R J Reynolds High School - Black and Gold Yearbook (Winston Salem, NC)

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26 TIIE BLACK AND GOLD Hill, where the final winners were to be decided upon, the negative and affirmative teams from the same high school had to win in this triangle of towns. Now there had to be two preliminary debates before any team could be counted in the final. And, lo, when these preliminaries were held, it was found that our boys could debate better than those from other towns. So it came to pass that these hard-working, energetic, and spirited boys from our class went to Chapel Hill, and after a hard fight won the cup from the other forty-two teams that had come down to Chapel Hill, in the hopes of getting it themselves. And these boys did come back to their home town, bearing the much-coveted, and much-sought-for Ay- cock Memorial Cup with them. And behold, there was great rejoicing among the in- habitants of our town, especially among those interested in the works of our high school. But the winning of the Aycock Cup was not the only honor won by our class. In the course of this eventful year. another honor was conferred upon us, for in a declamation contest, one of our class-mates, Edwin, of the family of Stewarts, proved himself to be the best declaimer among the students of the high school, and so won the cup offered by the alumini of our school. And it happened also that the Wiley Literary Society did offer to the best debator in the society, another loving cup. It was then, that again our class did shine brightly, for it was none other than our classmate, Charles, the son of Roddick, who did victoriously carry away the cup with him. But in all our joys there was a note of sadness, for about Christmas time, of our Junior year, when everyone was looking forward to a happy vacation, one of our classmates, Dewitt Langley, passed away from us. And it did grieve us sorely, for we all did love Dewitt, and have respect unto him for his bright Christian character.

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THE BLACK AND GOLD 25 Howbeit we revolted not, but settling down to our tasks, started in, determined to make this year worth while in our school course. Eight and one months did we thus work till commence- ment day, when, lo cards of promotion were given to those of us who had been counted faithful. Then it was that we did rejoice that we had made use of our talents and had passed first year High School. For as 9th Graders we soon saw that our position was more honorable in the eyes of the Student Body. More-over, we felt that the faculty were beginning to 'realize that we were no lyonger pupils but students. In due time we were admitted to the Literary Societies of the upper classes, the Wiley and Mclver, and on Friday after- noon our voices began to be heard, howbeit at first very feebly, in public speaking and debate. We began too, to write for the Black and Gold, to contest with other schools for honor in debates and on the ball field. And so class pride was awakened and school pride, without which a student body is poor indeed. So in process of time we finished our Sophomore year and became Juniors. And it was while we were juniors that we did make a name for ourselves, for behold of the four debaters that did win the Aycock Memorial cup, and thereby made our team the champion debators of the state, three were members of our class, Hortus, the son of Scott, Charles, the son of Rod- dick, and Clifton, the son of Eaton. . And this was the way in which our boys did competeifor the prize. From the two divisions of the Wiley Literary Society, the best debaters were chosen from both negative and affirmative sides. Then they did have a joint meeting, at which the boys debated, and the four best were chosen. Then, as all the high schools of the state were divided into triangles, it was found that High Point, Reidsville, and our own school were to debate together. And, to go to Chapel

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THE BLACK AND GOLD 27 And so with its joys and sorrows our junior year passed and when all the work which our instructors had set out for us was accomplished, with rejoicings we laid aside our books for a few weeks of vacation. And it came to pass that when vacation time was expired, that we came back much refreshed, and ready to conquer the Giant called Hard Work, whose abode is within the four walls of the Senior Class Room. But not all of our classmates came back: a few did decide to take a longer vacationg a few to enter the army of wage- earners, so that the number of those who did enlist as Seniors to battle against Hard Work, was twenty and ten. And as an Eleventh Grade, we went forth into battle, with our armour on, and our shields ready for Hard Work. And we fought a good fight, for in the end we did conquer the Giant, and he surrendered to us, for strong was our army in body and in mind. And so it came to pass in process of time, because we, as the Senior Class did consider ourselves competent of self- government, that we did send forth a petition unto Principal White and Superintendent Latham, asking that we be granted the privilege of governing ourselves. And inasmuch as our teachers knew our class to be strong, self-reliant and willing to work for the best interests of our beloved school, they gave us the privilege of self-government. So we are the first class in the history of the schools of Winston- Salem to have self-government, and we do believe we well deserve the praise of the school. Moreover, we trust that in the years to come the example we have set of governing our- selves will be followed by the classes who are to take our places as Seniors. . Now there are other things beside self-government that we as a Class do rejoice in, to wit: our Commercial Department, the play we did write, our work on the Black and Gold, the reputation our girls of the Addie Webb Kitchen have attained