Newport News High School - Anchor Yearbook (Newport News, VA)

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16 THE BEACON English classes we learned the art of debating. Even today some of our members retain their love for argumentation. Next, we found ourselves in Rooms 6 and 7. Here we encountered Geo- metry as well as English Literature. We had thought that when we learned that X plus Y was XY we had completed our course in Math, but when we found how to prove that Triangle ABC was equal to Triangle CDE, almost all of us decided that Trigonometry must be absolutely foolish. What else could there be to know in the Mathematical line? Only those who took Trigono- metry have found out. It was in this year that we began active work in the Literary Societies. Some of ours was astounding. We felt the real respon- sibility of helping our school. We realized that we were a part of it and that we should boost it always. Now, there was never a school function but our class figured in it. Contributions were even made by us to the Orchestra and Dramatic Club. At last, one year ago, we dropped every tie which bound us to our timid, bashful ways and became Seniors spelled with a capital letter. We thought of graduation. It was drawing nearer and nearer. Soon our days at High School must end. It was then that we realized the amount of work we had accomplished and also that which was yet to be done to become the possessor of a coveted diploma. We must perfect our French and Latin so that we might converse with a real “Monsieur” or an antique Roman, or write a book that was translatable; we must know enough of Math to be able to dissect triangles, circles, parallel- ograms, and the like, or to place a, b, c’s, or x, y, z’s in such splendid array on a sheet of paper that a professor would know it was an algebraic equation and not an attempt at rearranging the alphabet! we must know History and English so well that we might trace wars galore or read and appreciate class- ical literature as well as write essays, stories, or poems; and if we selected business we must be able to take dictation at 80 words and typewrite at 40. Some pupils have found that they must stay in the School longer to ob- tain their required units, and we are sorry, indeed, to have to drop them from our roll. Some, in the course of the four years, found it advisable to stop school to work, and even some have deemed it wise to enter the matrimonial field. Those whom you see here are a survival of the fittest — 16 of the original 83 who entered with us four years ago, six pupils who have been retarded and two who have come to us from other schools We cannot now but regret that we are leaving our old High. We feel that the Principal and the Faculty are our sincere friends and friends who have so greatly aided us in our work by their always cheerfully given counsel. We realize that High School is even a better place than we pictured it before we crossed its threshold and we shall always wish it Godspeed. We have helped all we could. You will find that our members have par- ticipated in every field of school life: athletics, literary societies, orchestra, dramatic club, glee club, Beacon work and the Student Council. We have co-operated with our leaders and have helped our High to be successful in its undertakings, so as we must leave its halls at last, we can only wish for our Alma Mater, a radiant, golden-hued future. DOROTHY RYCE.

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We found ourselves, four years ago, a crowd of green, wide-eyed, ner- vous Freshmen in the yard of the John Daniel School Building. I think we all stood in the yard and gazed at those Seniors, those Juniors, and even those Sophomores who dared to venture on the steps of that edifice. When a bell rang to summon us to cross that threshold to High School, did we lead the great rush to the Assembly Hall ? Alas, no. We followed meekly, that crowd of upper classmen, who were not excited at all — no, not one iota. Even those IB’s who deemed themselves “Educated Rats,” appeared so sophisticated that we did not even dare approach them. Our reception into High School was a cordial one. The older students were glad of our presence because of the opportunity it afforded them to say “Rats, Rats, Rats.” At last everyone was dismissed from the Auditorium except us. We were to remain to plan our courses of study. Some of us took “Business.” Maybe we thought we would be secretaries or maybe thought of that “Caesar,” which we would have to take in our second year of Latin. Many, though, decided to wade through their Latin and not learn to perform on an Underwood at 20 words a minute. In our first year we learned so many things; all about schedules, eurricu- lums, study halls, cutting classes and even military training. How often we went to the Casino at double-quick time. Folk-dancing was always a delight. Why, when we went down in that hall to folk-dance, even those haughty Seniors came to watch us. We had no sooner learned to chain-step and how to perform in a May-Day Pageant when our first semester was over. We felt almost like Sophomores when we came to Walter Reed, but we were still “Rats,” only slightly educated. This term, we lost five weeks on account of the “flu” epidemic. In our second year we descended the stairs and filed into Rooms 9 and 10. We really were progressing. The only remaining task was to slide around to Room 1. In this year, we associated with Juniors but not Seniors. In our

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In this year of our Lord, nineteen hundred and twenty-two, we, the class of February ’22, are just entering into the game of life. School days are gone but they have given experiences which are invaluable to us now. We are a unit of mankind whose duty in life is to further the ideals of Democracy. Our creed will help us. We have loyal unfailing faith in it. Adhering to the ideals it embodies, the future will hold great possibilities for us. We believe in the earth as the theatre of man’s activities wherein each shall try his skill in the game of life. We believe that each shall do his part toward the betterment of the world and the furtherance of the ideals of Dem- ocracy. As a class we pay our respects to the man who has safely led us through the past four years and who is a true friend and counselor of the student body, Mr. Fred M. Alexander. We believe in the Faculty who made it possible for him to direct us patiently in our search for knowledge during our High School years. We believe in Athletics as a great factor in developing the morals of our students and in maintaining the fine spirit of our school. We believe that the Newport News High School will continue to develop the power to win under the supervision of our able coach, Mr. Webb. We believe in “The Beacon” as a literary pulbication and as an example of the versatility of the students of our High School. It is a medium through which the talents of our High School may find an outlet to the public. We believe in the spirit of our school, and that while we have that spirit our superiority can never be questioned. We believe in our class colors, the orange and black; colors of which we will be forever proud. We believe in our motto: “Palma non sine pulvere” — Not without dust is the palm of victory. We believe in the School Board as having the welfare of the High School at heart and as being helpful always in obtaining increased educational ad- vantages. We are fortunate in being citizens of a state and nation which foster edu- cation and help lay the foundation for future citizenship. We believe in Virginia, the Mother of States, having no equal. , We believe in the United States — example of pure Democracy — the home of Liberty and Equality. Above all, we believe in God, our Creator and Preserver. FRANK LEONARD PAPE.