Kernersville High School - Retrospect Yearbook (Kernersville, NC)

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WHEN YOU AND I WERE YOUNG

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CLASS HISTORY | ‘“‘ ‘Reading, ‘riting, and ‘rithmetic, all to the tune of the hickory stick” is an old saying quite familiar to all of us. Twelve years ago, September 14, 1938, 109 youngsters got their first glance inside a classroom—-all ready and willing to learn their three R’s. We were divided into two sections with Mrs. Erie Hedgecock and Mrs. Jean Whitaker as our teachers. An unusual characteristic of our group was the sets of twins who were in Mrs. Whitaker’s class—- Wilbur and Weldon Idol, Faye and Ray Marshall, and Jean and Joan Nelson. Mrs. Whitaker really had to be on her P’s and Q’s to distinguish one twin from the other. Possibly the greatest event of our first year was the presentation of the Tom Thumb Wedding given by Mrs. Whitaker’s tlass. Mary Ann Rector was the bride, Michael York the groom, and Sonny Smith the officiating minister, That is one experience we pupils who participated in the play will never forget. By the time we reached the second year we were ready for graduation: however, there was one obstacle in our way—our parents. They weren’t too sure that we were prepared to go into the world on our own; so, they “urged’’ us to continue our studies, despite the fact that we had no particular love for studying. Whatever our outlook on school and education, under the diréction of Miss Ida Maye Higgins and Miss Clarice Jones, we went through the second grade with little difficulty. With Mrs. Briane P. Maultsby and Mrs. Ida Roberts as our third grade teachers, we learned to like school a little bettér. We had some trouble in learning multiplication and division, but it was worth the effort of learning to know that we were broadening our mental capacities in doing so. Our fourth year was a very memorable one to those unfortunate pupils who were spanked by Mrs. Blake for walking With a book on their head, pointing a finger, or failing an arithmetic test. We knew that the only way to pags the fourth grade was to study, and study we did. By coincidence, both of our fifth grade teachers were named Blanche—-Miss Blanche Westmoreland and Mrs. Blanche Fulp. If experience is the best teacher the boys are well informed on the “rubber hose,” a special device of Miss Westmoreland’s to remind her pupils who held the upper hand. One of the bright spots of this year was when Dennis Bell came to our class from Mexico. We will never forget the struggles we had in the sixth grade under the supervision of Mrs. Mary Pinnix and Miss Allie Higgins, who is now Mrs. George Fulp. This being our sixth year in school, we realized that we were half way through, and strove to do better and more efficient work. In the seventh grade, our teachers were Mrs. Kenneth Greenfield and Miss Sara Deaton. This was, perhaps, the hardest of all our school years, but with the assurance of our teachers that the only wav to pass was through ‘blood, sweat, and tears,’’ we buckled down and really got to work. So far we had been divided in two sections, but due to the loss of many students, in the. eighth grade we were combined and placed under the watchful eye of Miss Maidie Bunch, This year marked the beginning of departmental work in English and mathematics taught by Miss Martha Mickey and Miss Helen Jones respectively. We had no formal graduation exercises from the elementary school, but we were honored by having the Class of 46 transfer to us their class colors, red and white, and their class flower; the red rose. In September, 1946, we took our seats as freshmen with Miss Mary Jane Baker as our home room teacher. To us, this was the beginning of four wonderful high school years, filled with pleasant memories, hard work, and many good times. Two of our pupils left us this year, Paige Apple, who moved to Sedge Garden, and Barbara Allen who moved to Bethlehem, Pennsylvania. To fill one of these vacancies we were happy to welcome Edith Stafford from Guilford. The tenth grade was one we shall always remember. Mr. Alvin Sutton taught us until April. When he left to go into business in Winston-Salem, we were glad to have Mrs. Kermit Smith teach us. Along with trying to learn all we could, we really had our good times, although we did add a few gray hairs to the heads of our teachers. There never has been, and possibly never will be, a more happy-go-lucky, carefree; rowdy group of sopho- mores than we. This year we were very glad to have Jim Hester join us from Colfax; but very dis- appointed to have Dennis Bell, whom we shall never forget for his intelligence, wit, and humor, leave us to return to his native Mexico. Also, we were sorry to have Wilbur and Weldon Idol leave us. We lost Weldon to the field of matrimony and Wilbur to the field of farming. Both must be doing nicely, as Weldon has a wife and a home, while Wilbur is sporting a 1950 Chevrolet. Having been so mischievous during our sophomore year, we resolved to do better during our junior year. Juniors! Could we at last really be this near the end of our high school goal? Four new pupils were graciously accepted by our class this year—-Mary and Clara West from Burlington, June Dull from Lewisville, and Ed Cooke from Georgia. The traditional Junior-Senior Banquet, held at the Sheraton Hotel in High Point, May 18, 1949, climaxed our years in school. All of us enjoyed making the customary Daisy Chain to be presented to the Seniors of '49 at Class Night Exercises; but we regretted that this meant bidding them farewell. Close of school also meant losing another pupil—Ed Cooke, who left us to move to Fayetteville. The journey from 1938 to 1950 has been a rather difficult but pleasant one. September, 1949 meant much to all of us—we were at last Seniors—all thirty-eight of us eager and determined to make our last year in school the most enjoyable and beneficial of all. With the opening of school this year we welcomed to our class Calvin Morris from Summerfield. Our Senior year has been full of pleasant and memorable events. As the year marches on, we look forward with anticipation to the Junior-Senior Banquet and to graduation; yet knowing that graduation will bring sorrow to each of us. We will never forget the friends we’ve made nor the good times we have had at KHS. We hope that in some way we have shown the high regard we have for our teachers and the admiration we have for our school. To everyone who has had a part in giving us the education we have attained—we offer thanks from the depths of our hearts. Frances Kiger, Class Histortan

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CLASS PROPHECY May 24, 1960 Kernersville, North Carolina ' Dear Roger, I must confess that this answer to your letter has taken more research than those themes we used to write back at K. H. S. Since our graduation in 1950 I had completely lost track of over half of the members of our class. Upon receiving your letter asking about our old classmates I im- mediately set to work tracking them down. Here are my results: Thinking that she might have a solution to my problem, I made a trip to see our home room teacher, Mrs. Brower. At long last she has retired and is spending her days writing. Her latest book, “How to Study Mac- beth,” will go to press in July. I wonder if she still employs the same ole tactics. But I must hurry on or I’ll have to write a book myself. While in the post-office the other day I met Theo and told her about your letter. She and Paul have found it necessary to enlarge their house since the arrival of the twins. She told me that Imogene has taken a job modeling for Sosnik-Thalheimers in Winston-Salem. You remember the year she was queen of the Halloween Festival? Well, age hasn’t greyed her already white hair. Eloise Parrish has a wonderful new beauty shop called the Pompador. While she was laboring over me the other day she told me about Peggy Stafford’s new work. She has just gotten a job as commercial artist for B. Altman Co. Remember those illustrations she used to draw in English? Her talent has really payed off. Do you remember all the girls who were engaged—-or engaged to be engaged-——during our senior year. Most of them are now spending their days in the fascinating work of homemakers. Mary West is supplement- ing her housework with a job as advertising manager of the Kernersville News. She did a good job of that on the Beehive. Murphy Stevens is managing the Hanes Hosiery Girls’ Team. Remember what a spirited player she used to be? The triplets, Emma, Thelma, and Faye, are all married and live side by side in Montview, the new development of Kernersville. If they stay together like they used to, I bet their housework suffers. Nancy Ingram has opened up a sewing shop in Kernersville. Remember the time she won the D. A. R. Dressmaking Contest? I dropped in there the other day and she was telling me about Clara West’s dress shop, The Chic, in High Point. She was also full of the news of Linnie Idol’s new position as private secretary to the President of Burlington Mills. I knew she would go places with that typing record she had. Ellen Hastings’ picture appeared in the paper last week. She has been made head supervisor of nurses at City Hospital. Edith Stafford, who also went in training, is assistant to the head surgeon at Johns Hopkins. Kernersville’s mew clinic boasts Joan Linville as head nurse. And now for the intellectual members of our class. Wilma Winfree is head of the English Department at Appalachian. They must have put a spell on her when she went up there to school. Back at K. H. S. in a teaching position is Wilma Watson. I often think how nice it would be if we were all back to enjoy the many improvements. Remember the year Faye Tatum won the D. A. R. Menu Contest? Well, she has combined that experience with the practice as Editor of the Retro- spect to put out a wonderful new cookbook which has just overrun the country. Shirley Ragland has just opened in her third show on Broadway. Who could ever forget those dancing exhibitions she used to give in the gym at lunch.