Hopewell High School - Kaleidoscope Yearbook (Hopewell, VA)

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CLASS HISTORY—Continued The purpose of this government was to teach honesty and self-government to the pupils of our high school by means of various squads consisting of high school students and a student council of representatives from each class. Billie Walthall, now a cadet in V. P. I. was our first president. This government has proved very successful in the years that have followed its installation. During our baseball season of ’26 we beat Petersburg, that seemingly unconquerable school in baseball with a score of 15-14. This was one of the gala seasons at Hope- well and much was said over Petersburg’s defeat. In April the annual High School Minstrel was started. The success of this minstrel was due to the business men who took part in it and helped those high school students taking part. The building was crowded the two nights the minstrel was shown, thus proving that the hard work and long hours spent on it were not in vain. In May we decided to give a May Day program and after weeks of practice we were ready to give it. There was to be a king, a queen and all the royal court, athletic contests and exhibitions. We had all gone to the Tubize ballfield and were ready for the program to begin when it began to rain, so of course, the program was cancelled. —Lillian Alderson. THIRD YEAR The big feature in any Junior’s high school career is the Junior-Senior banquet. This means work and yet a larger portion of pleasure. In the first place money had to be made in order to get this. Our class gave a mock faculty meeting, and a popularity contest, as was the cus¬ tom. Then, too, a movie was given at one of the local thea¬ tres for our benefit. With this aid the banquet was a big¬ ger “hit” and better success than ever before. Even the haughty and dignified Seniors themselves were forced to acknowledge this fact. The minstrel, too, was a bigger success this time than ever before; in fact, it was given three nights in succe s¬ sion instead of two. —o-

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Class History FIRST YEAR ISTORY, as we have learned, is a true narrative of what civilized man has done, thus, in the history we will endeavor to relate what our “civilized” class has done in relation to our school. We, the Freshmen Class, half-scared and wholly green, were just making our debut into the society of High School life, under the new and most honorable name of “Rats,” little knowing that in our midst were the future “butchers, bakers, and candlestick makers.” To begin with, we began our career in the old high school, now the John Randolph School. Due to new con¬ cerns in Hopewell the attendance had so increased that the building was overrun. Because of this the “Rats” could go only a half-day. Indeed, the class itself was so large that it had to be divided and placed under two teachers. Both of these teachers happened to be new ones; one sec¬ tion under Miss M. R. Richardson and the other under Miss Trosvig. This year there were many more new teachers, among them being Miss Parmesano, Miss Robertson, Miss Rutlege, Miss Oliver and Mr. Denton. With the new teach¬ ers, the new pupils, the new course of study, and the divi¬ sion of the class we had many trials and tribulations, but our skies were considerably brightened, when, after the Christmas holidays in January, 1925, we entered the new high school building. This year the Dramatic Club was begun in earnest, with Miss Mary Rives Richardson as the sponsor. Since then, the Dramatic Club has been recognized as one of the busiest organizations in school. Annually, at least two plays are given under the supervision of the sponsor. —Mary Winston. SECOND YEAR The history of the second year of our high school career was most eventful. In February a new form of govern¬ ment was introduced, that of Student Self-Government. Ar

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CLASS HISTORY—Continued The library, an important factor in any school, was really begun. Many good, beneficial volumes were bought, and each student brought at least one wholesome book to be circulated among the students. An athletic field has been started in “our own back¬ yard.” Already the influence of the traffic squad, many of whom are from our class, has been noticed in the order of the cafeteria attendance also. Mary Winston. FOURTH YEAR In the fourth year of our career we established a news¬ paper, “The Kaleidoscope,” which proved very successful during its year of trial. Two new Literary societies have been founded—the Edgar Allan Poe and the Sidney Lanier Societies. These societies have done much to promote the study of higher classics. A Latin Club has also been formed which is progressing rapidly. This year there has been a change in the annual min¬ strel. All those taking part were from the high school group and a show part was added to the minstrel which made it an added attraction to the people of Hopewell. Another important accomplishment this year is that of the publication of an Annual the first we’ve had since ’25, and we worked on it very hard. Our new societies and clubs have created an atmosphere of hard work throughout our school. In our dear old high school we have learned to take advantage of our opportunities and we have learned the value of self-government. We owe our success so far, in life, to the determination of the pupils and the help of our faculty. At all times our teachers have been ready to help us through our difficulties. Although we, the Seniors of ’29 are about to enter as mere Freshmen in the School of Life, we shall never forget our good times as “Rats,” “Sophs,” Juniors, and Seniors. —6—