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

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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

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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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28 THE BLACK AND GOLD in the preparing of food, wholesome and palatable and of daintily serving the same, for our class is the first to have the opportunity of taking a Domestic Science Course. For inasmuch as the Women's Clubs of our city, under the inspiration of one of its members, Mrs. Garland Webb, did offer to furnish equipment for a course in Household Econo- mics, the School Board did generously add this department to our school that henceforth the girls of Winston-Salem might have opportunity of better fitting themselves for life, for as everyone knows. We may live without friends g We may live Without books, But civilized man cannot live Without cooks . And as for our Commercial Department, We consider it the very best in the State, and the work that our Class has done of the highest order. For the first time, the four years' course prescribed by the school board has been completed. And, as our commercial classmates have had such splendid training in all branches of Commercial work, We cannot help but feel that they will win their Way in the world in the near future. And now our work in the High School is over, and behold all of our acts, first and last, are they not written in the books of Mr. White, the Principal, and recorded in the registers in the office? And now that the time has come for us to leave the High School, we are loathe to lay aside our studies. Nay, We begged that We might remain, but our Alma Mater came to us, and, gently placing our diplomas in our hands said: Go, and win a name for yourselves. Behold, a great Work you have done in this kingdom, moreover you have set a good example for those coming behind, but you must leave us now in the last days of May. And with these di- plomas I am giving unto you, you must go forth into the world, and make yourselves known, and before many years have expired, the high school will be proud of all of you. The blessing of your Alma Mater rests upon you LeliaHauser, '15