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

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Prophpcy The other day, as I was looking over my shelves of books for something to pass the time away, 1 stumbled upon my copy of the 1951 Timber Tints. It sure doesn’t seem like ten years since I and the rest of that “nutty” gang were “digni- fied ” seniors. Gosh, why it seenis just like yesterday, but time does fly. But believe me, we’ve left our mark on this world. Why I can’t even open a magazine without a picture of that famous Byrdmobile popping up right before my eyes. Billy Byrd really hit the jackpot when he designed that ' And what about Jack Allen about to receive his Master of Science degree in diesel engineering with dishpan hands from washing out those “economy size” garments. Kay Belcher just finished writing another best seller, “How to Trap Tall Men.” ell, experience is the best teacher. And Mary Jane Austin really raked in the chips on her invention, something called Blowhard Bubble Gum, I believe. Have you read Ellsworth Haley’s latest comic strip “Pluto the Plutonian. ” And Everett Whitlow is constructing those architectural wonders as fast as Jimmy Statzer can design them! Quite a team. R. J. Frye isn’t doing bad as District Attorney, and what about Dennis Case being elected Senator — Moved out just in time for Taylor Fulcher to be inaugurated Governor. They call him “yodeling Fulcher.” 1 wonder what WGllace Hatcher, that great scientist, can think of to discover next. Seems to me he’s discovered everything already. Speaking of discoveries, have you heard of that rich uranium deposit three ol’ prospectors, namely Bernard Stone, Versil Washburn and Roy Wall, discovered up in Alaska. Raked in a coupla’ cool million off that deal. Bernard Martin and J. C. Turner are doing a swell job with the F. B. I. Brains and Brawn — some combination! I never miss Violet Turner’s radio program if I can help it. She has some simply scrumptious recipes. Another favorite program is Bobby W right’s jazz hour — actually makes me feel young again. Gary Carter isn’t doing bad as a pilot either — set some sort of world record the other day; I forget what, now. I have the awfullest time keeping up with this crowd. Wdiat with Lucille Hall inventing all sorts of cleaning fluids ’specially to remove lipstick stains or your money back, and StViart McGhee giving me tickets for speeding through town every other day. I wish I had privileges like that engineer, Roger Hylton, who comes zooming through here every 10 minutes, but then I don’t have a streamlined, jet-powered locomotive either. Bassett used to be little more than a hole in the road, but now with that big, new department store Geneva Ashworth has opened and Frances Edmonds’ drugstores, it’s grown some. Puddin’ Haynes sure has a nice lumber yard. Doing plenty of business, too. And Alma Ingram and Nancy Holt have opened up a super beauty salon. I see lots of my friends there when I go to be beautified — regular old hen house. Dorothy Hamby’s new play, “Life of An Army W ife,” opens at the local playhouse to- night where Donald Dyer just finished a series of concerts. People are often amazed that celebrities like Peggy and Ann Philpott, the latest movie queens. Bill Law, the

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Senior Class History Commencement time? Can this be us, Seniors of 1951? Why, it seems like a dream. A dream that had its beginning four years ago. How proud we felt when one hundred and seventeen of us entered Bassett High School for the first time. Especially when Peggy Philpott, a member of our Class was runner-up in the Beauty Pageant. The next fall one hundred of us returned as sophomores to enter the new school building. With J. C. Turner as our president, we began to feel as if we really belonged. More of us participated in sports and in club activities. Again Peggy Philpott was runner-up in the Beauty Pageant. Seventy-seven of us returned as juniors. J. C. Turner, again, was our presi- dent. Under him we had a very successful year. Members of our class had places on the varsity teams and others were cheerleaders. The Junior Class gave a three- act play, “One Mad Night,’’ which was a big hit. This time Peggy Philpott was chosen “Aliss Bassett’’ in the Beauty Pageant. However, the biggest thrill came when we gave the Seniors their banquet. Then the Seniors of “50” graduated and we were the Seniors. And now for the last part of our dream but certainly not the least. Our class rings came; football season ended; the Senior play and banquet are behind us and just memories. We find ourselves in our caps and gowns waiting to march down the aisle. Soon we leave, never again to return as students of Bassett High School. But from us, the Seniors of “51,” we say, “Alay your dreams and memories be as wonderful as ours are.’’ 19

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Prophecy newest thing in crooners, and Miss America i960, who was Mary Swain, could come from such a small town. J. E. Swain is known as the great profile out in Hollywood, best thing since Valentino, I hear. And Esther Lawson and Lorena Bennett are just taking over the Roller Derby. Jean Curry tied with Hilda Bradner for the title of “Airs, f louse- wife, 1961.” Of course, those championship basketball teams, coached by Bobby Young, are drawing a lot of attention and with Cleo Agee’s girls’ team on the same ticket — it’s even better than those double features we used to see at Stone Theater. And they aren’t the only ones who are featured of the faculty. There’s Clara Bryant, who’s teaching history, and Bertha Deal is slowly turning gray headed from trying to drill a little bit of English into some of those “ pea-brains ” over there. Just like the old days, under Miss Lipscomb. Jewell Hall is teaching a special course in handwriting (boy , did some of us need it) and Martha Sue Turner isn’t doing bad in the Home Ec Department. But I’ll bet Jesse Frith, that outstanding agriculturist, could give them all a few points. Boy, oh. Boy, is he doin’ a bang-up job in the Chemistry department. I hear that all the kids are so fat they can hardly get up when they get down, now that Joan Jarrett and Joy Lee Prillaman are running the cafeteria. But I don’t believe a word of it. No indeed, ’cause if that were true we would have all fatbacks and no halfbacks or quarterbacks or wing or tailbacks on the football team at all. Ronald Alyers is in charge of the wood shop saw and Vlarvin Hall and Bernard Joyce are teaching a class in auto mechanics. Let me see, that certainly isn’t all of the old gang. O, yes, the Miracle of Aliracles has just happened — I’m sure you all remember Alex Fitzner, our one and only postgraduate. Well, he’s teaching a course in danc- ing at the high school! Now what do you think of that! Progress is certainly slow but sure. Pauline Spencer is dietitian for all the Henry County schools now and Dorothy Setzer was appointed ambassador to Sweden. Not half bad. Dot! Lewis W. Thompson and Raymond Hall are doing pretty well in that machine shop they opened and Virginia Ingram and Ruth Johnson certainly have a nifty little dress shop. I heard someone remark the other day that Betty Ruth Mullins sure was a swell nurse and I have to agree. What about Alona Lee Alartin eloping with her boss.? But I guess she’ll make a better wife than secretary. I bumped into Norma Lee Shelton the other day on the street and after I admired her new hat (she makes ’em you know) she told me that Mary Ruth Prater is opening that new restaurant. This is all fun, but I know you’re tired of hearing me chatter. One other thing, if you ever feel slightly off the beam or as if you have a screw loose in the upper regions, come on up to see me and I ' ll do what I can for you. Not that business is bad but — (I run a home for mental patients you know). Bye now, I’ve got to run before my kids drive my patients crazy. Doris Jean Young 21 )■ -