Petersburg High School - Missile Yearbook (Petersburg, VA)

Page 9 text:

I KING OF THE WAVE Among those who find consolence in the Elysian Fields, there is a king. His name is King Neptune and he patrols the sea. Water is his kingdom and the waves are his territory. He calms the tide in time of peace and brings violence to them in time of turmoil and trouble. King Neptune is also an idea. An idea which expresses control, power, and possession. We the students of PHS are very much like King Neptune, and thus it was not hard for the 1979 Missile Staff to come up with the theme, WAVE ADVENTURE. Each of us is a king. We have control, power, and our own special possession. All of us are unknow- ingly taking a new adventure of our own, looking on that special shore on which lies our success. PHS is our wave. A wave of which we must grasp all the knowledge that we can. . wave which we must together climb over to get to the mighty sea. The sea is life, and PHS can help prepare us for bfe if we use the resources it provides wisely. Life is also our adventure, but it is not al ways a simple on8? There are many obstacles along the way and in this day and time we are confronted with more difficiJ- ties than ever. Therefore, let us use our wave as a device. A guidance device of which we can broaden our minds to the many talents we possess as individuals. If we all take advantage of the many fine resources provided for us at High School, we can do nothing but prosper and grow. Thus, it ill be much easier for us to find our Elvsian Fields, and to be our own King Neptune. - S

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THE ELYSIAN FIELDS In Greek Mythology there is a lace of rest and joy for heroes and others that have done good deeds for their fellow men. It is a place of serenity with ever flowing streams of cool clear water, huge green shady trees, the freshest of fruits, the sweetest nectars and sumptuous meats. It is a land where the air is scented with the fragrance of every possible variety of flowers. Achilles, Cadmus, Aeneas, Bellerophon, and other Greek Heroes spend their days here hunting and fishing and engaging in games. They have no fear of being injured for there is no pain, illness, or death there. The Elysian Fields symbolize man ' s hope for and belief in a place of eternal happiness. Everyone dreams of such a world, but we hve in a real world in which to have happiness we must make it ourselves. Hamlet said Nothing is either good or bad, but thinking makes it so. We have a tendency to put down our city and our school. Maybe we do this because it ' s so familiar to us that we uncon- sciously pick out every flaw and overlook the good things. Petersburg High School is a tool. It by itself cannot perform miracles. It cannot produce well-rounded citizens just by existing. PHS is only as good as its occupants. PHS cannot fail unless we fail. If we work hard to put into it as much as we expect to get out of it, it can do nothing but grow and thrive. We sometimes forget that no matter where we go, or what we become, we are more than brick or mortar at PHS. When we say we are not proud of our school we ' re saying we ' re not proud of ourselves. PHS offers a balanced education including academics, athletics, and extra-curricular activities. How you use the resources offered to you is your decision. One could never say we don ' t have any problems, but we have a lot going for us too. A variety of subjects are offered including everything from Calculus to Child Care. With such a wide range of subjects to choose from, a student can choose subjects that closely relate to his career interests. No one can deny the ability of our athletes. They always give 100% and win, lose, or draw, they are fine representatives of PHS. The clubs of PHS show the community that we care by their many civic activities. Homerooms contributed toward thanksgiving baskets for the needy, and the Booster ' s Club raised money for scholarships. Our teachers are always there to offer instruction and sound advice. In meetings they ask for better rules and equipment to improve our education. We have trained counselors to help us select the courses that are best for us as well as make post -high school decisions. This year our school is under new direction. Mr. James Porach is now our principal. He has shown that he is a capable, fair, and just administrator. He hojjes to maintain a standard of excellence in all areas of school life. PHS incorporates innovative ideas to fill the needs of young, expanding minds. Mr. Hairston, Head of the Social Studies Depart- ment, has provided the Intellectual Enrichment Series which serves to make students more politically aware, to introduce them to city officials and the duties of the jobs they occupy and to get them involved in the affairs of the city. Attorney General Marshall Coleman, Lieutenant Governor Charles Robb, and Mr. Jack Gravely (Executive Director of the NAACP) are three of the guests who sf)oke to us. Mr. Richardson sponsored a trip to France during the Spring break and French students received the equivalent of on the job training. They applied classroom principles and learned new words and phrases as well as picking up cultural knowledge. The Business Department, (headed by Mrs. G. Jones) entered talented FBCA members into regional and state contests. This served as an incentive to business students. The skills learned in the classroom helped many get part-time jobs. The Guidance Department spon- sored College Night. Over 1(X) colleges sent representatives and students from surrounding areas to be our guests. All in all, Petersburg High School is a halfway point. It ' s a long road getting here; it ' s a longer one (seemingly endless) getting out, and once we do there ' s our future (finally). It takes true dedication and effort to achieve our goals and the paths we take along the way make the difference. A good school record is our kev to a successful future and if we apply ourselves we can have that key. The Elysian Fields is an idea, something to aspire to. For the here and now we have to see both sides of the fence, set our goals, and work steadfastly toward them. Best wishes to the faculty and students of PHS. 1979 Yearbook Staff

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Students of PHS participated in the WAVE ADVENTURE in every way possible. Divided and et united, students upheld the high reputation PHS holds for quality. Record breaking athletes, meritorious academic scholars, successful business leaders, trained vocational specialists, and scientific geniuses are onlv a few of the outstanding citizens which are produced at Petersburg High School. Not only are our students the cream of the crop, but our teachers and administrators are also prime choices. The people at PHS depict Neptune in a special way. Each of us is our own king riding on the wave of PHS. Page 6 1. I ' ve gotta stop watching The Tonight show! 2. Catching up on home- work during lunch is a typical activity at PHS. .3. Kenny Dent and Adrian Brown pose for a serious picture as spy Leo Joe looks on. 4. Can I catch a ride up? 5. All the attention is centered around the cafeteria food. 1. John Blowe is amazed by some remarkable sight. 2. Sherri Cooksey Vaughn attempt to hold up the walls of PHS. 3. Ca.ssandra Johnson whether or not she should poison herself. 4. Willie Robinson rushes o: Everybody stops to watch Eric Murphy break the old record of .5 trays in John Nunnally and Yolanda Jones get ready to take that big step. and Deborah contemplates ff to work. 5. 1.5 minutes. 6.