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

Page 25 text:

Early in the spring, the Junior class made a great achievement by winning the first prize in the amateur show. The Joint Literary Society was organized and Juanita Leftwich was elected vice- president and Beatrice Yeaman, secretary. When the exams were over, we went out the door smiling because the Juniors of today would be the dignified” Seniors of tomorrow. The fourth glimmer shines with a white radiance, but there is no need of a re- minder of that last year in school because always it will stand out in my treasure of memories. Back again under the guidance of Mr. Cooper, twenty-seven seniors elected as class officers: David Giles, president; Christine Ingram, vice-president; Juanita Left- wich, secretary; Virginia Davis, treasurer; Mary Kinney, reporter. Miss Anne Hover came to teach the seniors English 4. Claude Shockley, Lucy Stone, and Ruby Hylton had left us to go to another school. ’Fessor Hoover’s Gang was again published by the Senior Class and Beatrice Yea- man was selected to be editor-in-chief. Early in the fall, we started the Timber Tints of ’39 with Juanita Leftwich as editor-in-chief, and Mr. Taylor and Mr. Cooper as sponsors. The class called a meeting to select the recipients of the various class honors. The following were elected: Kenneth Jones as Prophet; Sadie McCraw as Poet; Alma Cole- man as Framer of Last Will and Testament; Doris Berry, Song Composer; and Juanita Leftwich, Historian. The Valedictorian was Beatrice Yeaman, while Juanita Leftwich was Salutatorian. Ah, what is this? The Seniors with downcast faces! I remember, Mr. Cooper, our teacher, was leaving to go to another school, but Mr. Robert Taylor came to be our home room teacher and we were happy again. In the spring, the Senior Class, under the direction of Miss Anne Hover, pre- sented a play The Young Imp” which scored a great success. Alma Coleman and Mary Virginia Morris had the leading parts with Mary Kinney, Sadie McCraw, Thur- man Brammer, J. A. Eggleston, Terrell Clark, Doris Berry, Juanita Leftwich, Kenneth Jones, and Frances Prillaman as supporting cast. The Beta Club again resumed their duties under the leadership of Mr. Hoover. Doris Berry was elected president, Juanita Leftwich, treasurer, and Katherine Ramsey, reporter. Other Senior members of the club were Christine Ingram, Robert Hutcher- son, Mary Virginia Morris, Beatrice Yeaman, and Mary Kinney. Again the Joint Literary Society was organized, and Virginia Davis was elected president; Mary Kinney, vice-president; Christine Ingram, critic; and Willie Shanker, sergeant-at-arms. Another point of interest in the Senior Class history was the entrance of George Philpott, David Giles, Christine Ingram, Alma Coleman, Dossie Plybon, Sadie McCraw, and Rodes Boyd into the first grade and are now graduating together. I recall the merriest event of the year which was the Junior-Senior Banquet given at the Riverside Hotel. Now the glimmers retreat as if a shadow had come over them and all the memories fade but dreams, idealistic dreams replace them. So we, the Senior Class of ’3 9, stand and look into the future. Juanita Leftwich.

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History of Senior Class How a ring brings back memories, memories dear and cherished! The four glim- mers shining in my school ring fade into four wonderful high school years. In the first faint glimmer I see fifty-five eager freshman faces. We were divided into two groups under the guidance of Misses Virginia Romm and Dora Mitchell. We elected as our class officers: President, David Giles; Vice-President, Juanita Leftwich; Secretary, Lucille Rakestraw; Treasurer, Mildred Jarrett. The light grows brighter as spring approaches, which marks the beginning of the baseball season in which J. A. Eggleston, Kenneth Jones, David Giles, and Claude Shockley participated. Graduation day come bringing sadness to many but to us, the freshmen, freedom from the bondage of being snubbed and called fresh rats.” Ah, what a bright glimmer appears, and thirty-six heads slowly come into view. The heads are held up and the faces say. Here we are, sure of ourselves.” In this spirit, the sophomores of ’37 started out the school year with Miss Clyde Ramsey as teacher. Five new pupils, David Flora, Katherine Ramsey, Pauline Stone, Eugene Varner, and Billy Warner, came to join our gang,” but many of our former class- mates failed to return. The class again elected David Giles as president. In ’37, all the sophomores were requested to join the Literary Society. This memory is very amusing because we sophomores thought that no more worldly knowledge could be cramped into our heads. We were mistaken because we have achieved many great tasks through the Literary Society. A play Sky High,” was presented by Miss Sara Jane Jose. Doris Berry. Claude Shockley, and J. A. Eggleston took part in it. Several sophomore girls were also in the chorus. Mr. Cooper, one of the new teachers, came to teach the Sophomore boys Industrial Arts. I see a beautiful picture of lovely girls in line at the annual beauty pageant. Many of the girls entered the contest during their sophomore year. Examinations passed and the majority of the class came through with flying colors. We celebrated the great event by going on a picnic, but there was great lament when we learned that Miss Ramsey, our beloved teacher, was leaving for another school. The third glimmer shines with a clear brilliance and brings into my mind a happy group of Juniors. Not as awkward as the year before but a bit timid. Mr. Harvey Cooper was our home room teacher. One new pupil, Mary Kinney, came to be with us. David Giles was elected President of the class. The Juniors who were eligible for the Beta Club were Robert Hutcherson, Christine Ingram, Juanita Leftwich, Doris Berry, Beatrice Yeaman, and Katherine Ramsey. Doris Berry was elected treasurer of the club and Beatrice Yeaman, secretary. A play, Coast to Coast,” was presented by Miss Katherine Burch, and David Giles was the only Junior who took an important part in the play. Alma Coleman and Christine Ingram were in the chorus. An event that recalls much merriment was the Junior-Senior Banquet, at which our president presided gracefully.

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Prophecy When I first joined this honorable class In the year 1926, If I’d thought I would have had to prophesy, I would have been in an awful fix. But now as I look into the glass crystal At the Class of ’3 9, I see a group of promising citizens, With clean, honorable minds. I look into the glass crystal. Ah, I see our Tom Sawyer, David Giles, who led our class. Now leading the New York lawyers. He was walking up the Court House steps, When we met, he clasped my hand; He invited me into court, To listen to his witnesses on the stand. As we walk into the court, I asked, Who are you defending in this trial?” Why,” he looked so funny and said, Willie Shanker and Terrell Clarke.” You should have seen my eyes. As the judge called the court to order. The prisoners are brought under guard. They are dressed in costly suits. For bank robbery they were charged. The jury I hadn’t noticed. But now I began to look. To study their faces and their ways. For it looked as if the prisoners were hooked. There as the foreman of the jury; I had to look twice to make sure, Thurman Brammer, the great electrician. No member of them was more true. There sitting beside him In the very next seat, Was J. T. Williams, the great rancher, He raises the world’s finest wheat. Next to J. T. Williams, Why it’s Christine Ingram, I see The wife of a furniture worker, A model housekeeper is she. I only get a glimpse of who’s behind her, At first, I thought she would like to see them hanged with a rope. Why that’s Juanita Leftwich! You should read the books she has written.