McClenaghan High School - Florentine Yearbook (Florence, SC)

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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

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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 THE CLASS OF 1949 oped poise, and took advantage of every opportunity to practice those newly ac- quired “feminine wiles . Our first official act as freshmen was to elect class officers. Bohbv Barham was elected president. James McLeod. Jr., vice-president. Betty Jean Seymour, secretary. Jack Kaufmann. treasurer, and Miss ' Roberta Andrews. Sponsor. Enable to do very much that year, the class of ’49 was proud of its contribu- tion to the May Court in the persons of Joan Simpson, Alice I,ide, and Cynthia Perkins. It was no secret that great things lay ahead. Our sophomore year saw Colonel John W. Moore retire as superintendent of city schools and Mr. John M. Harllee as- sume his position. Mr. George W. Mc- Cown became the new high school princi- pal. This year Miss Roberta Andrews was again sponsor, with our capable execu- tives being Bobby Barham. Jack Kauf- mann. Betty Jean Seymour, and Bobby Gene McLellan. Inauguration of the Bobbie Sox Bowl was one of the year’s outstanding events, with the Notorious Dames and the Blue Jeans providing a breath-taking spectacle which terminated in a scoreless tie. May of this year brought, quite naturally. May Day. No doubt we were a bit prejudiced because we considered Betty Godfrey, Cynthia Perkins, and Joan Simpson, attendants from our class, by far the most beautiful. With a confident air the Class of ’49 adjusted themselves to the Junior year. Subconsciously we tried to imitate those “dignified Seniors” through our actions and mannerisms. Knowing that progress meant more authority, w'e fully enjoyed our advanced position. Bob Barham, James McLeod, Jr., Marilyn Camlin. and Jack Kaufmann were our officers, with Miss Alice Brun- son serving as our sponsor. In our Junior year. Florence and Mc- Clenaghan High School were grieved by the sudden passing of their beloved friend and teacher. Miss Marie Gregory, whose inspiration had always been a guiding light, and whose irreparable loss was felt deeply. In her memory, a plaque was presented to the school by the class of 1938. of which she had been sponsor, and the National Honor Society, which she had faithfully served as adviser for many years, raised one thousand dollars for CARE. Nearing the end of the school year, we again observed May Day. Represent- ing our class. Vi Barringer and Joan Simpson were very impressive. I poll completion of examinations, the twelve juniors with the highest scholastic achievement were named marshals for the following year. Summer was upon us before we could realize it. then one bright September morn, 124 optimistic students reentered for the last time McClenaghan High School. The previous eleven years seemed but a few moments. We were no longer rising Seniors- we had risen! With this year came a feeling of superiority which is difficult to describe. To lead the Student Council we elected James McLeod. Jr., and Bobby Gene Mc- Lellan as president and vice-president. For the fourth time in succession Bob Barham was elected president of his class, which was appropriately called the “Forty-Niners”. This was a fitting trib- ute for so capable a leader. Ted Morton was chosen vice-president. Vi Barringer, secretary, and Jack Kaufmann. treasurer. No class, past or present, could hope for a better group of officers: their devotion to duty was unceasing. A major source of senior activity was provided by the selection of our class ring. At a class meeting we voted over- whelmingly for the ruby stone and ten carat gold. Great excitement reigned on the day of their arrival. No time elapsed before launching of the magazine campaign to raise funds for our annual. The class of 49, show'ing its mettle, set a new all-time record in total sales and in beating Edmunds High School of Sumter in the friendly contest between the schools. For this feat the Curtis Publishing Company awarded the Senior Class a trophy commemorating its achievement. The Honor Salesmen list was large, and to these hard workers and to every student participating the Florentine is indebted. Work began on the 1949 Florentine with the election of Harriett Mclnnes as Editor-in-Chief and Louisa Lovelace as Business Manager of a most capable staff, which toiled diligently to achieve the best possible annual. Significantly, 16