Essex High School - Odyssey Yearbook (Tappahannock, VA)

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Class Son of BeAutjiful prcay er ) I V V r’ I 1 — — The Fu - turc calls us to Jobs un Jone How Wb Son ' • iors an We. iqttsc depart fijiJ - fil dreaws tbaf wd ve. on - ly be gur but v« ' ll n ' er forget tKese Kbo gave us our Start i E Heart - acbcs idLll face us so Will des - pair Our parents our tea, - chers have labored with , care But we ' re de - ter - mined our know ledr-e to share Es - sex dear Es - sex our dear white and blue 23

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Class Mistory Looking back on happy days at Essex, the graduating class can now record its many memorable events and experiences. We began our long journey in September of 1960 as shy freshmen. Here we were divided into two sections with Mrs. Hall and Mr. Jordan as sponsors. The class officers of Section A were elected: President- Virginia Byrd, Vice-President-Herndon Fortune, Secretary-Joan Braxton, Assistant Secretary-Troy Burton, Treasurer-Constance Harris and Sergeants at Arms-Charles Bundy and Robert Golden. The officers of Section B were President-Rosie Braxton, Vice-President-Mable Pratt, Secretary-Geneva Byrd, and Assistant Secretary-Elsie Blagmon, During this memorable year at the District Science-Math Conference, Troy Burton won third place in Mathematics 9, Ronald Jackson won fourth place in Mathematics 9, Helen Greene won second place in Mathematics 8 and Chastine Johnson won third place in Mathematics 8. During this year, the freshmen occupied a large portion of the Honor Roll. Among these were Christin Moore, Troy Burton, Gloria Giles, Ivory Bundy, Helen Greene, Constance Harris, Joan Braxton, Geneva Byrd, Thelma Johnson, Helen Reynolds, Elsie Blagmon and Virginia Byrd. We also participated in Science-Math, Library, NHA, and NFA Clubs. We entered school in 1961 a little more adjusted with Mr. Faulk and Mr. McGeachy as sponsors. Class officers of Section A were elected: President-Laura Fortune, Vice-President-Ronald Jackson, Secretary- Christine Moore, Assistant Secretary-Joan Braxton and Treasurer-Gloria Giles. The offi- cers of Section B were also elected: President-Geneva Byrd, Vice-President-Elsie Blagmon, Secre- tary-Rosie Braxton and Assistant Secretary-Estelle Baker. This year we participated in many activ- ities. Joan Braxton was a runner-up in the Miss Essex Contest. Our sophomore year of 1962 was very prosperous. Our sponsors were Mr. Faulk and Mr. Bates. The officers of Section A were elected: President-Laura Fortune, Vice-President-Virginia Byrd, Secretary-Christine Moore, Assistant Secretary-Geneva Byrd and Mr. Faulk served as treasurer. The officers of Section B were also elected: President-Richard Vaughan, Vice-President-Cary Gray, Secretary-Rosie Braxton, and Assistant Secretary-Elsie Blagmon. Laura Fortune brought honor to the tenth grade by being crowned Miss Essex. At the District Science-Math Conference Ronald Jackson won first place in Geometry, Christine Moore won first place in Chemistry and Gloria Giles won second place in Chemistry. Here we again participated energetically in various clubs. We entered our junior year with enthusiasm. The sponsors were Mr. Faulk and Miss Mills. The class officers were elected; President-Ronald Jackson, Vice-President-Constance Harris, Secretary- Joan Braxton, Assistant Secretary-Sylvia Thompson and Mr. Faulk served as treasurer. This year Joan Braxton, Rosie Braxton, Constance Harris, Laura Fortune, Elsie Blagmon and Helen Greene were great successes as members of the Cheering Squad. Ronald Jackson played outstanding basket- ball along with the rest of the team and led Essex to win the District Basketball Tournament. One of the most exciting affairs was the Junior-Senior Prom. The theme was A Roman Holiday.

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Class Prophecy Although we are a class of vivid imagination, we had never really visualized mentally that some day we would be the first nation to reach the moon — since there was quite a bit of controversy about Russia and the United States attempting to make that advancement in science. Neither did we realize that some of the most outstanding persons of this time were Essex High Graduates. One of these persons is Lonnie Jones who heads a chemical plaint where he has assigned Chastine Johnson to work as his assistant. This year, certainly marks the beginning of a new era be- cause the attempt to reach the moon was definitely a success. Robert Golden, the designer of the powerful astro- nautic aircraft, calculated its likely success. Because of Troy Burton ' s noted career in the Air Force, the designer chose her to help test the astronautic aircraft. After the prominent advancement, Gloria Giles wrote a science book entitled Life on the Moon. After reading of the renowned progress of those members of my class, I, Joan Braxton, professor of Education at Howard University, where Herndon Fortune is president, decided to write my doctoral thesis on The Advancement of the 1965 Graduates of Essex County High School, Tappahannock, Virginia. I decided it would be effective to tour the many regions of the United States, and foreign countries as well, to converse with my classmates. First, I went to California where Geneva Byrd is an actress living in Beverly Hills. To my surprise, Levi Harris is her husband and manager. My second day in California, Thomas Byrd, the governor of that state invited me to dinner in his mansion, for which he was celebrating his victory in being elected California ' s Governor. At the dinner 1 was pleased to dis- cover that his private secretary was Barbara Saunders. It was a delightful surprise to see Kenneth Washington who is Supervisor of San Francisco Motor Corporation. Since I had only a limited amount of time to remain in California, I went to the airport and boarded a jet-Pan American Airline- -flown by Helen Reynolds, first woman jet pilot. My trip this time brings me to Detroit, Michigan where Samuel Thompson has designed the GTO for the year. His wife, Helen Green, a retired teacher of business, now assists him. Chicago, Illinois my next stop. Here I find Constance Harris, counselor for juvenile delinquents. She was read- ing a book on juvenile delinquents written by Charles Holmes, a minister and social worker. I went to New York City after leaving Chicago. Here I learned that Rosie Braxton and Cynthia Golden have es- tablished a physical fitness school on 22nd Street. I also went to the Yankee Stadium to see Roger Gray play in the World Series with the New York Yankees. While relaxing in one of my relative ' s homes, I turned on the television to watch the Andy William ' s Show. On the show, Mable Pratt stepped out for a performance. While reading the New York Times I was pleased to find that Wayne Jeter is the editor. At the airport, I bought a Vogue magazine and Virginia Byrd and Elsie Blagmon were headlining the front cover. I caught a bus to Philadelphia, and was informed that Goldie Jones had just been elected the new dean of women of the Barton University. At John Hopkins Hospital in Baltimore, Maryland, Carol Bundy is a RN. Carol ' s husband, Ronald Jackson, is the head surgeon. In Washington I met Florence Ellis who was chosen as the best fashion designer of the year. She informed me that Laura Fortune is one of the most successful librarians at the Library of Congress. In Washington I also found out that Thomas Johnson was the newly elected member to the House of Representatives. While in Washington I discovered that Christine Moore had moved to Paris and she was head of the Mathematics Department. Thelma Johnson also moved to Paris but she became displeased there so she returned to her home in Kentucky and got her old job back as business manager at Pearl Wright ' s Business School. After visiting these key cities, I enplaned again for my home town. I flew over to Richmond, Virginia where I had been informed that Thomas Ellis is the new principal of the Lake View High School. On his staff I found Deloris Payton, Donnetta Rollins, Lucille Steward and Louise White, a new member of the staff. Naturally, I anticipated finding someone back at Essex County High School. Not to my surprise I found out that Richard Vaughan had replaced Mr. Smith in the Day Trade Department. This has been a wonderful tour. We will visit each other more frequently since we know each others destination. 24