Oak Hill High School - Oak Leaf Yearbook (Virgilina, VA)

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5444 qfckufazq Does it seem possible that the class of '54 confronting you in all its strength and ability, with its wealth of experience written on its features, was ever a class of Freshmen, with nothing in their brains but a lot of nonsense? This class of Freshmen are now thoughtful Seniors. Whom shall we thank? Our parents, who have worked hard to give us as many advantages as they could, the Superintendent and the Committeemen for their choice of teachers, and most of all the teachers who have worked so faith- fully with us during these twelve years and who have at last succeeded in fit- ting us to meet the problems of life. ln the fall of 1942, we, the 1954 graduates, began the long journey with an enrollment of about forty students. Mrs. Kate Burch was our teacher. It was in the second grade that we had to buckle down and work, because school work was beginning to get hard. We still feel grateful to the late Miss Harris who worked with us that year. Polly Clark joined us that year. Our years of grammar school seemed to pass rapidly. As we traveled from grade to grade we lost a number of students, yet we gained a few. In the fourth, fifth, sixth, seventh, and eighth grades Bobby Talley, Ellen Woodlief, Betty Atkins, Elaine Sprinkle, Chester Vaughan, Nell Cifers, and Carolyn Knight joined us. The next year was one of the greatest in our lives, our first year in high school, Our teachers were Mr, L. C. Adcock, Mrs. S. M. Watkins, Miss Betsy Boney, Mr. Charles Cone, Mrs. Marie Currin, and the principal, the late Mr. S. R, Murray. We elected our class officers and got to work. As another school year sprang upon us, we were named Sophomores. That year we had many different things to attract our interests. Chester Vaughan was elected President of the class. Clyde Mangrum joined us that year. When we reached the eleventh grade, we were very conceited because we were Juniors. We had a great deal of excitement that year, both pleasant and unpleasant. With the able help of our sponsor, Mrs. Stovall, we pulled through One of the outstanding events was the Junior - Senior Banquet. Barbara Ann Yarbrough joined us this year. The long-looked for year finally arrived and we took our place as the Digni- 'tied Seniors. This, our last year, has in many ways been our best year with the help of Mrs. S. M. Watkins, Mrs. Stovall, Miss Hester, Miss Maness, Mr. Neal, and our principal, Mr. Adcock. Our Senior play was presented in March. The Juniors gave us a beautiful banquet in the spring. We all had a wonderful time. The outstanding ventures of our Senior year were the publishing of the Annual the presentation of the class play, and the preparation for graduation. We will forever be grateful for the privilege of attending this school and for the guidance and encouragement of our parents and teachers. When we receive our diplomas, the history of our class as a group ends, and each member will write his own history by his future deeds. Celia Perkins , Historian

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0,4 54 Our journey began in the year of '42, And before we reached the third we wished that we were through! But that was in our younger days when we knew not what was best, Now we've reached our goal and hope we've passed the tests, The faculty, we see, are equally surprised, For when they find us passing they scarce believe their eyes, Perhaps it was their wisdom that dragged us up to grade, And so we're saying Thank You, for good advice and aid. We're crammed to the brim with learning, and now we must turn it to us And if one of us is a failure, he hasn't a single excuse, The more we work and the less we talk, the better results we shall get, For we've had twelve years of trainingg it may make us successes yet, So Oak Hill High, here's to you! You've guided us the maze of learning through, Away our footsteps are turning And for freedom we are yearning, With cherished memories, we bid you fond adieu, MRS, JAMES WINSTON MRS, FENTON CLARK MRS, A, R, KNIGHT MRS, MELVIN ADCOCK CLASS COLORS CLASS MOTTO Blue and White All good or nothing Tout bien ou rien CLASS FLOWER Gardenia

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7 Zmwpza It was on a spring day in 1964 that the class of 1954 gathered at the Oak Hill High School for our annual class reunion. Looking over the group, l discovered that some of us were fatter, some were thinner, and some were taller, but that all of us were older and wiser than when we walked across the stage in the Oak Hill Auditorium. The class as a whole, was much the same, but for a few changes, as everybody had expected when we graduated that warm night in '54, I discovered that Betty Atkins and Bill Nunn had joined hands in the presence of a minister and had been pronounced man and wife. As for her past time she keeps house while her o1d man goes to college, learning how to build a straight road through Virgilina. Clyde Mangrum's new book, Life of a Flea , is considered the best scientif- ic discovery of the year. And we are sure there will be many more of his great scientific discoveries. Bobby Talley owns an up-to-date grocery store and would be making money if his wife didn't want to live up to her name of best dressed woman in the community. Leola Williams is dietician at a large Woman's College and her book of rec- ipes includes her own specialty, Corn Meal Mush. Celia Perkins is still working at the department store in South Boston, how- ever, she won't be there long if that diamond which is about the size of an onion means anything. Carolyn Knight is a model housewife, and her all-glass house in Virgilina is the sensation for miles around. Edward Adcock is now manager of The Lady Wrestler in Pennsylvania. Oh well, he always was interested in sports. William Melton wrote in everybody's memory book the year we graduated that he wanted to be a hobo, Well, he finally got his wish, so he's riding the rails now, and he's not the conductor, either. Marguerite Elliott had been sitting back taking life easy these past years in that new mansion of hers with the Cadillac out front. Who ever thought she'd be rich? In other words, who ever thought she'd marry an old rich millionaire? We're glad to see Alex Winston here tonight too. I guess you all know he 's the new editor of New York Times. Cecil Talley had a couple of wrecks during his school years so he finally took the notion to start running a Wrecker, so maybe he could pull in a few wrecked cars instead of having someone pull him in. Lucy Blackwell's mother always sewed a lot and I think that's what gave Lucy the idea to be a famous designer in Hollywood. Chester Vaughan did such a grand job of selling ads for our annuals back in '54 that he decided to make a lifetime job selling used car parts. Nell Cifers is now the lady bare-back rider for Ringling Brothers, Barnum 8: Bailey Circus, Maybe she'l1 give all of us free tickets to the next performance. Well, as for me, I go from place to place. Two months in California, one month in Chicago, and on the go all the time trying to keep up with that hus- band of mine, since he's made army life his career. Doris Clark, Prophet