James Monroe High School - Echo Yearbook (Fredericksburg, VA)

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CLASS WILL We, the Senior Class of 1949 of the James Monroe High School, of the State of Virginia, having completed our pursuit of knowledge in school and wishing to distribute our various assets equally and accordingly, do hereby execute this last will and testament. ITEM I To the faculty of James Monroe High School we bequeath our sincerest thanks and appreciation for being such wonderful friends and instructors to us during our memorable days in high school. ITEM II To the class of 1950 we bequeath the deeds to rooms 33 and 35 inclusive of the radio, the piano, and all carved initials on the desks. ITEM III To the Sophomore Class we bequeath for their Junior year, the courage to live through Senior Day. ITEM IV To the Freshman Class, who, when others smiled at our airs and dignity, still approached us with frightened faces and trembling limbs, we bequeath the precious little things for which we have no further use: our invisible gum chew¬ ing; our deft note passing: and our short-cuts in reading monthly book reports. By the early employment of such talents we hope that you may reach heights that even WE could never attain. CODICIL Joe Heffernan bequeaths his ability to give a history answer—right or WRONG—and stand by it to Billy Doumas. Jean Donahoe and Bobbie June Caverlee bequeath their ability to get along with the male population of this institution to Beryl Beck. Franklin Carroll and Bobby Reynolds bequeath their ability to get along with the female population to Jack Young. Natalie Lancaster and Judy Scott bequeath their stylish clothes to Betty Jane Thompson. William Stewart, Raymond Colley, and Aubrey Daffan bequeath their band instruments to Charles Whittaker, Bernard Curtis, and Gilbert James. Mary Frances Drew bequeaths her ability to rise at 8:45 a. m. and arrive at school at 8:50 a. m. to Eleanor Rae Jones. Nancy Hall and Carlton Onderdonk bequeath their golden voices to Phyllis Damron and Tom Schuler. Pat Heflin bequeaths her movie star collection to Harriet Maynard. We hope Harriet has room for them all! Betsy Brown and Mary Ellen Southworth bequeath their cute smiles to Anne Taylor. Tom Carey bequeaths his Delaware accent to Peter Hearn. Olga Bauer bequeaths her ability to out-shout the thunder of whispering Seniors to next year’s hard working home room secretary. Gloria Carter and Joyce Shepherd bequeath their beliefs that the way to a man ' s heart is through his stomach—not surgery, but cooking—to Nell Smith and Mary Anna Brickett. Frank Berry bequeaths his ability to get Lowell Self into trouble to John Wright so that John may use it on Mac Willis. Lowell Self bequeaths his ability to talk his way out to Mac Willis. Barbara Forbush bequeaths her good-looks and charm to Patsy Wilhour. Joe Scher bequeaths his wish to become another great disc-jockey, like our own Harold Green, to anyone who may have a similar ambition. Ellen Ross Gibson, Betty Belman, James Pappas, and Rodger Chartters bequeath their driving abilities to anyone who can keep their license and do what they did! Carrie Nunnally and Lois Harder bequeath their abilities to apply make-up —stage that is—to next year ' s Senior Play committee. Peg Snellings bequeaths her artistic ability to George Benson. Twenty-Six

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Mrs. Fleda Beable. The following Senior officers were elected: Joe Scher, Presi¬ dent; Edward Cann, Vice-President; Natalie Lancaster, Secretary; Billy Layton, Treasurer. The class motto became I am not afraid of tomorrow, for I have seen yesterday, and I love today! After much discussion, red and white were selected as the class colors and the American Beauty Rose as the class flower. A staff to edit the third publication of the Monroe Echo was chosen. Every¬ one gave this Senior class project his fullest cooperation. Lena Rivers, a three-act play by Mary Jane Holmes, was presented as the annual Senior Play, under the direction of Mrs. Mildred Chick and Mr. J. F. Dahlgren. On January 18, 1949, the Seniors found sweet revenge. Yes, it was Senior Day and the poor underclassmen were the unfortunate receivers of pranks mixed in with a day of good fun. A most eventful moment for the Seniors took place on January 20, 1949, when the class attended the Inauguration of President Harry S. Truman, in Washington, D. C. Charles Harding, an outstanding member of the Senior Class, performed a phenomenal feat by making a dollar go farther in 1 949 than George Washington did in the Eighteenth Century, which is miraculous indeed, taking into considera¬ tion the value of the present dollar compared to that of an Eighteenth Century dollar. For this feat Charles gained nation-wide recognition from many leading newspapers, and received many letters of congratulations. One of these letters came from far distant Honolulu. We are proud to have this outstanding athlete as a member of our Graduating Class. Seniors are always outstanding in extra-curricular activities. This year they took the lead in the functioning of high school clubs and organizations. A list of all school clubs and organizations and the number of Seniors enrolled in each are as follows; Commercial Club, thirteen; Science Club, sixteen; Library as¬ sistants, one; Varsity Club, ten; Glee Club, eighteen; French Club, twenty-two; Dramatics Club, thirty-two; Thespian Club, fifteen; Beta Club, six; G. A. A., eleven; Home Economics Club, six: Spotlight, twelve; S. C. A., twelve; Latin Club, four; Literary Magazine, ten; Key Club, seven; Band, four; D. O. Club, four; D. E. Club six; and Industrial Arts News, one. It is interesting to note that of these twenty school organizations twelve were led by members of the James Monroe Senior Class of 1949. We are, indeed, very proud of our accom¬ plishments in this field. Other interesting activities in which the Seniors took part during the year were the mock election, organization of the S. C. A., a radio program, class picnic, debating and public speaking contests, nights at the Youth Canteen, numerous dances and plays, and several sight-seeing tours. We who are graduating today are grateful for our many opportunities. To think of ourselves in comparison with those of other countries it sounds like we are just Climbing a Golden Ladder. We are living in a time of peace and prosperity, and one in which the emphasis is on the education, health, and well being of the individual. May each of us, with the help of God, be guided to do what is right for ourselves and for our loved ones. Bobbie Thurston Iiuenty-Five

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Bobby Thurston bequeaths his presidency of the S. C. A. to next year’s leading officer. Carl Howard and Joe McCary bequeath their 1 13 original excuses for not having their home work to George Jones and George Shepherd. Mary Oliver. Doris Pepper, and Virgilene Donald bequeath their basket¬ ball abilities to Peggy Sullivan, Sue Straughan, and Peggy Pitts. Teddy Jones and Frank Marchal bequeath their good-humors to Leo DeBruyn. Charles Linton bequeaths his ability to portray the father in plays to Bobby Hildrup. Billy Layton bequeaths his favorite spot at City View to anyone who enjoys a view of the city as much as he does. Ann Sacrey bequeaths her big brown eyes to Sidney Loving. Jimmy Hearn and Jake Ellis transfer their membership in the Bachelors ' Club to Rodger Loving and Hayden Silver. Virgina Stiles, Barbara Williams, and Shirley Townsend bequeath their abilities to get to school one-half hour early to anyone on the S. C. A. monitor system. Lee Pritchett bequeaths his long side-burns to Donnie Alexander. Ray Donald, Richard Hall, Charles Harding, and Henry Cloe bequeath their athletic prowess to Billy Middleton, Edward Cann, and Franklin Powell. Herman Carr and Virginia Brooks bequeath their abilities to act to next year’s shining stars. Tom Segar bequeaths his trouble in geometry to any unlucky Junior. Betty Jean Walker bequeaths her blond hair to India Lindstrom. Jackie Pitts bequeaths her post as the most romantic girl in the Senior class to Catherine Shelton. Peggy Flippo bequeaths her argicultural knowledge to Tommy Reed. Mary Ann Perry bequeaths her efficiency in the cafeteria to anyone who works there. Jean Layton, Delores Garnett, Jackie Green, Lucille Hudson and Frances Berry bequeath their desks in the Senior home rooms to any Juniors who pass. Barbara Garner bequeaths her love of pop-corn, and Sonya Sponseller, her frozen custard to some hungry underclassmen. Andrew Skinner bequeaths his WILLINGNESS to exert himself to Philip Coleman. Janet Chinn and Lucille Chandler, Barbara Eanes and Barbara English bequeath their friendships to Eleanor Pritchett and Pauline Binns. Doris Ann Lindsey bequeaths her drum majorette strut to next year’s drum majorette. Barbara Castle bequeaths her large vocabulary to Jimmy Jones. Mary Weber Stoner, Phyllis Burton, and Jackie Dagg bequeath their ceaseless talking to Ruthie Yanow. We KNOW that she will make good use of it! Marlene Kendall bequeaths her voice and a recommendation for a good throat doctor to next year’s head cheerleader. Virginia McGee bequeaths her horse-laugh to Joan Sullivan. Duke Taliaferro bequeaths his flashy plaid shirts to Nelson Graves. Tomty Cocke bequeaths a pair of shoes to anyone who is man enough to fit into them! Peggy Hall bequeaths the fun she had in making this will to the composer of the 1950 last will and testament. In Witness whereof, we, the Class of ’49, have hereunto subscribed our name and affixed our seal, the seventh day of June, in the year of our Lord, one thousand nine hundred and forty-nine. Class of ’49. Per Peggy Hall Witnesses: Peggy Snellings Judy Scott Twenty-Seven