Luther Jackson High School - Tiger Yearbook (Merrifield, VA)

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(-tail! OM l fcwewM Is it really possible to write the history of a graduating class? Every class has hundreds of faces and hundreds of voices. What the voices say is not necessarily what the class believes, and what it believes is not necessarily what it will act on. Its motives and desires are often hidden. It is a medley of good and evil, promise and threat, hope and despair. And yet, each class has some features that are more significant than others, each has a quality as dis¬ tinctive as a man ' s accent, each makes a statement to the future, each leaves behind a picture of itself. The class of ’57, entered the halls of Luther Jackson in September, 1954. It was a new experience made slight¬ ly more frightening by the constant talk of the difficulties and restrictions facing the New Students” who had spent several years at Manassas Regional High School. Our first semester was one of adjustment. At the end of it, we real¬ ized that success in each related course in our program was as important as success in the major course. Threatened repeti tion of a whole term’s work brought home this sad lesson to an unfortunate few. The end of the second semester found us with more professional attitudes toward the program; determined to be scholars in the true sense of all that the word implies. The fields we chose were varied. They included elective, vocational, business education and ' college preparatory. The first year, as well as those which followed, was not wholly consumed in academic pursuits. Luther Jackson students of the class of ' 57 distinguished themselves in the worlds of art, music, oratory and sports. During our brief stay, our drama enthusiasts have had opportunities to display their talents in such vehicles as Moor Born and Curtain Going Up. Gail Newman, Barbara Hawkins and Roscoe Grayson had leading roles in these plays. Further dramatic, musical, and dance talent was uncovered in the Modern Dance Recital in the Spring of 1956 and 1957. The annual Spring Concerts of the Music Department have presented our outstanding vocal and instrumental talent-to enthusiastic audiences. Etta Terry was awarded first places in the local and district musical contests sponsored by the Lions Club of Fairfax. The Oratorical Contests saw the development of quite a number of orators. Prominent among these was Mary Goins, who won first place in the annual Elks Oratorical Contest, and was the recipient of a $400 scholarship. The 1955-56 and 1956-57 basketball seasons saw the Tigers” bring home victory on many occasions. Further honors in the sports realm were won by our football and baseball teams with the help of Roscoe Grayson, Robert Thomas, Gilbert Carter, Leo Coates, Chester Coates, Guy Collins, William Peterson, Paul Jones, and Wilber Duncan who were prominent athletes. Our athletic-minded girls included Barbara Hawkins and Deloris Whitney. Deloris was awarded a trophy for being the Best All-Around Girl in Sports. In the annual Science Fair of 1956, Wilber Duncan distinguished himself with an honorable mention in the Algebra Contest. Further evidence of scholastic attainment was seen by the induction of Ada Scott, Gail Newman, Gloria Gibson, Mary Goins, Roscoe Grayson, Gilbert Carter, Chester Coates, Wilber Duncan, Barbara Bush, and Bar¬ bara Hawkins into the National Honor Society. Our class, ever mindful of its responsibility to the community, has participated in several service projects, such as the Red Cross, Thanksgiving and Christmas basket distribution, the March of Dimes, sale of Tuberculosis seals, and many others. Several seniors were the recipients of numerous other honors. Among these were: Lee Barbour ' s daughter won the Baby Luther Jackson Contest sponsored by the Student Council. Miss Basketball of 1955-56 was the title held by Deloris Whitney. During our Junior Year, Ruth Ann Jones was crowned Miss Homecoming for 1955-56, while Julia King graciously reigned over the homecoming festivities, as Miss Homecoming for 1956-57. Roscoe Grayson held high the banner of the Class of ' 57 as the winner of the Senior Quiz Contest in ' 56. Further honors were accorded a member of this senior class, when Gail Newman was selected as the Queen of the Months, by the Zeta Chi Omega Chapter of Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority in 1956, and as President of the Student Council for 1956-57. It is impossible to include all of the highlights of our high school career in so brief a space, but the few events mentioned above take their place in our treasured memories. Closing the pages of our brief history and looking into the future, we shall always remember with grateful appreciation our parents and teachers who have made our high school career rich with fulfillment. As the strains of the graduation march build slowly to a crescendo in the background we turn the pages of this book and live again our four memorable years of high school. Reluctantly we close the cover and leave the corridors and classrooms, the clubs and cafeteria, our teachers and friends, the athletic activities and socials, to take our places as world citizens. To Luther Jackson High School, hail and farewelll

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HERMAN TURNER ROBERT THOMAS DELORES WHITNEY WAYNE WILLSON IX

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