Pulaski County High School - Cougar Pinnacle Yearbook (Dublin, VA)

Page 33 text:

McCormick, Akers Co-Edit Cougar Din Seeds of the 1976-77 Cougar Din newspaper were planted in the previ- ous year as the sponsor Mrs. Elaine Jackson selected the staff from the vari- ous applicants. Staff members and advertising class ads gave finances a boost. Newspaper partially sponsored Robin McCormick at a newspaper edi- tors ' workshop at Virginia Common- wealth University. She returned full of new ideas and enthusiasm. Mrs. Elaine Jackson had the task of keeping the work moving smoothly. “1 will not panic” was her motto as she clutched the nearest coke bottle. Nerves snapped as frequently as our blue pen- cils when deadlines approached. Co- editors Dirk Akers and Robin McCormick split editorial duties; Robin assigned stories and did most of the lay- outs while Dirk met with the staff daily to help iron out difficulties and arrange printing details with Edmonds Printing, Inc. Sports Editor and, in fact, one-man sports staff, was David Odell who somehow managed to cover almost every athletic event involving the Cou- gars. Adding a new feature to the paper, Art Editor Troy Setzler established a caricature column. Students were invited to guess student and staff mem- bers caricatured. Scott Kilgore kept readers informed about events in the Science Department, and Marcia Archer handled all club news. Beau Farmer, with the help of his camera, captured school news pictorially. Financial matters were handled by Lynn Rupe. The body” of the paper, its diverse news and feature articles, was provided by various editors, reporters, and journalism students. Nine issues were published, includ- ing two special issues. The Christmas issue contained personal holiday greet- ings, and the senior edition included senior superlatives, baby pictures, and wills. Co-editors Dirk Akers and Robin McCormick plan items to appear in the February issue of Cougar Din. (FRONT ROW) Beau Farmer, Vickie Sarver. Debbie Simpkins. Kathy Dotson. (SECOND ROW) Marcia Archer, Kym Horton. Lynn Rupe. Robin McCormick. (THIRD ROW) Scott Kilgore. Troy Setzler, Dirk Akers. Jack Martin. Dane Peake, Janet Lindsey. Mrs. Elaine Jackson. I; jl i g 29

Page 32 text:

(RIGHT) Scott Kilgore, David Odell, Marcia Archer, and Troy Setzler criticize layouts. (ABOVE) Beau Farmer, Vickie Sarver, Debbie Simpkins, Mrs. Elaine Jackson, sponsor; Kym Horton, Chris Walker, and Jack Martin read the latest issue of Cougar Din. (RIGHT) Marcia Archer and Troy Setzler lay out a page of the newspaper. 28

Page 34 text:

Cougar Pinnacle Publication Begins Smoothly Then Runs Into Difficulty In its earliest stages, publication of the 1977 Cougar Pinnacle was a routine procedure. Summer ad sales were suc- cessful if not spectacular, staff mem- bers attended the V.H.S.L. Publications Workshop, and the fifth period annual staff “class” prepared files, identified underclassmen mug shots, chose and prepared the first deadline, verified ad contracts, and dispensed with other basics. The usual deadline pressure, staff grumbling, and indecision were present, but early proofs were promis- ing, and the staff was optimistic. The first real obstacle rose from the midst of the senior portraits. Before that problem was resolved, calamity, dressed in ice and snow, arrived. Pula- ski County schools closed almost every day in January. Missing pictures and snow-bound staff members prevented any significant work. The most exciting portion of the yearbook was the sixteen-page color section. Filled with a collage of color pictures, the color section featured aspects of practically every phase of life at P.C.H.S. Huge shots of the beauty pageant and the one-act plays domi- nated the spread. The staff also attempted to feature in color a typical day at Pulaski County High School. It was their first attempt to spotlight “the ordinary.” Goober” Johnson concentrates upon the band layouts. Parris Anderson gets a quick course in layout procedure from yearbook sponsor Miss Patsy King. 30