McClenaghan High School - Florentine Yearbook (Florence, SC)

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OFFICERS OF TH Bob Barham.................... Ted Morton.................... Vi Barringer................ lack Kauftnann Miss Mary Manning Manner E SEEl 10R CLRSS ........................President Vice-President Secretary Treasurer Sponsor 14

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HISTORY OF 1 HE CLHSS OF 1949 F ellow classmates, let us recall together the many events that have made our his- tory—the history of the class of 49-—a notable one, of which we are justly proud. Surely no class has enjoyed in fuller measure the fellowship we have found in work and in play. We have experienced moments of exaltation and moments of sorrow, hut our only regret is that the fleeting years have passed so swiftly. Thus, let us begin at the begin- ning. and relive in our memories the varied events that have characterized our twelve glorious school years. In September of 1937 a group of timid, self-conscious boys and girls made their initial entrance presumably ac- companied by their parents into the grammar schools. The immensity of the strange and wondrous surroundings tended at first to frighten us. however, through our companionship, school soon became more pleasant, and we no longer feared the teacher. Soon the time came when we would move to a higher grade. Our arrival in the third grade marked a new experience. No longer would it he necessary for us to rely on the childish method of printing in order to convey our thoughts to paper —we were learning to write! Upon entrance into the sixth grade, we began to feel a greater measure of importance. During this time the two Florence grammar schools underwent a change of name. In memory of Miss Florence McKenzie, beloved teacher and principal. Circle School was renamed McKenzie School. Park School was now called Harllee School in honor of Miss Margaret L. Harllee, esteemed teacher. Active in most schools is a student patrol, and. because they were important, and knew' it. these stalwart figures, to the dismay of any unfortunate culprits, glee- fully took full advantage of their authority. That year we received our first taste of politics. In McKenzie School a hotly contested election saw' Bohhv Barham and Louisa Lovelace named president and vice-president. In Harllee School Sue Nell I ester officiated as president and Betty Jernigan as vice-president. Proof that we were no longer children was the fact that we were now compelled (or should I say supposed?) to buy adult theater tickets. Do not. however, investigate too closely our honesty on such occasions. Never staying in the same place long, we nomads made in 1944 a grand en- trance into Junior High, where our in- ability to grasp the tempo of things caused confusion. Soon, nevertheless, we adjusted ourselves and became an in- tegral part of a big organization. This glorious occasion proved the gullibility of the average seventh grader, with the upper class now threatening us at every turn. No day passed without addition to our collection of bruises. It was commonplace to sec some youngster purchasing a ticket permitting him to walk anywhere. For an extra two hits he was assured of complete safety. For the first time we learned the meaning of A s. Bs. and (is. Heretofore we had been graded by I’s and S‘s with an S denoting from 70to lOO f. For Junior immediately to fall from an S to a C was a mystery to his parents, and a matter of great pain to Junior. Alas truth will out. and we could no longer disguise our actual grades. Quicker than we knew the eighth grade was here. The hated and horrible memories of our sufferings the previous year made every boy wreak vengeance on the new recruits. Of course, we travel- ed in gangs for our own protection. In our presidential election, political fever reached the boiling point. Mascots of the different candidates ran wildly around the school. F very one was prom- ising everything to everybody. Tre- mendous posters occupied all corners. In a campaign that wras notable for its mud-slinging, Bobby Barham and Belli Yarborough were elected president and vice-president. At last the long awaited moment ar- rived. and we were privileged to enter the portal of that hallowed institution—High School. In 1945 the Board of School Commissioners had changed the name of Florence High School to MeClenaghan High School in honor of Mr. John C. MeClenaghan. who had so loyally served on the School Board for thirty-three years, serving as chairman for the last twelve. Under constant ridicule, the freshmen hoys were affectionately called ‘‘those runts”. A drastic change occurred in the girls, who became sophisticated, devel- 15