Lincoln High School - Lincolnian Yearbook (Kansas City, MO)

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KEEP FIGHTING, SENIORS There was a group of high school seniors who were expecting to be graduated, sitting around a fireplace, listening with great interest to an old woman whom they all called “granny,” and who told them of the past and predicted the future. “Granny” was a woman about eighty-seven years of age. One could easily guess she was very old because she was very thin with white hair and deep lines in her face which indicated suffering, sorrow, poverty and many hardships. She was born during the slavery period. At the end of the Civil War, when she was eleven years old, she first realized what it meant to be free. She had often dreamed of a life in the outside world; a world where she could speak what she thought, praise God when and where she desired. This wish had been made pos- sible by the great emancipation. “Boys and girls,” she began, “the Negroes did not play as important a part in the Civil War as they are doing now and as they will be doing before this war of today is over. There was a time when my people could not vote, walk on the sidewalks, and praise God; but dear ones, time changes things. We are gradually being given our rights. We vote now, walk on the sidewalks and say practically anything we want to. All this she spoke in a steady, smooth voice which indicated that she was earnest. “There are some things which we, as Negroes, are not allowed to do, but never you mind, for when you are men and women, and that won’t be long, you will be able to get any type of job, and do anything that any other loyal American citizen can do. You are loyal American citizens, and you will be treated as others are.” She paused to gaze into the red coals with her narrow, but wise eyes. Then she continued by saying that she didn’t believe that there was any record in American History where the Negro had proved disloyal, and yet people of every other na- tionality who have come to America, secure jobs which the Negro should have. “Children, go on to school and get your educa- tion. Don’t you know that you can’t share in this democracy unless you are prepared for it? Education is a very precious thing and you can’t make much progress without it. “Do your part to win our war,” she said suddenly. “I say our war, because it is just as much yours as it is the white man’s. We were born under the American flag, and we must not let preoccupation with our enemies at home blind us to this. It’s ours —fight for it, die for it. 1 hink of our predicament if our country was ever subjected to the rule of Adolph Hitler. You know what he thinks of Negroes. I Ie thinks we should he slaves for the lighter races, that we are like animals with no morals and no ideas. It is your duty in this fight to prove to him the opposite. Prove to him that you are human and have ideas and an understanding of what morals are. Get into the swing of this thing and work side by side with your fellow citizens to win our war. By doing that you also show your fellow citizens that you deserve equal opportunities when the nation is at peace.” There was not a word uttered by the student, for they were busy thinking about what “old granny” had said. “Maybe she was right,” they thought. They had been told that this was the white man’s war, and country, so why should they risk their lives for those who had treated them unjustly, but now they have been enlightened. “Granny” went on the predict the future. “Chil- dren, twenty years from today, you will be among the millions of Negroes who have won their places in this world. You will be respected as American citizens. You will be successful congressmen, judges, lawyers, skilled workers, and will be in many posi- tions which your varied ability will permit you to enter. Those people who have cast you aside, be- cause of your color, will look up to you as ideal Americans, and will be delighted to serve a person your color in their hotels and stores. You will be placed in high offices in the army, navy, and air corps.” “Granny” added this bit for among the group of listeners gathered on the floor were some who wanted to fly and to be hostesses aboard the planes. “Granny” concluded by saying, “Boys and girls, go out into the world and do your job so well that there will be no question about your efficiency; then you can take your places in the march for progress.” — Addie Lewis. LAUGHS “Where did you get that fine hat?” “1 bought it ten years ago. Seven years ago I dyed it black. Three years ago I had it pressed. The year before last I had a new band put on it. Last week 1 exchanged it at a restaurant.” SHOWING RESULTS Teacher— “Surely you know what the word mirror means. After you’ve washed, what do you look at to see if your face is clean.” Tommy— “The towel, sir!” Student— “When an eagle takes a child up in his nest, does he eat him?” Miss Smothers— “Of course, you don’t think he takes him up there to rear him, do you?” Teacher— “Surely the reason you don’t get your lesson isn’t spring fever?” Jean Pearl— “Oh, yes it is, too, because I saw a robin yesterday.”

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JACQUELINE GREEN Attendants Arlene Edmondson and Gloria Williams Contestants Virginia Hawkins, Helen Murdock, Jacqueline Green, Gloria Williams, Lois Love, Charlene Bass, Emogean Davis, Novellar Vinson, Marie Sampson, Laye Boothe, Thelma Harmon, Evelyn McGinnis, Helen Baxter, Catherine Randall. Ou i 2ueen

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Id UJe ee Ah! science is indeed wonderful. Jamie, just think how valuable our new discovery is. In our new strato-liner which moves faster than the speed of light and with our new type cosmic lens we can visit future years and see what progress will be made by our graduating class in the year 1962. In our strato-liner soaring high above the clouds, let us focus our views first of all on the bright spot of America, New York. Well visit the all-famous Wrigley Building and chat with chief technician, Charles Hollins. We find after talking to Mr. Hollins that the owner of the largest chain of hotels in the United States is Mr. Elbert Caldwell. We leave the Wrigley Building and start out to try to give ourselves something to remember New York by. Our attention is attracted by a large sign ad- vertising The Water Follies. Of course having never seen one, we go. To our amazemeent we see our friend and colleague, Betty Floyd, dive from a twenty-foot board as from the banks simultane- ously go twenty or more brown skin beauties. After the follies we walk out to observe the pageantry of New York bright life on the boule- vards. Suddenly I am nearly knocked down by an unobserving pedestrian. Upon careful scrutiny I learn it is Mr. John Gipson, Judge of one of the largest Courts in New York. Wonders will never cease, however, because on my last day of visit in this city I turned on my radio and heard ‘your announcer has been Joseph Carter.” We again enter our strato-liner and head toward Dayton, Ohio, to the National A. P. Exposition. Suddenly the ship gives a lurch indicating we are out of fuel. We land at the nearest field which is Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. Here an election is in progress and we learn that the candidates are: Mayor, William Grant Moore, a prominent lawyer; District Attorney, William Dancey, teacher of Theology; and Council-Woman-at-Farge, Jo Ellen Burwell, crack criminal lawyer. We were later informed all candidates were elected. At the A. P. Exposition we see things one would never dream to be true. Catherine Garrett, Home Economic Specialist is in charge of the Foods Buildings, Charlene Bass has devoted to her art work, an entire unit titled, “Onward America.” Although we could have stayed here many more days we thought it best to move on. Our next stop in the year, 1962, is Lansing, Michigan, where we visit the prison and Warden Floyd Paschal. While in Lansing we learn that in Detroit the new automobile “Fleet Bust” has just been released and it is the greatest discovery to date. The designer and builder is none other than Jack Bush. Again we are on our way. “Floating in billowy clouds of life, Never again shall we go back to strain, stress and strife.” Why, here we are at Marquette University in Wisconsin. To my amazement I see my friend, Leonard (Snooky) Thurman, studying hard. He expects to be coach at Lincoln University. Having chatted a while we are inspired,, by what we learn from Thurman, to visit the famous Mayo-Gilmore clinic, formerly Mayo Brothers. Dr. Gilmore is very cordial to us and sees that no stone is unturned while assisting us in our observation of the clinic. Our competent guides are Nurses Frances Caston and Florence Brashier. Later in the evening we are honored dinner guests at the Jackson-White Hotel. The owners are David Jackson and Florence White, life-long friends. Florence tells us that Emma Jean Ham- bright, superintendent of elementary schools is also happily married and has a lovely set of twins. Not to wear out our welcome, we say goodbye and entered our strato-liner and turned her nose toward Chicago. Our first stop is the all-famous Carlock Building, where Bettylu Carlock, formerly Cespedes has es- tablished a training school for secretarial work. Her able assistants, we learn are Cora Mae Stiger, typing expert, Myrtle Gross, Shorthand expert, and Jac- queline Green, statistician. All of these persons are in charge of their various divisions. Later we visited one of the large theaters man- aged by Leon Watts, Stanton Center, founded by Frances Stanton, and Patillo Llniversity, founded by Dorthula Patillo. The next evening we attend a boxing match staged in Kinsey Bowl built by the famous Dr. Luther Kinsey. After the fights, Marvin Finney is heavy weight champ and Vernon Wallace, light weight champ. Our visit is complete after visiting the large and beautiful Tom Tit Club where William Hodge is owner and Orchestra leader. We speak to Tom and learn of his famous tours and popularity. However, we must be on our way for we have little time left to complete our tour. Our next stop is Kansas City, Missouri. Here we find still in existence the institution that had built up such a fine reputation, a branch of the National Urban League. Ann Watkins is Executive Secre- tary, Josephine Mayberry, Secretary in charge of Child Welfare, Virginia Wilson, Secretary, and Geraldine Doty, Industrial Relations Secretary. Our final stop before returning home is sunny California, where we observe a Chiropodist conven- tion is in session with Dr. Pearl Logan presiding. In the latest picture to be released from Holly- wood, we find Imogene Byrd cast as the Star. Elijah Downing, we learn is head of the French Department of Southern University.