John D Bassett High School - Timber Tints Yearbook (Bassett, VA)

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The Crystal Cazer I gaze into the magic crystal hall , The mystic sphere which holds the past And future of my classmates each and all; And like the wind they move so fast. With outstretched hands I try to grasp Them close to me and hold them tight, And never again let them out of my sight. As the mysterious smoke which enshrouds the ball Thins and disappears, I see the name that I love best, The three letters that are engraved upon my mind, Good old B.H.S. where the immortal sun will for- ever shine. Behold this name I see some more; Lo, it is the date of 1954. I am standing on the corner of something very new, For in 1954 it ' s a streamline avenue. Suspended from a building is a sign of white and brown. On it reads, “ Vote for Elmead Turner for the mayor of this modernistic town.” On passing by the “ Radium Theater,” I wanted to know what ' s playing. On the screen was “ The Purple Sage ” Plus Evelyn Snead and Celia Shanker on the stage. Next to this was a music studio. Who rented this studio Pd like to know, So I read the sign above that stated: “ Inez Craig and Hazel Hundley, Incorporated.” On the next block was a radio store. The whole front was trimmed with Neon lights; On the roof was the word that I adore. With letters six feet tall, “ W. F. Wright ' s.” Oh, 1 hear a noise above me, It ' s an airplane that I see. In 1954 tt ' s the only means of transportation, Thanks to R. P. Scott for this progress in aviation. Speeding down the street In an airflow limousine, Was the grandest sight I ' ve ever seen. There sat Juanita Williams with a pearl necklace Around her neck And a diamond pin in her hair. For she had married a multi-millionaire. As I walked unconsciously on the way, I bumped into a friend of mine of bygone days. Today he was the king of speed. It was none other than handsome John Snead. I looked across the wide avenue. A humorous sight came into view. Why, it was the funiiiesi sight in all the land; It was Hazel Stone running a beauty stand. In passing the town ' s golf course, I noticed on the green Robert Carter taking the cup For being the national champion. I noticed up the street a crowd of girls around An old pal of mine from my home town, For then and there he made his show; It was Paul Hollandsworth, the professional gigilo. By me passed two enormous trucks Loaded with pigs, chickens and ducks. Although he did not become a girl charmer, God made Alton Purdy a prosperous farmer. In passing by a horse race track, I saw John Helms on a horse ' s back. And on his face were scratches and smudges, And around him stood three stately judges. Since my school days I wasn ' t surprised, That some day John Helms would take the first prize. I heard a voice shouting behind me, I turned around to see who it could be. It was neither G able, Garbo or Taylor; It was Lorine Shropshire, Sec. of Labor. She said, “I’m glad to see you, Joel Fine.” “ Come up and see me, and I ' ll give you a job, sometime . I was as weary as can be When a beautiful painting attracted me. I hurried over there to be sure, And to be true at the bottom was Johnnie Aus- burne ' s signature. Oh, there’s an accident, and someone has broken a leg - Oh, my stars, it ' s Jimmie Craig. I knew that great comedians couldn’t last, For now he ' s got his leg in a cast. And gee, with Elsie Metz as his nurse, I know that’s a lot of money out of somebody ' s purse. I noticed signs floating everywhere Of the new sensation that was in the air; Thelma Brammer has written a new book On “Why Should Women Learn To Cook.” There’s a public gathering up the street. A piece of land was being confiscated; And whom do you think I should meet — Odessa Turner, married and domesticated. The latest news is out, And it ' s all about A woman has been elected. It should have been expected That Lorene Eggleston Would some day go to Washington. I stopped to visit an old friend of mine, The most well-known man at this time; Gray Jarrett has become a great orator And acquired the job as state legislator. As I turned the last corner of this paradise, I met someone who was very nice. I asked her for her autograph; Frances Martin is on the President’ s staff. -Joe Fine.

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One day there were many tears shed by some of the Junior girls in History IV Class. A trip had been planned to Richmond and there was much disappointment when the trip was postponed because of bad weather. They did go the next week- end and had a good time. The Junior-Senior banquet was a fete enjoyed by all. The banquet was in the form of an aeroplane trip with aeroplane decorations and green and yellow color scheme. Thelma Brammer, junior class president, was toastmistress. The day after school closed we, the Junior Class, had a picnic. Nearly all the Juniors were present. As it was raining we went to the Country Club House, but it later cleared off and everyone had a good time. This was our last gathering until the next fall. In the fall of thirty-six we entered Bassett High School for our last year. Some old students did not return, they were: Helen Bowers, Doris Vaughn, and C. M. Stafford. We were joined by some new ones: Paul Hollandsworth and Quayle Early. Quayle Early did not stay with us but about a month and he moved to Charlottesville, Virginia, and entered high school there. The Senior Class elected as our President, Gray Jarrett; Vice President, Jimmie Craig; Secretary, Thelma Brammer; and Treasurer, Lorine Shropshire. Again we were represented by the same group of athletes, joined by Paul Hollandsworth. John Helms was manager of the basket ball team. A play, “Sky High,” was presented in the auditorium under the direction of Miss Sara Jane Jose. Some of the Senior boys and girls, Inez Craig, Lorene Eggles- ton, John Helms and Gray Jarrett, were chosen to play important parts in this play. The Seniors who participated in the chorus were Juanita Williams, Frances Martin, Elsie Metz and Celia Shanker. The Seniors had a meeting and elected the following representatives of the Class: Lorine Shropshire as Historian, R. P. Scott as Framer of the Last Will and Testament, Joel Fine as Prophet, Johnnie Ausburne as Poet, and Evelyn Snead as Song Composer aided by Lorene Eggleston. The honor of Valedictorian was won by Thelma Brammer while the honor of Sadutatorian went to Elmead Turner. Other honors given to the Seniors were: Thelma Brammer, Editor-in-Chief of the school newspaper, Gray Jarrett, Associate Editor, John Snead, Business Manager, Celia Shanker, Senior Reporter, Evelyn Snead and John Helms, Sports Reporters, Inez Craig, Society Editor, and Jimmie Craig, Humor Editor. The class chose as the Editor-in-Chief of the annual, Thelma Brammer. The Bassett High School Literary Society was organized which was com- pulsory for all High School students. Inez Craig was elected president of the General Literary Society. The High School was then divided into two competitive societies. Air. Harvey Cooper took charge of Group A which was called Patrick Henry Literary Society, and Miss Alildred Akers took charge of Group B which was called the Jeffersonian Literary Society. Jimmie Craig was elected President of the Patrick Henry Society, while Thelma Brammer was chosen President of the Jeffersonian Society. The Home Economics Club was organized by Aliss Clyde Ramsey. The Beta Club was formed for the first time in Bassett High School with Mr. Hoover as sponsor. Some of the Seniors who were eligible for membership were Thelma Brammer, who became President of the Club, Celia Shanker, Elmead Turner, R. P. Scott, and Joel Fine. On Alarch 19th a Beauty Pageant was given and some of the Senior girls were contestants. Hazel Hundley, one of our classmates, was selected as “Aliss Bassett °f I 937 -” The annual Junior-Senior Banquet was held in the Riverside Hotel April 9, 1937. It is an occasion which is anticipated with much pleasure. We expect this record of our class to go down in print and to become one of the famous histories of America. Sincerely yours, Lorine Shropshire

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A Cruise With The Merry Cans W ERE you invited to take a cruise with the Merry Gang? If you weren’t, then we certainly feel sorry for you, for you don’t know what you missed. We embarked on this voyage April 9th at the Riverside Hotel with a crew of sixty. Passports, which were issued a week previous to the voyage, had on them a description of the persons to whom they belonged, and invited them to the mess hall of the ship Bassett High School at 8 bells. Every passenger had to present his passport at the dock in order to board the ship. However, there were many stowa- ways. The mess hall carried out the color scheme of red and white, and ships were placed here and there on the tables. The favors were small red and white ships on which were attached a lifesaver and a small life boat full of mints. The programs, which were red and white, had a very artistic ship design on the front. All the sailors wore red and white sailor caps. The course of the cruise was as follows: Song — Hail, Hail, The Gang’s All Here (All) The Commanding Officer (Toastmaster) Howard White Toast to Seniors Codell Jones (President of the Junior Class) Stories Heard on Deck (Senior Poem) Johnnie Ausburne Piano Solo Hazel Hundley Tribute to an Old Boat (Senior Prophecy) Joel Fine An Old Sailor’s Story (Senior History) Lorine Shropshire Toast to Faculty June Stone ( June Stone, Virginia Grogan, Dorothy Song { Hamlin, Maxine Philpott and ( Jessie Williams. Cruiser’s Will (Last Will and Testament) R. P. Scott, Jr. A Cablegram (Toast to Juniors) Gray Jarrett (President of Senior Class) Many jokes were told, making the trip a very gay one. A storm occurred at sea when all the passengers started throwing mints at each other, and the com- manding officer had quite a time making his orders heard. The mess consisted of: Lighthouse Driftwood Barometer Rudders Searchlights. . . . Waves Portholes Pirate’s Delight Icebergs . . .Tomato Juice . . . .Veal Cutlets Potatoes Beets String Beans Cherry Jello . . . Buttered Rolls Angel Food Cake Ice Cream Those who went on the cruise were:AIisses Thelma Brammer, Inez Craig, Lorene Eggleston, Hazel Hundley, Frances Martin, Elsie Metz, Celia Shanker, Evelyn Snead, Hazel Stone, Lorine Shropshire, Odessa Turner, Juanita Williams, Mabel Joyce, Marjorie Clark, Mildred Franklin, Virginia Bell Franklin, Virginia Grogan, Dorothy Hamlin, Myrtle Hancock, Mildred Helms, Minnie Helms, Codell Jones, Edna Joyce, Hope Leftwich, Elsie Mitchell, Nellie Moran, Maxine Philpott, Nellie Philpott, Arlene Prillaman, Estelle Prillaman, Reva Shelton, June Stone, Jessie Williams, Ellery White, Mildred Akers, Clyde Ramsey, and Dora Mitchell. Messrs. Johnnie Ausburne, Robert Carter, Jimmie Craig, Joel Fine, John Helms, Paul Hollandsworth, Gray Jarrett, Alton Purdy, R. P. Scott, Jr., John Snead, Elmead Turner, Wasena Wright, Jason Giles, Ralph Ingram, Mack Little, Melvin Stone, Edward Varner, Howard White, E. C. Hoover, Christian Merritt and Harvey Cooper. The faculty sponsors for the banquet were Misses Ramsey and Flannagan and Mr. Cooper.