Hookerton High School - Ho Hi Echoes Yearbook (Hookerton, NC)

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1897 FIRST ROW: Rob Edwards, Fannie Brown Edwards, Will Hooker, Freeman Hooker. SECOND ROW: Paul Kilpatrick, Cleveland Warters, Vera Taylor, Stella Kilpatrick, Mrs. Ida Jordan, Lucille Dixon, Mrs. Annie Dulas Dixon, Julia B. Taylor, Addie Thompson, Lena Warters, Hugh C Lonnie Johnson. THIRD ROW: Effie Grimsley, Alma Kilpatrick Vause, David Dixon, Annie Edwards, Johnnie Nobles, Mary Alice Jordan, Betty Jordan, May Belle Dixon, Will Kilpatrick, Annie Thompson, Milton Moc FOURTH ROW: Ethel Edwards, Will Jordan, Palmette Taylor, Leslie Jordan, Julia H. Taylor, Steven Nobles, Bettie Smith, Mr. W. H. Austin, Teacher; Robbie Johnson (or Will Arnold), Rebecca Moo: Hardy Vause, Mae Smith, Ara Jordan, Julia Jordan. FIFTH ROW: Hayward Edwards, Stella Warters, John Sylivant, Hattie Edwards, Newton Taylor, Ida E ' wards, Errol Dixon, Eva Johnson, Fred Edwards, Luther Kilpatrick. In 1902, Miss Fannie Dixon was teacher principal; in 1903, Miss Emma Palmer, and in 1904-1905 Miss Margaret Smith. Although Miss Mag” only taught in Hookerton for one year, she has continued to live here; she is Hookerton’s oldest citizen, and her home is the oldest dwelling in town. Then in 1905-1906, Mr. R. J. Matlock was principal. This was the beginning of his dedicated car of improving education and educational facilities in Hookerton. At the end of the year, he returned i Trinity College (Duke University) for further study. During his absence in 1906-1907, Mr. Godfrey served as principal. During the summer, preparations were made to expand the school plant. Mr. Matlock secured per mission from the Masons to build an ell on the north side of the building. This addition was used for the music instruction. Mr. Matlock hired Miss Mamie Dailey (Mrs. Newton Taylor) as our first music teacher. The piano purchased at this time is still being used today. It is the Stieff piano used in tl Auditorium in the present building. Also, included in the teaching staff was Miss Irene Sylivant.

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would possibly indicate that the school did not operate continously from its first chartering. In the same edi- tion of the RALEIGH REGISTER there was an article signed by the Trustees: William Pope, R. J. Powell, William Hooker, J. B. Hooker, Charles Edwards, and J. M. Patrick, Students of this Academy will have in their power to obtain the privilege of reading the books of the Pythian Library ... It is deeply regretted, that this Institution has been so long suffered to languish; but it hoped ... its future condition will be flourishing. Again nothing can be found except that in 1819 the General Assembly authorized the Trustees to raise $2000 by holding ,a lottery and in 1827 the Hookerton Library Association was chartered.” Again the institution was chartered in 1334 - had the school failed again? Perhaps this last charter was the turning point. In 1898, C. H. Mebane, Superintendent of Public Instruc- tion, featured Hookerton Academy as one of the academies of long standing in his REPORT OF NORTH ' At yj re fit fy ' yc r t rb- r ly o ' ter tc L . ? . a- , . ' Jk 6 . . « ■S’L - - — 89S. i ' ' ' J ( ' j r ' — A y‘ c s h f.y Ac- Ud-C-J- rc -t-c A rt C’ c t . OANACERS : THANKSGIVING DAY Thanksgiving Day in the Dear ole Town of Hooker- ton” was a gala occasion for forty years, beginning in 188 9. Miss Fannie Dixon Albritton known as Aunt Fannie with an aroused, reverent feeling for the motherless and fatherless promoted the idea (which had been -earlier instituted by the Masons) of a Thanks- giving Party for the purpose of raising funds for the Masonic and Methodist Orphanages in Oxford and Raleigh. This humanitarian desire spread throughout the Community with the townsfolk rallying to her idea and developed into both a benevolent and social occasion. All day you could see the young, interested couples and citizens going in and out of the Hookerton Academy preparing for the Famous Thanksgiving Party to be staged that night. From early to late afternoon young people were arriving from neighbor- ing towns and communities to be overnight and week- end guests in die hospitable homes of this village. At the appointed hour from every home in the community, they made their way to the Academy for an evening of real Southern entertainment and en- joyment. It was the dream of every young lady to be the Belle of this Seasonal Gathering. No nightclub or present day cabaret has been more magnetic to every age than the Thanksgiving Party of Yesteryear. Mrs. H. S. Taylor

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1907 FIRST ROW: Rob Hart, Bennie Sutton, Ludie Worthington, John Shackelford, Victoria Little, Lucy Bea- mon, Ellie Stocks, Bessie Dixon, Bertha Batts, Thelma Dixon, Bessie Beamon, Sallie Hart, Callie Sugg, Mary Ida Edwards. Fannie Tyndall, Rachel Mae Taylor, Mamie Edwards. SECOND ROW: Jasper Vause, DeWitt Allen, Richard Taylor, George Allen, Willie Waters, Jesse Shackel- ford, Shep Brann, Miss Irene Sylivant, Teacher; Josie Oakes, Cleo Baldree, Minnie Sugg, Mary Allen, Helen Palmer, Miss Mamie Daily, Music Teacher; Sophie Palmer, Rachel Vause, Alice Taylor, Myrtle Vause, Nannie Mae Vause, Bessie Lawerence, Kittie Sugg, Nina Mae Sugg, Mae Waters, THIRD ROW: Jim Little, Raymond Johnson, Willie Edwards, Joe Edwards, Mr. R. J. Matlock, Principal; Maud Braxton, Letha Dixon, Nora Spivey, Fannie Brown Edwards, Estelle Sugg, Janie Stocks, Effie Edwards, Ida D ail, Nonie Vause, Lillian Moore, Ernest Wooten, Harry Stanton Taylor, Charlie Murphy. FOURTH ROW: Herman Rouse, Seine Braxton, Frank Edwards, Tab Stocks, Jim Sugg, Sam Beamon, Henry Dixon, Leo Baldree, Arthur Oakes, Elmer Wooten, Buck Harrison, Fred Beaman, Will Kil- patrick. Under the guidance of Mr. Matlock, the school flourished; its educational opportunities were known for many miles. The curriculum was one of the best in the state. From a catalogue published - 1909- 1910 - Miss Mamie Daily has a certificate from the Southern Conservatory of Music, Durham, N.C... . She teaches by methods used at die Conservatory . . . This course will be given just as at the Conserva- tory at Durham, and a student will be credited there for work done here, if they ever attend this or any other Conservatory of Music. People from Lenoir and Pitt Counties boarded in the town and nearby com- munities in order to attend the school. In the spring of 1910, Mr. Matlock resigned; he was replaced by Mr. C. K. Proctor; he was followed by Miss Winnie Harper of Snow Hill in the fall of 1911. Miss Harper, like Mr. Matlock, helped expand the school program. As a sidelight, an entry made by Miss Winnie in her school register stated, Raked leaves twice and have made money to buy a basketball outfit and a croquet set. We have also lines for the tennis and basketball courts. Today we hear many local citizens laud tributes of praise on Miss Winnie. According to the minutes of Jerusalem Lodge No. 95, on June 24, 1913, permission was granted the school trustees to build an annex on the south side of the building similar to the one on the north side. This would have been in the summer preceding Mr. Matlocks’ third administration, 1913-1915.