Four Oaks High School - Acorn Yearbook (Four Oaks, NC)

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rr . 21 011101185 My, how important we felt when we entered Four Oaks High School as Freshmen! But what greenhorns we actually were! We try, however, to forget our mistakes and remember the best parts of our high school years. Our new teachers were Miss McMillan, Miss Tolbert, and Mr. Smith. At our first class meeting we elected as president, Maurice Canaday, who turned out to be a capable leader. During the year we were kept busy with our studies. We left school in the spring with pleasant memories of the year gone by and dreams of a rosy future. We were glad to see dear old Four Oaks High when we returned after our summer vacation, even though the upperclassmen did tease us by calling us silly sophomores. We were in such good spirits that our teachers, Mrs. Wilkins and Mr. Smith, had a hard time keeping us in line. Again Maurice Canaday was chosen president of the class. That year we had our first dose of raising money. We bought the school a new wire recorder and were proud of our effort. The next fall we returned to school as Juniors under the leadership of Mrs. Wilkins and Mr. Smith. That year we engaged in many pleasant activities. For the first time in the history of our school the Juniors gave a play, The Atomic Blonde , which definitely was atomic. lt brought such a crowd that, with the help of magazine sales, we were able to give the Seniors a banquet long to be remembered. Our success was due to the leadership of President Jean Massen- gill, Vice-President Dennis Johnson, Secretary Billy Ray Lassiter, and Treasurer Kay Ray Blackmon, But finally the Junior year came to an end and we found ourselves looking forward to becoming Seniors. We came back to school in tl.e fall as a class of fifty-three Seniors. Ila Frances Allen was elected president, A. B. Jones, vice-presidentg Dennis Johnson, secretary, and Waylon Adams, treasurer. Many activities have been crowded into this last year. One after another, all major offices have been filled, such as those on the Oak Leaf Staff, Annual Staff, and the Student Council. The first really big event was the arrival of our rings. Then came parties and other important events. As we look back over these years we find that they have been worth the mishaps and hardships we have experienced along the way. Now as we go forth to our careers our heads are high with hope, and our thoughts are filled with the memory of all the good times we had at Four Oaks High School. Billy Ray Lassiter, Historian Round me at twilight come stealing, Shadows of days that are gone.

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enior irector VIVIAN HANSLEY - Representative to Student Council l, Basketball l. MARGARET HASKETT - Chairman of Homeroom l, Vice-President of Latin Club l, Homeroom Secretary Z, Acorn Club Z, National Honor Society 3, 4, Library Staff l, 2, Oak Leaf Reporter 3, National Honor Society Reporter 3, F,H,A. Club 1, 2, F,H. A, Club Reporter 3, Editor-in-Chief of Jak Leaf 4, Marshal 3. GRAY HAYES - Glee Club 4, Softball l,2, 4-H Club l, Latin Club 1, Calendar Committee 4. BILLY HOCKADAY - Homeroom Chairman Z,4, Baseball l,Z, 3, Vice Pres. Monogram Club 4. RETHA JERNIGAN - Glee Club l,Z, 3, 4, F.H,A, Club Z, 3,4, Acorn Club 3,4, Latin Club l, Music Class 1, Z, 3,4. BOBBY JOHNSON - Bus Drivers' Club 4, F,F, A. Club Treasurer 4. DENNIS JOHNSON - Treasurer of Homeroom l, 2, Vice President Junior Class, Secretary Senior Class, Acorn Club 2. THOMAS JOHNSON - Sergeant-at-Arms of Student Council 2, Chairman of Ground Committee 2, Acorn Club 3, Latin Club l, Winner in School Conservation Contest 3, Winner of County Soil Conservation Contest 3, County Representative in District Conservation Contest 3, Junior Play, Marshal 3, County Red Cross Skit 3, Editor-in-Chief of Oak Leaf - Junior Edition 3, Glee Club 1, Z, 4, Debate Club 4, Secretary of Student Council 4, Student Council 2, 4, Chairman of Traffic Committee 4, Cheerleader 4, National Honor Society 4, Cheerleader Play 4, Most Intellectual 4, Best All Around 4, Best Dressed 4, Most Likely to Succeed 4, Junior Homeroom Treasurer, Most Pleasing Personality. WILLA MAE JOHNSON - Feature Editor of Oak Leaf 4, Library Staff l,4, Acorn Club Z, 3,4, Acorn Club Secretary 3, F,H,A, Club Secretary, 4-H Club l,Z, Latin Club lg Bus Drivers' Club 3,4. A, B, JONES - President of F, F.A. Club 3, Vice President of Senior Class 4, Bus Drivers' Club 4, F,F,A, Club 3,4. BILLY RAY LASSITER - Homeroom Secretary 4, Treasurer of Bus Drivers' Club 4, Secretary of Junior Class, Glee Club 4, Latin Club 1, Faculty Play 4, Junior Play, Male Quartet 4, Class Historian. EDWARD LASSITER - Basketball Z, Vice President of Freshman Class, Library Staff 3, Mono- gram Club 3,4, Annual Staff 4, Oak Leaf Staff 4, JEAN MASSENGILL - Glee Club l, 2, 3, 4, Acorn Club 2, 3,4, Student Council 3,4, Oak Leaf Reporter 3,4, Jlmior Class President, Editor-in-Chief of Annual, Best All Around, Most Likely to Succeed, Latin Club l, Junior Play, Chairman of Calendar Committee 4, Marshal 3, 4-H Club Z. BARBARA MAYES - Glee Club l, 3,4, Marshal 3, Acorn Club 2, 3,4, Secretary of Latin Club 1, Junior Play Cast, Assistant Editor of Annual 4, Oak Leaf Staff 4, Senior Class Prophet, Student Council 4, Junior Homeroom Chairman, Sophomore Homeroom Chairman Most Intellectual, Music Class 2,4. EDITH GREY PARKER - Glee Club l, 4-H Club l,2. JOSEPH PARRISH - F. F.,A. Club 3, Bus Drivers' Club 4, Acorn Club 3. PEGGIE ANNE POWELL - Glee Club Z,4, Treasurer of Acorn Club 3,4, Junior Play, Latin Club Calendar Committee 4. BROOKIE STRICKLAND - Latin Club l, Acorn Club Z, 3, 4, Monogram Club 3,4, Student Council l, Basketball Z., 3,4, Oak Leaf Staff 4, Biggest Baby, Biggest Flirt, All County Basketball Player 3, JEAN TEMPLE - Homeroom Chairman 2. BOWDEN THORNTON - F,F,A, Club 3,4, Bus Drivers' Club.4. KATIE LEE WILLIFORD - Acorn Club 1, Z, 3,4, Glee Club l,2, Library Staff Z.

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N ie .95 so feculiarv As I was ushered into the church by Bruce Brown, a promising young- attorney, soft strains of music reached my ears. Looking up, I saw Marjorie Allen seated at the organ. Then I looked around and saw that Billy Ray Lassiter, who had acquired the title of the most eligible bachelor in New York , Thomas Baker, a young artist already receiving the acclaim of the critics, and Waylon Adams, Manufacturer of the famgus Micky midget cars, were busily ushering in guests. I was seated beside Jea.n Massengill, now receptionist for the mayor of the city of Smithfield, none other than Thomas Johnson. After expressing our joy at having met, I saw a group from our home-town of Four Oaks appear at the door. Among them were Brookie Strickland, a sec- retary for the Register Lumber Company, Kay Ray Blackmon, a young wife, very prominent in society circles, Thelma Allen, a young teacher in the Four Oaks School, and Elizabeth Price and Louise Powell, telephone operators in the new telephone office in Four Oaks. As they sat down beside me, they said that Dorothy Allen couldn't make the trip because she was busy getting her basketball team in shape for the coming tournaments. The church rapidly filled while we were chatting, then Maurice Canaday, sometimes called a second Ezio Pinzo, got up to present a program of nuptial music. During the last song, the much-sought-after divorcee, Alma Jean Blackmon, appeared on the scene. As she walked sedately down the aisle, murmurs of admiration followed in her wake. After the program of music came to an end, the society photographer, Edward Lassiter, began adjusting his camera. Linwood Barbour, Earl Allen, and Billy Adams, all newspaper reporters, began to take notes. The minister, Charles Capps, took his place at the altar as the bride and groom, Shirley Johnson and Billy Blackmon, came forward, followed by Marjorie Barbour, the maid of honor. I could hardly believe that they were the businessmen and sec- retaries I was accustomed to encounter almost every day on their way to work. Then came the bridesmaids, whom I found to be Vivian Hansley, owner and proprietor of a bakery, Merle Norris, a happily-married housewife and Edith Gray Parker, an up-and-coming laboratory technician. Billy I-Iockaday, manager of a hotel in New York, had been chosen as best man. The groomsmen were Elwood Adams, a successful banker, Joseph Parrish and Norwood Bizzell, co-owners of an up-to-date dairy farrn, and Bowden Thornton, operator of a parking lot. The bride was attired in an exquisite wedding gown from The Peggy Powell Bridal Shop. She wore a purple.orchid from the Johnson Florist Shop, owned by Willa Mae Johnson and her husband, Dennis Johnson. After the wedding, the couple left the church in Creech's Taxi, driven by Billy Creech. When I left the church, I met lla Frances Allen, who invited me home with her. While we sat in her living room, she told me many interesting facts about our classmates of ten years back. Betty Stanley and Jean Temple had recently become airline hostesses. Margaret I-Iaskett was the new editor of the Four Oaks Daily News. This interested me very much, and I picked up the latest edition. I found that all the local business firms were congratulating the Creech Interior Decorators, operated by Brookie Creech and Lillian Creech. On the front page was news of Sarah Barbour and Retha Jernigan, missionaries, who had just left for Africa. I was sorry to learn that Bobby Johnson, owner of the City Barber Shop, had cut his throat while shaving, However, he was expected to recover, since the noted surgeon, A. B. Jones, was attending him. Muriel Allen and Katie Lee 'Williford were nurses in the local hospital. I was amazed to read that Gray Hayes and Doris McLamb and their grooms were honeymooning at Niagara Falls. As I finished reading the paper and leaned back in my chair to review the days events, it came into my mind that I had either seen or heard something about each one of my senior classmates, and I felt a sense of pride that they were all doing so well. In that respect the wedding had been unusual, but then Life is so Peculiar. Barbara Mayes, Prophet