Livingstone College - Livingstonian Yearbook (Salisbury, NC)

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On September 29, 1942, a ship of 77 innocent and superstitious minds sailed into the great port of Livingstone College. The entire crew was aware of the storms that might have to be encountered; but despite the tempestuous seas of misunder- standing, we had decided to discover more and new territories. We realized, however, that our ship could not sail successfully without organization and under- standing. It was therefore necessary that we elect officers for our first year at sea. These were: James Rainbow, President; Sherman Blackwell, Vice- President; Sylvia Taylor, Secretary; Gertrude Cox, Assistant Secretary; and Ambrose Brazelton, Treas- urer. Arthaniel Harris and Hayes Gordon repre- sented us on the Student Council. From this point we beg to progress. Rapidly were we beginning to get into the trend of college life and grasp the spirit of loyalty and devction te Livingstone as exemplified by our predecessors, when the war clouds began to hang more heavily over our ship. Lower and lower they came until it was necessary for some of the members of our crew, along with millions of others, to answer the call of our coun- try. They were as follows: Ambrose Brazelton, Alfred Edwards, Alleyne Henderson, James Boul- ware, Sherman Blackwell, Calvin Anderson, Harry Krider, and Andrew Whitted. This was quite heart- breaking to us, Lut we were proud that we were able to contribute men for the sake of preserving democracy and keep Old Glory” flying high. Despite the disruption in our crew, we were still able to keep the spirit of ‘46 waving high. In April of that year, we gave one of the most spec- tacular social events ever before given in the port of Livingstone College. Also during that year, quite a few honors and awards were given to some members of our ship. Arthaniel Harris won the Trent-Walker Oratorical Medal; Ruth Robbins, the AKA Sorority prize; and Benjamin Covington the Laissez-Faire Hobby prize. In the fall of 1943 our members had decreased to 57. We thought that some of our superstitious ideas had departed after a year’s stay at sea, so we elected George L. Smith to guide us safely through the dangerous paths of class matters that were ahead of us. We hadn’t been back long when the inevitable hour came to one of our crew, Seabron Carpenter. Our hearts mourned his de- CLASS HISTORY parture; still we kept our spirits high and deter- mination was by no means lessened. This year Benjamin Covington won the Dr. W. A. Coleman award and James Rainbow the Lancaster-Devane Science prize and the Moore award. The sailing was rough, but George Smith guided the ship like an old sea captain on to victory. We again embarked in 1944, but because of various class catastrophes encountered upon the sea of Biology, Chemistry and Mathematics; and because of the sand bar of Algebra, together with the dreadful diseases of English, History, and So- ciology, our number of members decreased consid- erably. However, we were still succeeding. Several new members joined us. We were guided this year by Benjamin Covington who continued in the footsteps of the former presidents. We gave one of the best Junior-Senior Proms ever given, we tanked second in the ‘’Miss Livingstone’’ contest, and Veitta Fair won the Junior Medal in the J. C. Price Oratorical Contest. 1946 found us still fewer in number but by no measure less determined or courageous. Volina Jeffries was crowned ‘’Miss Livingstone,’’ which brought recognition to the crew. We lost no time on this year at sea. We went to work immediately so that we might be prepared to meet adequately our obligations. George Smith, with his staff, worked untiringly on the annual. However, storms still raged and it seemed as if the engulfing waves would wash away our unity and interest; but despite discouragements, the officers of the fleet: Benjamin Covington, President; Veitia Fair, Vice- President; Volina Jeffries, Secretary; and Vivian Duncan, gave command to ‘Sail On’'!—and so we are singing as we go as did an illustrious son of Livingstone in ‘94: Oh Livingstone, My Livingstone When thou art old with age Thou, ioo, shall hold a noble place That's bright on memory’s page And in the sky, no cloud shall be Instead thy sun shall beam Prosperity shall live always Amid its golden gleam. W. HAYES GORDON

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CLASS PROPHECY While rushing aboard the ‘Spirit of 56” today, to our surprise we met one of our former class- mates, Clara Martin. It brings to our minds another trip taken by 87 classmates on the ‘Spirit of 46.” Since parting from the crew, I, Mary Owens, sci- entific research worker, and Claudia Martin, teach- er, have been unaware of succeeding events. Clara, popularly called ‘’Butter-Roll,’’ therefore proceeds to give us the accomplishments of our bold and adventurous crew. Chatting and pausing often to greet passengers, she managed to give us some of the “latest.” You do remember that quiet shipmate, Ruth Robbins, don’t you? She’s now head of the Depart- ment of English at Howard University, where she received her Master's Degree. She also has her Ph.D. from the University of Boston. I hear that her profession has not interfered with her marital life. Butter-Roll’” informs me that Volina - Jeffries is now modeling gowns and hats for Sak’s in New York. Can you imagine it? She actually plans to marry and leave soon for Hollywood with her husband—lucky gal. Florence Bunch now has her own nursery on Eighth Avenue, in N. Y. She and her husband live peacefully in a lovely Dunbar apartment. Marie Jones has also gotten her greatest wish, a nursery schcol in her home town, Plain Field, New Jersey. Those Elementary Teachers really are being suc- cessful. Surprisingly, we learn that Pauline Gleen is teaching art (her headache) in her dear Pfaff- town, N. C. Incidentally, she is now Mrs. Rosebry. Upon visiting the Mother Zion Church of New York we are pleased to find Arthaniel Harris as pastor, and doing a fine job. We also learn that Virgil Hill and George L. Smith are running for Bishops in the A. M. E, Zion Church. Smith's family has increased to six. Leaving New York, we take a Southbound train from Pennsylvania Station. We no sooner settle and prepare to read comfortably when we receive several shocks. There smiling charmingly before our eyes is a picture of Hayes Gordon. The cap- tion reads: ‘‘Latest Hollywood Find’’; and he is starring with Lena Horne in her latest picture. Hazel Graves is also starring in this picture. Far- ther back in the same paper we fin d pictures and writings of three other classmates. Imagine our surprise to learn that Elnora Wooten is collecting information for her latest book, ‘Saturn Pounces Upon the Earth.” There is a picture of Alice Shaw with the information that she has just received her Ph.D. Degree at Atlanta University. There is also a writing covering the recent assignment of Bernice Yoeman as Laboratory Technician at Gen- eral Electric. Our next stop is Williamston, West Virginia. Here we find Julia Beatty as supervisor of the science laboratory at a high school. We also run into Mary Boger who is now visiting public lec- turer of kindergarten methods. Leaving Virginia, we stop in Washington. Soon after arriving, we hear that Juanita Pitts is now a surgeon at Freedman Hospital here. She is doing a very good professional job. While in Washington, we meet Elizabeth Young, Vietta Fair, and Elizabeth Smith. They are in Washington to make a report on the Negro Housing Problem in Mississippi. We learn from them that Gertrude Cox, Angeline Pembreton, and Otha Abernathy have just completed their experiment on soap produced from the peanut. Our next stop is at Gastonia, N. C., where we visit two of our former classmates, Rosalie McClain and Louise Patterson (the former Louise Black). They are co-principals of the elementary school there, where Louise’s husband, Duke, is principal ot the high schocl. We have arrived in the midst of plans for Rosalie’s wedding to a former sweet- heart. They supply us with more of the “‘latest’’ as follows: Benjamin Covington is now a success- ful dector in Hamlet, N. C. Arnolia Wilkins has confined herself to her housewifely duties and seems to be enjoying it, especially the rearing of her two healthy sons, aged 2, 4 And Guernia Jones, a Professor of Education at Tennessee State, her former Alma Mater. Our final stop is at our dear old Alma Mater. Here we find Loftus Carson is school lawyer and Whisperiell Clark is school nurse. It is a most interesting and pleasant discovery. While in Salisbury we are entertained by Mrs. Vivian Duncan and her husband. She has suc- cessfully combined elementary school work with home making. She tells us that Mrs. Genevieve Van Catledge has just accepted the leading so- prano role in the opera “La Traviata.’’ We find also Mrs. Annie Sue Evans, with her husband, taking her rightful position as leader in her com- munity. We learn from Mrs. Clark that Magretta Clark is still traveling in Europe as a reward for her work, ‘'The Tubercula Bacilli.”’ Having finished the search for our classmates back to their and our starting point, our Alma Mater, Claudia and I now bid our fond adieu and go our separate ways. MARY R. OWENS CLAUDIE MARTIN

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UNDERCLASSMEN AND ORGANIZATIONS