Ensley High School - Jacket Yearbook (Birmingham, AL)

Page 24 text:

Senior Section Senior Class Officers President.......................................Henry McDowell Vice-President.... ....................... Dewey Vines Secretary ...................................... Bessie Lewis Treasurer........ ................................ Neal Andrews Historian........ • •••••••• mum Augusta Graves Prophet ...... .................................Burk Hargrave Essayist........................................Richard Moxley Orator...................... .................... Frank Carlton Lawyer...............................................Sam Spurrier Statistician................ —.............—------Oliver Branch Pianist..................... -........—---------- Sophia Bonfieid Violinist.......-........-.............. -......Mary Ramsey Poet............................................Edith Henderson Vocalists... Eva Zeigler Lillian Watkins Charles Crum Artists ......... Willie Mae Copeland | Mary Bryant Class Colors: Green and White Class Flower: White Rose Class Motto: “Our Horizon Widens As We Climb '. -----------:o:---------- Senior Banquet The activities of the Senior Class of the Ensley High School are events always looked forward to with keen anticipation. At the Senior play, given just previous to the Christmas holidays, it was estimated that tw'o or three hundred people were turned away in addition to the thirteen hundred who saw the play. Perhaps no Senior class of former years has enjoyed a more delightful social occasion than that given on Friday evening, January 11. At that time, the Seniors graduating in June honored those graduating in February with a banquet. The banquet was served in the lunch room of the Ensley High School. The decorations were beautiful. The high school colors, black and gold, were suspended from the ceiling in a most attractive manner, the shaded lights making a beautiful scenic effect. At one

Page 23 text:

THE GLEAM 21 blems of our community, state and nation, we have resolved to form ourselves into an organized body which shall be called “The Civic Welfare League of Ensley High School”. The preamble explains the lofty purpose of the Civic League. We hope that the League may long be one of Ensley High’s best organizations. ----------:o:----------- The Ensley High School Library—Its Aim and Purpose The Ensley High School Library was organized in 1920. Up until this time there had been a library, but it was not so arranged that it was easily accessible to teachers and students. By the cooperation and aid of the Birmingham Public Library, the books were classified and catalogued and a trained librarian, Mrs. Mary G. Messer, was placed in charge. During that year, by the loan of books from the Public Library and under the librarian’s guidance, the library proved a valuable asset to the school. In September, 1923, the high school libraries of the Birmingham School System which heretofore had been under the supervision and direction of the Birmingham Public Library were taken over by the Board of Education. Many valuable books have been added from the funds and library of the late Dr. Phillips, whose death occurred in the summer of 1921. The chief purpose of the Ensley High School Library is to acquaint pupils with good books and their authors. The celebration of the different “Weeks” in the school this year has greatly stimulated the interest in reading. Better English Week. Good Book Week. American Education Week, and other such “Weeks” have turned the attention of boys and girls to books. How many times has the following been said? “1 don’t know.............”. “I wonder what..............”. “I wish I knew..............”. We have splendid reference works, encyclopedias, etc., in our library that will help clear these problems. The library subscribes to approximately thirty current periodicals! among which may be found such magazines as the Atlantic Monthly, Harper's, Current History, Current Opinion, Literary’ Digest. Mentor, Outlook. School and Society, Good Housekeeping, National Geographic, Modem Language, American Physical Review, and others. Aside from these, we receive two daily papers, two French newspapers, and the papers of various high schools and colleges. GLADYS POOLE, Librarian.

Page 25 text:

THE GLEAM 23 end of the room, the word “Seniors” in black and gold was suspended below a large “E”, the whole arrangement being artistic. The members of the class, numbering 175, were seated at a huge table in the shape of an “S”. Bowls of narcissi and ferns were used as decorations on the table. At the speakers’ table, red carnations were used. Mr. E. E. Smith, principal of Ensley High, acted as toastmaster, and with his characteristic affability presented those on the program. Dewey Vines, in behalf of the June graduates, welcomed the guests. Miss Agnes Durant gave several musical numbers, following which Rev. M. E. Wilson, late and lamented pastor of the Ensley Highlands Methodist Church, gave a talk which was pleasingly inspirational. Miss Bertha Copeland, accompanied by Miss Willie Mae Copeland, played several violin selections. Miss Jessie Lane, who possesses a lovely and well-controlled voice, sang at this time. The last feature of the program was an uplifting talk by Rev. David M. Gardner, pastor of the Ensley Baptist Church. Bryan Faircloth, representing the February graduates, thanked the June graduates for the delightful courtesy. The spirit of the Ensley High School impresses a merely casual observer as being wonderfully fine. Such delightful affairs as the Senior banquet do much to cement the communal good feeling that exists among students, faculty members, patrons, and friends of the school. -----------:o:------------ “The Dust of the Earth” A Senior play at E. H. S. is always a great attraction. We have two of these plays each year—one by the members of the February graduating class and one by the members of the June class. Each time the plays seem to get better. If the June crowd gets ahead of the February folks this time they will have “some” play. The play given by our February seniors was Katherine Kavanaugh’s “The Dust of the Earth”, a delightful story full of intense human interest. The play was given on the evening of December 18, a time most appropriate, as three acts of the play represent Christmas scenes. From tho standpoint of depth of plot and of attractive stage settings, no play at Ensley High in recent years can be said to have equaled “The Dust of the Earth”. The parts were all well taken, a few of the actors, at times, appearing as well almost as professionals. One of the best points about the play is that each of the ten characters has a star part. The Seniors taking part in the play were Bryan Faircloth as John Ryder; Mary Payne as Nelle; Grace Vaughn as Arabella; Doris Peterson as Elizabeth; Claud McDonald as Dr. Templeton; George Walters as Jerry;• Elizabeth Henderson as Susan; Paul Green as David; Harold Marty as Wandering Tom; Oliver Branch as Mose. The huge crowd present at “The Dust of the Earth”, was a test of the popularity of our Senior plays. May our next play be as successful.