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

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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

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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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U lzatjd yor e U We, the Senior Class of Four Oaks High School, of Johnston County, North Carolina, do revoke all wills and codicils heretofore made by us, and do hereby make, publish, and declare this our last will and testament in manner and form as follows: ARTICLE I. The Senior Class leaves to the Juniors their ability to stand in two straight lines, which Miss Tabor can see between. ARTICLE II. To the Sophomores and Freshmen, we leave our brilliant brains. That's a laugh. ARTICLE III. Muriel Allen leaves her friendliness to Evelyn Hansley. ARTICLE IV. A. B. Jones leaves his great dependability to Gene Baker. It is a very desirable character trait to have Gene. ARTICLE V. Peggy Powell leaves her true blonde hair to Peggy Gilbert and Shirley Coats. I guess Peggy P. would say, It just'comes naturally. ARTICLE VI. Bettie Stanley leaves her homeroom period whispers to anyone who doesn 't get a chance to talk enough before the tardy bell rings. ARTICLE VII, Bruce Brown leaves his job of carrying the newspapers to the library to anyone going by the Post Office early in the morning. Whoever gets the job, please get to school on time. ARTICLE VIII, Sarah Barbour leaves her ability to drive carefully to Faye Brown. Watch that accelerator, Faye! ARTICLE IX, Billy Hockaday leaves his position on the mound to Charles Upchurch. Billcan really slug that ball too, Charles. ARTICLE X, Margaret Haskett leaves her industriousness to Faye Lee. Faye, one as indus- trious as Margaret will surely be successful. ARTICLE Xl. Billy Adams leaves his seat in chemistry class and his title of the biggest flirt to J. G. Medlin Jr. J. G. , chemistry plus studying yields good grades, but chemistry plus girls yields the opposite. ARTICLE XII, Kay Ray Blackmon leaves her sweet disposition to Norma Gray Blackmon, ARTICLE XIII, Doris McLamb leaves her beautiful set of teeth to anyone who hasn 't any of her own. See Doris for measurements. ARTICLE XIV, Bowden Thornton leaves his shyness to Horace Keen. Don 't be too shy, Horace. ARTICLE XV, Thelma Allen leaves her curls to Doris Jean Allen. Make good use of them Doris Jean. ARTICLE XVI. Gray Hayes leaves her quiet ways to Peggy Mahler. ARTICLE XVII, Edward Lassiter leaves his brains, wit, and place on the Honor Roll for the first six weeks to Haywood Lee. Haywood, you'll have to see Edward about the rest of the six weeks during the year. ARTICLE XVIII, Marjorie Barbour leaves her good looks and popularity to Jo Ann Lee. ARTICLE XIX. Merle Norris leaves her ability to get a diamond to Sallie Mae Holly. She can cut a rug pretty good too, Sallie Mae. Q ARTICLE XX, Waylon fwaymanl Adams leaves the knack of keeping his hair carefully groomed to Orville Love. Start grooming, Orville! A pair of scissors would come in handy too! ARTICLE XXI. Dorothy Allen leaves her title as the most athletic girl and her jokes to Airlee Barbour. We prefer the basketball, Airlee! ARTICLE XXII, Dennis Johnson leaves his job of buzzing the buzzer to any Junior who likes to buzz around. ARTICLE XXIII. Jean lvlassengill leaves her ability to scram out of a jam to Laura Beth Sanders. Jam gets mighty sticky, Laura Beth. ARTICLE XXIV, Edith Gray Parker leaves her love for speech class to any nervous person. ARTICLE XXV. Brookie Strickland leaves her flirty ways to Geraldine Beasley. Brookie decided to keep her athletic ability, it might come in handy at W. C. next year. ARTICLE XXVI, Bobby Johnson leaves his curly hair to Durwood Johnson. We want to see some curls, Durwopd. ARTICLE XXVII, Louise Powell leaves her habit of blushing to Edna Mahler. Your face is red, Edna. ARTICLE XXVIII, Norwood Bizzell leaves his Southern drawl to Harold Lee. You almost have that down pat any way, Harold. ARTICLE XXIX, Elizabeth Price leaves her axnbitious ways to Ethelene McCabe. That's a mighty fine characteristic for one to have, Ethelene. ARTICLE XXX, Linwood Barbour leaves his manliness 1200 lbs. of itl and his wisecracks to David Sneed. David, you better start eating a second plate of food at your meals and add a few vitamins. ARTICLE XXXI, Brookie Creech leaves her love for history to anyone who cares to know his past, If anyone is interested, see Mr. Smith or Mr. Woodard.