St Catherines School - Quair Yearbook (Richmond, VA)

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1-jg H Ki z I pf 1 l r X1 X W i291 19419 Banquet ' 07 Sem X .Q S S

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out the second sight of trained house mothers. The party saffered a blight. Enough said. Tenth Grade was a surprise to us in many ways. We had been positive that school work couldn't possibly be as hard as it had been in the Ninth. Our mistake. It was much harder. Aside from the increasingly distressing burden of academic tasks, we also had on our hands the responsi- bility for the Lower Study Hall, which clipped our freedom oi' action to a degree. VVe had so many new members this year that we were afraid we would never be able to get well acquainted with all of them. But where there's a will, there is notoriously, a way. We achieved comradeship by writing notes in class or Study Hall and slipping them on to our new enlistees. But our liencil Friendships were cruel- ly discouraged, even brought to a dead halt, when a sheaf of demerit slips descended upon us. We were regarded as the most social-minded class in school, which we considered a point in our favor. But other people seemed to have a dilierent idea. The faculty insisted that the Day Students stepped out nights. Fancy that! Uur ever vivid imaginations were not entirely dulled by regulations and excessive study. We still bubbled up in un- expected ways and places. lou will recall that uncanny epidemic of alarm clocks ingeniously hidden which went off at all hours of the night. Also the panic induced when some jokers got the fancy to tie some coat hangers together and swing them against their neighbors' screens to give the impression that provvlers were alloat. There were the dum- mies too, those spectral effigies of real people, which ap- peared unaccountably in bathrooms and caused many screams and much excitement. There were few dull mo- ments in the lives of the Tens whether they were Day Students or Boarders. Only once so far as we know did that rattlesnake appear in that hilarious room occupied by those rather special geniuses, lVladdux, Lunsford, Dunbar, and Potter. It was never known whence it came or to what bourne it vanished. lt was not that we couldn't behave with propriety il it seemed necessary or suitable. VVe could. HGHICIIIDEI' the time lVlrs. Blanton went to New York to see her oculist and how the whole school was amazed at the exemplary behavior of the Tens? lt could happen-but not often. All in all, that was an exciting Year. The school acquired its new Commander-in-Chief, lvliss 'l'urner. But we were to lose our lVliss Woolfolk! We were pleased to be pro- moted to the rank of daisy chain makers for the Seniors though there was a little sadness too. We liked the Seniors very much and were sorry to lose them. Upper Study Hall at last! We enjoyed a considerable increase of congenial members and were cordially greeted by the new Student Council. But we were also confronted with the mazes of the new-born Classification System, a rather portentious affair, considering our habitual light- hearted approach to life. We soon learned that the new system meant business and since cuts were a major neces- sity in the lives of all of us we buckled down and got otu' A Classifications-at least a majority of us did. But we were only human. Again, as Christmas approached, the Boarders on the Junior lloor felt the old urge to celebrate. Consider- ate of others as always some of them tip-toed softly other- where , but somehow Miss Hannah must have heard the patter of little feet. Anyway she started investigating. The room under suspicion looked innocent enough. ft was not discovered that there were two girls in each bed, and others underneath the beds. Nor did the searching squad open the closet door to behold eight Juniors concealed. But murder will out. In February, Jane Bassett gave us a memorable pep talk and a good many of the class found themselves ignominiously reduced to D classification for six weeks, due to our penchant for fire . Evidently there is some truth in the axiom: Crime doesn't pay. As the year went on we began to take things more seri- ously, especially when it came time for the candlelight service which meant so much to us all. Then there was the Junior-Senior Banquet for which we had all been working so long. It turned out to be one of the most memorable and effective banquets the school had ever held, thanks to Miss Franz' generalship and the magnificent ideas and prodigious efforts of Conroy and Dunbar, Inc. Then came commence- ment, with Beth and Marget walking off with Scholarship E281 Awards and Barbara deservedly honored wil.h the Integrity Award. At last we were permitted to carry that treasured token, the daisy chain, which we received from the Seniors, proof that we were almost Seniors ourselves. It gave us a queer feeling to think that when we came back in Septem- ber we would be in top command with all that meant of responsibility as well as prestige. As Seniors we found we had lost some of our old Corps but we had new members to fill in the ranks. We were glad to have such grand girls as Margie, Ann, Connie, barbara and Anne to help us through our last year and share all the fun. There are too many eventful occasions in this last great year for us to give space to them all. Per- haps our proudest moment was when we received our Senior rings witn the significant chapel service that accompanied the Ceremony. Un St. Catherine's Day it was Barbara blades, to the satisfaction of all, who represented our special 5a.nt in a reverent and beautiful pageant which left a oeep impression on us all. Our next public appearance was in lighter vein with Babs taming Shrew Adeline in a fine performance splendidly supported by other members of the class. Just before Christmas holidays we got down to brass tacks academically speaking so as to achieve as much dis- tinction as possible in our Exams to impress the Colleges. 'l he Candlelight Service and morning carols were followed by that grand breakfast of Miss '1'urner's. Then the vaca- tion. Every one returned full of glorious tales of festivities, a dream from which the imminent approach of College Aptitude Tests rudely awakened us. There were other small things to remember and chuckle over, like the time when Miss Hannah was disturbed because three Seniors were reputed to have severe stomach aches and had consequently gone to the sick bay. Upon investigation, however, it proved that the pains were connected with a jar of peanut butler and a loaf of bread. Strictly from hunger. After all, pain is bread in French. We can't forget either the awful but also humorous occasions when everybody unknowingly walked out on Mr. Harp before his sermon was delivered. He admitted afterward that it had never happened to him before and we sincerely hope it never will again. Naturally the highlight of the year socially was our Senior dance, a great event to which we had all been look- ing forward for what seemed like ages. VVe changed from our regimental outfits to beautiful white gowns and walked dreamily tl'u'ough the figure to the tune of lVloonlight and Roses hardly knowing whether we were real or not. The whole dance was a superb success, and the figure was declared by the onlookers to be exceptionally lovely. Much credit is due to lVIary Conroy and to Shirley Poulson for the imagination and hard work they put into the whole affair, particularly the figure. Alter the last dance we trooped to the dining room for our Senior breakfast. Alas, at one o'clock taps sounded for those who dwell in the barracks though some of the more lucky and freer souls went on to more gaiety elsewhere. Now with the dance over and the QUAIR at long last being happily put to bed, we are all looking forward to spring holidays, with only the lowering shadow of College l5OEll'ClS disturbing our joy. After vacation there were the Day School Dance and the various teas and parties which go with the season, as well as the Spring Festival. There will also be the Junior-Senior Banquet. It will be strange to be the guests this year, instead of the hostesses, but we know it will be wonderful and we shall love being on the receiving end. Then Commencement itself with all it means to all of us, both of sadness and rejoicing! The years have slipped by all too swiftly. As we enter the auditorium for the last time as Seniors, as students of St. Catherine's it will be a big moment, a beginning as well as an ending. We shall leave the school amid tears and laughter and we know that in our hearts we shall always feel ourselves St. C1'ltl'16l'll'l6,S girls, returning often in memory to the happy, rich days of our life here. ' And so we end the tale of the Corps of 1950, first called to the colors, thirteen years ago. fByj MERI HODCES TWEET GLOBE JOYCE WALMSLEY.

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Tfie 19503 9' me at GS wma E B z 3. A I i 1 are-if .. 1 5. U .,, M - K1 J - 5 at 1. Patsy Moncure 9. Jane Mathias 17. Erwin Alderman 2. Catherine Marks 10. Marget Lotterhos 18. Lelia Manning 3. Virginia Byrd Dance 11. Diana Renshaw 19. Skeets Dannehl 4-. Janet Swann Herrink 12. .loan Dunbar 20. Pal: Jackson 5. Mary Conroy 13. Barbara Blades 21. .lean von Schilling 6. Dorothy Calkins 144. Barbara Bradley 22. Ellie Stinson 7. Connie iWilliforcl 15. Roberta Cutchins 23. Archer Scales 8. Mary Bennett Little 16. Marion Yantis 24. Ann Reeves E30-l