Marshall High School - Marshallite Yearbook (Marshall, VA)

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Class History Classmates. I have a story to tell. Once upon a time there were fifty-four young' boys and girls. Some were tall and beginning to show promise of being handsomeg others were short and dumpy with the ages 13 and 14 showing in their faces. All of them were scared for a while. but later on the newness of high school wore off: and they became as noisy as other high school people who were never known to keep a secret. My story begins in September 1940 when the Senior class of 1944 entered the Marshall High School. Things were so different from the ele- mentary school: there were such classes as Latin, algebra. science. history and lllnglish. The only thing my characters were sure of, when questioned by Mr. Russell and Miss liubank as to the courses they proposed to fol- low. was that they didn't know. In some way the sheep and goats were separated and all the boys were together in one section and all the girls in another. Now do not ask your narrator which was which. but let it be sufficient to say that a few sheep finally got in with the goats and vice VHTBQI. Soon the Freshmen were told to elect representatives to the newly organized S. C. A , and a constitution was read to them -much to their amazement: for they thought a constitution was something in small print added in the back ol' the civics book to make it heavier to carry home on those rare occasions when a little study became necessary. Under the very popular Miss Eubank. a music class was added to the curriculiun. and many ol' the characters of my story learned the meaning ol' opera and symphony in place of boogie-woogie and jazz. In spite of failures, marriages, and jobs. thirty-seven F-ophomores were recruited on September 5, 1941 in Miss Partlowls home room. Uncle Sam had called two of his nephews. Mr. Russell and Mr. Gwin. into the army and they were replaced by Mr. Werth and Miss Martin. On December 7 there occurred the world shaking event that was to change the destinies of all my characters in some way. The slogan Re- member Pearl I-Iarbor was the watchword of allg so great an effect did it have that several boys joined the Navy and returned in their suits of Navy blue to give the girls thrills and heart-throbs.

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Saluiatory Address Mr. President. members of the faculty. classmates and friends: How many times in life we are forced to admit the inadequacy of words to express our feelings. Even Tennyson. the poet, wrote: I would that my tongue could utter The thoughts that arise i11 me l This is one of those occasions, friends. I have been chosen as salntatorian of the class of '44 to bid you welcome. W l11LCUlVlE I The word that endeavors to express our greetings to you. Perhaps there is no better way of saying it than we hope you are wellg we see you are comeg and we know you are vi-dcornef' -vu Words are elastic. Of themselves they may be small and worth- less: but the meaning really depends upon the emotions that call them forth. To you, this may be only a pleasant occasion, for we shall certainly try to make it sog but at best, it will be one of many such occasions in your life. To us it is a real red letter day. one of the brightest spots in all our lives and one that we shall treasure in our storehouse of memories. To you it may be but a pleasant place to while away an hourg tousitis nil st l gtl, tli lth t t ' a 1' e one a on I9 'ourne o' i'e. ant e in eres on show in coming to bid us God-speed is deeply appreciated. To those who have a personal interest in us as the boys and girls they have watched grow into young manhood and woman hood. it means much more than to the guest to whom we are but strangers. To those who can remember their own feelings on a similar occasion. it will be a reminder of their early hopes and aims: and they will have for ns a kindred feeling of sympathy and understanding. To our parents and relatives. it is an hour of pride and affec- tiong to our teachers an hour of joy in our success and regret, we hope. over the necessity of parting. So much. you SSB. depends on the individual point of view. For us, tonight closes an epoch in our livesg our dreams of 'be- coming graduates of the Marshall High School have at last come true Will you then rejoice with us as we present to you our class night program? And now with apologies to Mr. Shakespeare, may I say, L'The quality of welcome is not changed. It gushes from the heart that overfloweth unto the ears that hear. It is twice blest: It blesses them that speak. and those that hear. I-IARRIET SINCLAIR

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Class History icontinuedl To facilitate the use of films for educational purposes the School Board gave the curtains for darkening the auditorium windows. The Sophs. thought some good movies would take the place of a few classes, but they were doomed to disappointment. There were no pictures more exciting than those on Incendiary Bombs and Synthetic Rubber. All stories must have a climax. and the high point of interest in my story was reached in 1941 when the Marshall High School saw its first football team go out upon the field proudly wearing the blue a11d gold. In September 1942 the Juniors found themselves in a land of oppor- tunities for getting by with a lot, and by now they were oh. so wise in the ways of the school. There were about 90 Freshmen to one teacher. and she Was a new oneg there were 52 Sophs. to one teacher and 42 Juniors, but their teachers were by no means new and inexperienced. llater Miss Brewer, Miss Robertson. Mr. Oorder and Miss Howdershell came to take over and skipping became more difficult. The clouds of war began to hover over the class more darkly and the first casulty was reported. In the spring, a service flag-at that time. standing as a memorial to 150 boys in the service- was dedicated. Responding to their country's call for stronger men and women, the Juniors fell into the old routine of forward, march, one, two, three, four. down, up. touch the floor that had not been popular since the last war. The gas shortage practically made the Junior-Senior Prom a.n impos- sibility. but whether it was pleasure driving to go for their best girls and bring them to the party was a question only the Junior and Senior boys could answer. and so far it's still a deep dark secret. School closed June 10 and soon thereafter five of the characters in my story were drafted. They were James Bell. Kenneth Embrey. Philip Kirk, Norman Kirk and Franklin Woodward Three of these are now in New Guinea. During that summer more sadness came into the lives of these class mates. for one of the Juniors was called into the Great Beyond. and a tragic theme entered my story: Katherine Allen was loved and mourned by her friends.