organizations. Both band and orchestra won first place in the state contest at Greensboro. These organizations have done much to improve the musical tone of the city. l'ivic clubs and organizations holding conventions in Charlotte have found the musical groups in Charlotte of great help to them. Central has kept up her usual athletic record. The number of championships won is one indication of the vigor with which our students have played. The athletic section shows the results of these various contests. Another index of the value of such activities is the number of students who participated. Eligibility blanks were made for the following number of boys: football, 46g basketball, 10: baseball. 205 track, 45g tennis. 4: golf. 4----Total, 129. Some of these enrollments represent duplicates. Actually 106 different boys are represented in these registrations. Frankly, is that too few or too many? ls our athletic program reaching enough boys? The two main sports for girls this year have been basketball and hockey. About seventy-Five girls come out for basketball and nearly a hundred for hockey. The latter sport drew so many because of the inter-class games. Increased facilities in the way of auxiliary gymnasium and coaches would enable us to do more with an intra-school program. Our aim should be in this direction. Many awards have come this year to our students or former students. Teddy Burwell of the class of 1928, was selected for the Rhodes Scholarship. Beaumert Vt'hitton. a third-year student at Massachusetts Institute of Technology, has been selected editor of The Tech for next year. Many graduates have been chosen as class presidents or editors of the publications of their college. All of this participation in school activities is proof of the value of the extra-curricular program in Central. An increased teaching load has prevented the members of our faculty from doing much that they might have accomplished otherwise, but every person has been busy on some additional project. The entire staff has been divided into groups of approximately equal size and has made an intensive study of the particular problem adopted by that group. The scholarship committee has been on the alert seeking information from colleges about methods of securing scholarships. They have sought to interest individuals and organizations in setting up such scholarships or loan funds. Their efforts are producing results. The reaction on the students themselves has been most encouraging. They realize as never before that teacher and student must work together and that they can to mutual advantage. The guidance. publicity. curriculum. legislation, and parent relationship committees have all done invaluable work. Such responsibility as has been initiated and assumed by these committees has made our school a more etfective educational agency. Student and faculty participation have contributed much to the success of Central. May each year see such activity grow. Page Twenty-four