Shaw University - Bear Yearbook (Raleigh, NC)

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I CLASSES

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Senior Class History In September 1955, one hundred-ninety-one interesting, curious, frightened students embarked upon a new career — one of excitement, danger, awe, and even mortality — as freshman enrolled at Shaw University. Like Odysseus we were in for a sojourn of unanticipated experiences through which we would meet strange gods who bestowed upon us blessings of experiences shared with mixed emotions, ex- periences of self-expression, academic achievement, and inevitable development. After a brief period of activities of adjustment in order to introduce us to the college routine, we attempted to settle down to serious business. We attempted to become organized as the freshman class of 1955— to become the class of ' 59 — though many of us had not overcome our loneliness, our homesickness, and fright. We selected our leaders. As our Commander-in-Chief we elected Leroy Smith. As President he guided our uncertain rudders across the sea of our first academic year. Smith ' s Co-captain was Marjorie Jones, George Murphy was Exchequer. Our navi- gator was Dr. Marguerite Adams, the University Counselor. Meanwhile plunging deep into rigors of our first academic year, many of us forgot our personal problem of home- sickness and loneliness as we accepted the new challenges of each succeeding day, made new friends, and plunged our rudders into many ramifications of the curricula and extra-curricula activities of our academic voyage. Plunging their rudders deep into fathoms of activities. Eugene Hammonds, Albert McClain, Edward Turner, and Willie L. McDaniel made their marks on the football team. James Harris plunged into basketball and baseball. Daphne Alexander, Marian Anderson. Alma Brinson. Etta Burt. Queen Cooper, Paul Crump. Mamie Dixon, Aurelia Ed- wards, Christine Everette, Marvisline Gill, Paige Johnson. Doris Lett, Juanita Lowe. Lillie Mitchell, and Virginia Williams successfully joined the clan of Orpheus — the renowned University Chorale Society. Lucille Edwards worshipped faithfully at the throne of Thespis, and the Shaw Players were proud of her. Paying homage to the throne of Justice, Oscar Hinton, Leroy Smith and Clarice Stephens assisted in the student government, the Student Council. Highlights of the first year of our voyage was participa- tion in the Homecoming Parade with Ercell Hargrove, reigning as Miss Freshman; and the Freshman Ball. The success of the Freshman Ball was a presage to the future of our voyage. Being well adjusted now and our rudders keeping rhythm the vacillations of the current of college life, several stu- dent s represented our class as beacon lights in academic achievement, the honor roll, guiding themselves and sta- bilizing the tossing vessel, the freshman class, through un- chartered waters and the distant unknown shore. Spring had come, we were facing the Carybdis and Scylla: final examinations. After rigorous and skillful navi- gation, we successfully passed through the double danger. Many of us packed and joyfully went upon our various ways to our homes and sundry experiences for the summer. Some of us remained on campus a week later and witnessed and or participated in our first college commencement which was most impressive, inspiring and a source of aspiration. After a long summer of multiple of experiences, we re- returned to Shaw with a yearning for the campus similar to the nostalgia that we experienced as freshmen upon our first arrival at Shaw. Adjustment to sophomore year of college life was not difficult. After the rough and uncertain embarkment, and our experiences over the summer, we were literally sopho- moric in our pseudo-sophisticated attitudes, and our con- descension to acknowledge the new crop of lowly fresh- men. Among our many achievements of our freshman year we had come to know and love many of our instructors and members of the staff. So in our renascent vigor for the second lap of our voyage, we began to reorganize. Our leaders for this year were: George Stokes, president; Pa- tricia Burton, secretary; Charles Bullock, treasurer; Oscar Hinton, sergeant-at-arms. We selected Mr. Guilbert A. Daley as our advisor. Those of us already established in various organizations remained, and many new ones joined. Bertha Green, Valeria Harris, Gloria Cephas. Vonzie Erwin. Melton Anderson, Charles Bullock, and Juanita Lowe paid homage to Thespis, and joined the Shaw Players. Aspiring toward the great realm of the peculiarly mag- netic clan of Mt. Olympus, many sought to climb the foot- hills, and trudge the slopes, aspiring for the peak. There were few Vulcanic tragedies, but many reached the top — and joined that heterogenous army of Mosaic Greeks. Alma Brinson, Mamie Dixon, Vonzie Erwin Jessie Savage went Alpha Kappa Alpha. Paige Johnson. George Murphy. Eugene Hammonds, and Edward Turner went Alpha Phi Alpha. Lucille Edwards went Sigma Gamma Rho. George Stokes went Phi Beta Sigma. Juanita Lowe and Doris Lett went Zeta Phi Beta. Marvisline Gill. Myrtle Streeter went Delta Sigma Theta. James Moore. Claude Flythe went Omega Psi Phi. These poor, frightened students who entered those im- pressive gates September 1955 have begun to feel at home, and to make the mark that distinguished our class since our arrival here. Vonzie Erwin made her dramatic debut in several short plays and soliloquys, and achieved re- nown in a television performance, directed by our versatile advisor, Mr. G. A. Daley, more fondly known as Mr. Aloysius, or Mr. G. A. D.; Juanita Lowe and Melton Anderson captured laurel wreaths for their performances in The Glass Menagerie. We all enjoyed the production here in Greenleaf, and Miss Lowe and Mr. Anderson achieved more acclaim as the show went on the road. Marvisline Gill made her debut as a soloist in the choir. Joyce Fuller was selected Miss Sophomore and reigned su- preme during the Homecoming parade, one of the high- lights of our sophomore year. The sophomore class in 1956 won second place award in the non-Greek, non-com- mercial category for the most beautiful float. The months passed rapidly; the snares and danger traps were not so treacherous now as the sagacity of experience had taught us to surmont them with calm, skillful manuevering. and just plain common sense. As we approached the end of the sophomore year, we were less sophomoric. we hope, and more worthy of becoming the juniors we hoped to be. There were among us a few academic mortalities, a few unsur- mountable financial obstacles, but the class did not lose its fervor. We accepted our failures as stepping stones to build future success; we looked upon our past experiences as foundations for stronger, future edifices. We sometimes winced, but we could not cry aloud. We gripped more firmly the banner inscribed Excelsior and faced our future bravely. The summer months wore on, bringing again many varied experiences for all of us. But when Hyperion ' s fierce countenance began to subside; on the land, the seasons once more began the third quarter of their full circle: Persephone made preparation for her return to Pluto. Ceres began to adorn Mother Earth in her mourning weeds of yellow, gold, red, and brown. As Mother Earth made her last splashing display of splendor as though her garments were kissed by Iris, but followed closely on the heels by the grieving touch of the wand of mournful Ceres, we, with the paradoxical and dubious anticipation of Per- sephone, return to her beloved Shades and Pluto, returned to the somber, but hallowed worlds of learning — eager, happy, energetic, awed, still a little afraid. For now we embark on the third lap of our unchartered voyage. Yes, we are a little afraid, for this course is entirely new. The realization that we are approaching that unknown 21