Rockingham High School - Rocket Yearbook (Rockingham, NC)

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CLFISS PROPHECY On one of those Indian summer days in 1960 a lady walked rather wearily into her office, sat down at a somewhat disorganized desk and called to her secretary, I want you to take a letter, Miss Levinerf' The secretary made her prompt appearance and took the following letter: Rockingham, North Carolina September 1, 1960 Dear Martha: You can guess how I feel! I have just returned from a lecture tour of the States. My throat feels like the Sahara Desert! This letter is to let you know of an occasion which I believe will be a really interesting event for us. Remember the good old Rockingham High days? Well, here's the news! The class of '46 will have a reunion here in Rockingham on October 20. I hope sincerely you will come. We want to let things hum once again for old times' sake. This is the way it all started. I was in Raleigh ready to begin my tour. While waiting for my train to Charlotte, I decided to walk around a bit. Right in front of the Capitol, I ran into Alice Ruth Liske and Joyce McKenzie. Those are the names you will remember, I know, for both are married now. I was so glad to see them and to hear all about their husbands and families. While we were talking, Joyce suggested the reunion this fall, and Alice and I thought the idea a good one. They decided that I should contact the people since I had been chosen Class Secretary. My train was due so I had to leave them. As I was boarding my train, the first person I ran into was Melvin Richardson. He has been a conductor for about Hve years and likes it very much. I mentioned the reunion to him, and he was pleased with the idea and said he would be right there. He told me two more of our classmates were on the train. I was consumed with curiosity but he wouldn't tell me who they were. He ushered me to a drawing room and there was julian Burroughs and Anne Cagle. You know Sonny is the famous conductor of the New York Philharmonic Orchestra and Anne is a well known concert pianist. We enjoyed a real get together and they were all for the reunion idea. I persuaded Anne to have a piece ready to play for us. Julian said he would contact a few people for me. He's still so obliging! john Blalock and Sadie Allen are both in New York engaged at the Met. so he is to contact them. Anne will see Ruby Russell, for she is headed for Miami now to play a concerto with Ruby's band. Before I knew it I was in Charlotte, so with many a goodness how we talk I had to leave these friends and climb off the train. My lecture was not until that night, so I decided, for a little recreation, to drop in on a musical show at the theatre. You can guess how surprised I was when the scene flashed on and I found myself staring at Marilyn Mills and Helen Bolton. They are on the first line of Hotskibotski's Dance Revue, which is now playing in Paris. Their high school dreams must be coming true, for they have really toured the world! I'm afraid there's little chance of their getting here in time for the reunion, but I shall write them. If they can't come, maybe we'll have a letter from them. They should have some interesting things to tell. Out of Charlotte I caught a plane for Denver. I was to lecture at an Army post there. Guess who is in command of the post? None other than General Harry Lee Cooke! I nearly fainted. He, too, was enthusiastic over the idea of seeing all the old classmates again. I thought he had something up his-'sleeve-when, grinning slightlfygfhe commanded 'in-rrather dignified way? Follow did and soon found myself looking straight into the faces of Thomas Spivey and Leroy Yates. They are still in the Army because they don't have enough points to get out. Harry Lee told them he would see that they got a furlough if they wanted to attend the reunion, and they didn't waste any time letting him know that they did. After completing my lecture there, I went directly to Hollywood. I had dinner with William Little at the Cocoanut Grove. You know his act is making Bob Hope only a dim memory. You remember Mitchell Wallace and Billy Carter, don't you? fYou couldn't forget!J Well, they are in the movies now and are holding down the reputation as promising young men of the screen. Between pictures they are coming to the reunion, so make yourself beautiful for them! Oh yes, I saw james Howell out there, too. He was on his honeymoon ..... Yes, he finally popped the question to Polly Williams! About time-don't you think? Do you know what? Mabel Sinclair and Doris Leach do the coiffures for Greer Garson, Betty Grable, and Ida Lupino. They say it is doubtful if they can get back to Rockingham in October, but they'll make every effort. I went to Seattle, Washington, from Hollywood. J. G. Bryant and Carl Phillips flew me up there. They have a small business on the west coast and are doing well. Clara Ann Dawkins and Sara Boggan are two of their Air Line Hostesses, so they will learn of the reunion as soon as J. G. and Carl see them. I spent several days in Seattle, during which time I had the good fortune to run into several others who were in our class. It's amazing whom you see all over the country!I dropped into say hello to Robert Nicholson at his eye clinic there. It was good to see him again, he's really doing 28

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well-seems quite the doctor. He told me that among his nurses were four of our former class- mates-Mary Wentz, Ellen Kelly, Jewell Covington, and Ruth Smith. I was so glad I had a chance to see them. Ellen was leaving the next day to be married in Rockingham. She will see Gwen Ingle and Orlean Pate so I asked her to tell them about the reunion. She was more than glad to. My next stop was Chicago. Remember Carolyn Covington and Louise Humphrey? They teamed up some years ago in the field of commercial art. Now the Windy City really gets advertised! They are the loves of Chicago! I dropped by to see them and got a glimpse of Louise between cameras and paint. I finally excavated Carolyn from underneath a heap of colored paper in the next room. Both of them were all for the reunion idea and Louise said she would paint some pictures of it. Won't that be swell? When the reporters interviewed me before my lecture, Jeanne Milliken was among them. She is now a reporter for the Tribune, We got together later and had an off-the-record chat. I told her about the reunion and she said she would be here with bells on. While in Chicago, I had to stop by the library for some research material. June Carter-of all people-was in charge. She used to do a swell job at R. H. S. and she is doing a fine job there. From Chicago I went on to Washington, D. C. The first thing I did was to call on Eunice McDougald. You remember she had started on a brilliant career as a politician, but she gave it up for a housewife's career. She met the lucky man in Washington and really fell hard. Eunice told me to be sure to look up Alva Pryce and Betty Thomas. Alva is in the House of Representatives and Betty is a lawyer. Bet is really a good one, if one can judge from what the papers say. QSpeaking of news, I saw in the paper yesterday that Virginia Pickett has married again.J Eunice, Alva, and Bet are all coming to the reunion. I dropped by the F. B. I. and ran into Vera Levander and Bill Crouch. They are agents now and are in for a well-earned rest after a particularly hard case. Richmond was next on my tour. Here I caught a slight cold and had to go to the hospital. I thought I would be in good hands as I knew Nadine Frazier and Elsie Benoy are nurses there, but I had no more than gone in when they proceeded to pour the vilest medicine down my throat! I almost didn't tell them of the class reunion, but I finally broke down. They are delighted. I asked if they could contact any of the people for me and they consented to notify Ruth Ivey, Betty Jean Dawkins, Juanita Chance, Bobbie Mclver, and Mary Kirkland. Ruth, Betty, and Juanita are nurses in Wadesboro and Bobbie and Mary are married-Bobbie lives in Sanford and Mary in Salisbury. By the way, Betty Heeney is in the hospital in Richmond. She is a doctor, however, not a patient. She is married, too. When I left the hospital, I headed for good old home! I'm about to agree with my husband that woman's place is at home and not on lecture tours. I still have a few people to contact. Minnie Smith I have seen. She runs a photography studio here in town. Hallie Ruth Melton and Joyce Bogan own a beauty salon here, so I saw them when I went down the other day and told them all about the reunion and all the old friends I have recently seen. While I was sitting under the dryer, Margaret Turner walked in with Betty Jean Rush. We had a regular gossip session. They promised to tell Margaret Stutts about it, as she is planning to visit them soon. Margaret is a housewife, too, and lives in Bennettsville. We are building a new high school now. You should see all the activity. Norman McNeill and Marion Adams are in charge of the construction work. Thomas Dalrymple drew the plans. They were having a little trouble getting lumber, but Ben Allen finally got the proper materials. Guess who is the landscape artist? Byron Hawkins! He has built himself quite a reputation. I bumped into Robert Steele in the drug store today. He is having a swell time loafing in between jobs. He says he is still having trouble with his teeth. I believe I have mentioned almost all of our classmates. Barbara Maurice, Allene Beane, and Doris Stanley are in Norfolk, Virginia, working for a shipping concern. Betty Baldwin and Jean Thomas are living in Cheraw and are very happy there, husbands and all. Doris Evans, Juanita Craft, and Mary Baldwin have jobs here as secretaries. Doris Kelly opened a smart dress shop last week. Marie Bullard used to work here, too, but when she married she left. Catherine Dawkins, Claire Mae Long, and Edith Ussery are out of town working, but I am not quite sure where. I will have to find out so I can notify them of the reunion. Well, .Martha, I guess that's about all except for a favor I want to ask of you. Would you call Duff Gore and tell him of the reunion? Duff is a coach at the University of Pennsylvania. A-sk him to get in touch with Johnny Ivey. They're good friends and Johnny is coaching at West Point. Also contact Gladys Jones and Doris Jenkins. They are in the main office at Wannamaker's-there in Philadelphia. f , By the way, congratulate your writers, Aileen Horne and Louise Gibson, on the swell musical they turned out for you. Your interpretive dancing was superb! Well, Martha, I guess that really is all. See you 'in October! Love, Margie Everett Class Prophet 29