John Graham High School - Warrentonian Yearbook (Warrenton, NC)

Page 17 text:

CLASS HISTORY We are the Seniors of John Graham and soon, very soon, our big moment will come. But before the engaging activity of the last months before graduation begins, we would like to take time out to recall many memories that we have lived at John Graham and that we will not forget in years to come. We entered the wide open doors of high school in September, 1946. The high school floor in the basement of the school was not unfamiliar to us since we had spent the previous year there and had met many new friends from the Afton-Elberon school. Our homeroom teachers were Mrs. Reid and Miss Elizabeth Allen, but after Christmas, Mrs. W. B. Stewart replaced Mrs. Reid. We were truly “green freshmen,” but it didn’t take us too long to get accustomed to the new pro¬ cedure. After getting thoroughly adjusted to our classes, we began to participate in various activities. Our class was represented with five members on the undefeated football squad of that year and members on the other teams as well. Two of us were chosen for the Seer staff and some played parts in the Dra¬ matics Club Christmas pageant. One member was in the Senior play “The Fighting Littles.” In our sophomore year, when our studies weren’t taking up our time in school, almost all the other activities were. We had excellent representation on all of the athletic teams. Five of us were on the Seer staff, and two were in the Monogram Club. Several of us were in the Dramatics Club. A large number of girls were in the Home Economics Club. In the spring thirteen of our class were proud to be tapped for membership in the Beta Club. By the time we were Juniors we had really become full-fledged high school students and were ready for big things. From the first of the year we held many class meetings, sold magazines, planned a big Halloween Carnival, and kept an eye on the Junior-Senior Banquet. Eight of us worked on the Seer and we worked hard for the Beta Club, especially in reorganizing the Glee Club, which the Betas sponsored. Two of us were on the Warrentonian staff. We were also cheerleaders and members of the Monogram, Dramatic, and Glee Clubs and the athletic teams. Near the end of the year came the Junior’s big occasion, the annual banquet and dance given by the Juniors in honor of the Seniors. 49er s Gold Rush as a theme provided as much amusement as work while preparing lor the banquet, under the able guidance of our sponsor, Mrs. Williams. As Seniors, we began this, our last year at John Graham, by electing class officers on the first day of school During the fall we were very busy making money, studying hard, and working in the ac¬ tivities In November we chose as the Senior Play, “The Little Shepherd of Kingdom Come.” We gave it on December 16th and the audience was very pleased. Our class rings and calling cards came before Christmas. Since the New Year we have been preparing this yearbook, the record of our deeds at this institution. We are eagerly looking forward to the trip to Washington, the Junior-Senior, the publication of the Warrentonian, and the Senior edition of the Seer. Then, too, perhaps a little sadly we are imagining farewells to familiar surroundings, such as the oak tree in the yard, “Warrenton Male Academy, the teachers, who are such good friends, the happy students, and John Graham itself. All too soon will come graduation and— “We are here, dear John Graham High, to fling your banners to the sky!” Class of 1950. Edward Allen Historian

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SENIORS SARA ELIZABETH TUCKER Beta Club 11, 12; Dramatics Club 10, 11; Glee Club 11; 4-H Club 9, 10, 11; Commencement Marshal 11; Usher Senior Play 12; Typist for Seer Staff 12. MARY ANNE WILLIAMS Dramatics Club 9, 10, 11, President 11; 4-H Club 9, 10; Beta Club 11, 12; Basketball 11; Home Economics Club 10, 11; Glee Club 11. VIRGINIA BOYD WILLIAMS Class Reporter 9, 10; Vice-President Class 11; Glee Club 11; Beta Club 11, 12; Vice-President 11; Commencement Marshal 11; Cheerleader 11; Dramatics Club 11. CORA MAE SHEAR1N cl S USZL Basketball 9, 10, 11, 12; Class President 9; Glee Club 11; Dramatics Club 10, 11; 4-H Club 9, 10; Monogram Club 10, 11, 12. CLASS POEM The time for us is drawing near; The time for us to part. Our parents and teachers long ago Did give us all a start. And now that we are finishing school, And are on our way to success, We want to do our tasks each day In this, our life of quest. For of all the careers there are today, There must be one for us, One we can do and learn and love And win our goal of trust. Our roads of life will not be easy; Our problems will not be few, But we’ll face them better day by day, John Graham, because of you. You taught us how to read and write. You showed us right from wrong, You gave us plenty of hope and courage And faith to face the throng. So as we near graduation day, There are lots of tears to shed, Tears of joy, and tears of sorrow. And almost tears of dread. We can never regret our school days; The good times that we’ve had here, And we hope that those who follow us Will keep you just as dear. We must keep striving for the best, And with God our chance will come, He does for us what no one can When life has just begun! Julia Ruth Miller

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PROPHECY It’s so hard to study tor this last examination. Everything calls your attention away from your work. Class night. Diplomas. 1 wonder what all of us will be doing ten years from now. We’ve planned a reunion. Our furlough at John Graham has almost ended and we’ve shed some real tears along with the joy. It’s such a nice spring day—I believe I’ll take a nap. I fall asleep. I dream and what a dream I dream! What do I see? Oh, it’s been ten years since we graduated from John Graham, and this is the day of our reunion. Three days of being together and picking up aquaintances, recounting adventures, relating conquests, good fortunes and brilliant successes. Shall I tell you of it? James Hicks, who played football so well for John Graham, gained national fame as Carolina’s star player. He is now coaching at one of America’s leading colleges. Joyce Hicks, the friendliest girl in the class, is hostess at the Waldorf Astoria. Annie Louis Parham spent several years in Hollywood making movies, but she decided to come home and marry Russell, her sweetheart of high school days. Vernon Fleming, after being Carolina’s basketball star, is now living in Henderson where he owns a big warehouse. Barbara Haithcock, the beauty of our class, is a model in New York. Her pictures have been seen on the covers of all the leading magazines. Julia Miller is head nurse at Park View Hospital. She is married to one of the doctors there. Mary Ann Williams is happily married to L. C. Davis. They have a cattle ranch about eight miles from Warrenton. Jimmy Capps, who did such a good job in the Senior Play, has taken up acting as a career. Ben Harris is a successful farmer in the Inez community. He also has one of the largest dairies in North Carolina. Rosa Bugg lives in the Vicksboro community and is the Home Demonstration Agent in Warren County. Those hours in shorthand and typing came in very useful for Grace Thompson, who is secretary for a law firm in Richmond, for Fannie Pendergrass, who is married and is secretary to a lawyer in Henderson, and for Sara Tucker, who is secretary to the governor of New York. Mildred Fisher is married and lives in South America, where her husband is a contractor. Anice Collins, the basketball star, is now coaching at Duke University. The ecstatic cry or swoon-crazy teen-agers is no longer “Frankie, we love you,” but, “Jimmy, we adore you.” Yes, our own school chum, Jimmy Adams, has gamed top honors as the Nation’s Number One Crooner. Rufus Harmon is a carpenter and now has a contract to build the new governor’s mansion in Raleigh. Cora Mae Shearin is a concert pianist. She will be playing in Carnegie Hall next week. Wiley Hester still lives in Warrenton where he is a prominent business man. He is also a town commissioner. Sam Hunter is owner of a large fruit plantation in Florida. He brought some of his delicious grapefruit for us to sample. Jimmy Limer is a professor of mathematics at Harvard. Molly O’Neal just couldn’t leave John Graham for long. She is now teaching the second grade there. Peggy Conn is, of course, Mrs. Bill Stevenson. They are living in Kentucky, where Bill is a buyer for the American Tobacco Company. Lucy Lynch is manager of Rose’s in Warrenton. Margie Pippin, the artist of our class, has gained world renown as a painter. Several of her paintings are in the White House. Harriet Traynham is professor of Latin at Vassar. Billy Capps is now playing professional basketball and is leading the nation in scoring. Gleen Neal is owner of a service station in Warrenton. Thomas Evans never forgot his days at Odom’s Flower Shop. He now owns a florist shop in Washington. Billy Collins has recently opened a new pool room in Warrenton. We hear he is doing a very good business. Jeannine Hunt, who kept us laughing in school, is now a radio and screen star comedienne. She has just completed a picture with Bud Abbott and Lou Costella. Jane Overby Pridgen came down from Washington with her husband and twin boys to attend the reunion. Evelyn Hight seems to have inherited her mother’s sewing ability. She is a seamstress in Washington, where she makes and designs many of the debutante dresses. Edward Allen is now Editor of the New York Times. We couldn’t get anything but a strictly business angle from him. Elizabeth Peoples is happily married and lives in Roanoke Rapids. Virginia Williams surprised us all. She never could decide between her many suitors. She is now teaching English at Wake Forest, her Alma Mater. Verlie Thompson is married and lives in Norlina, where her husband owns a grocery store. Billy O’Neal now owns a store in Warrenton which sells sporting equipment to many of the largest universities and colleges in the nation. This leaves only one—me. And what was I doing at the end of ten years? Why, I was still dreaming. Anne Egerton, Prophet.