St Johns High School - Blue Devil Yearbook (Darlington, SC)

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“Bernice, we had not preceded far in this grade when we discovered that High School life was not all bliss, but a share of it hard work.” “During III High we struggled through the intricate mazes of a new branch of learning. It was here that we began to show our originality in several ways. Our original French translations threw our teacher into ecstasies of admiration —she always declared that she received new light on many an old passage that year. ()ur clever way of solving our Geometry originals was a phenomenon; at least you remember that is what Mr. Barbare told us. Truly ours was a re- markable class and we stood at last ‘victors upon Junior soil.’ ” “Then to our Senior year! At last we had reached that grade which was our long coveted goal. Looking back over the eleven years we spent beneath the shadow of St. John’s, we cannot but contemplate how our opinion of life and its duties had undergone a complete change. Why, we had actually become dig- nified ! The broad field of opportunity was open before us, the busy world was waiting for our activities and through the guidance of our dear teachers, Misses Brunson, Pettis, Barbare and Harper, we were prepared to meet life’s call.” “Don’t you remember the time that Mrs. Twitty, who captured our hearts by her interest in us, brought a bountiful lunch prepared by kind hands of motherly devotion as a reward for the large attendance of our parents to the Parent-Teach- ers Association? It was even reported that after the feast that the basket in which the sandwiches were sent could not be discovered. You remember, too. that the boys had to sweep up what was left—the crumbs.” “And our History class! How impatient we waited for this period to come. Miss Pettis always said we were ornaments, and of course, ignorant as to its meaning, we sought the dictionary and were immensely pleased with ourselves when we found this definition: ‘or-na-ment i. anything or person considered as a source of honor or credit. 2. a mark of distinction.’ “Bernice, don’t you remember how Joe. for some particular reason, always kept my back between her and Miss Pettis when questions were being asked? Per- haps this position was due to the frequent use of her Tre-jur but I doubt it.” “In English we were recognized as the most remarkable class that had ever been in Darlington High School. You remember Mr. Daniel used to come over often just to be in the room and gather inspiration from our outbursts of eloquence and wonderful recitations.” “Our Senior play was the pride of the town. It was such a great success that we had invitations from all over the country, but as we were Seniors our time was limited and we had to decline most of them.”

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CtUn oes The IlisForg oF Class ’28 Long, Long Ago “Just think, Annie Louise, it has been twenty years today since we stood with our classmates and received our diplomas, and yet I can close my eyes and picture that never-to-be-forgotten day. It seems only yesterday! Laughter, happy faced boy and girl graduates, flowers, music and proud parents; I see it all again. Let us go back even further than that to the day when we entered school reluctantly, as awkward children, behind our mother’s skirts to Miss Martin's room. We were frightened almost out of our wits, some weeping aloud, others wide-eyed and dumb with anxiety. We were taken in charge and assigned never-ending tasks, and then embarked on our journey, whose goal was education. “Truly ours was an age of ignorance. We seemed never to understand what Mr. Daniel meant when lie said ‘Keep off the terraces, children.’ Do you remem- ber the time we were rolling down them when who should appear on the scene but Mr. Daniel? You remember when he asked us to see him in his office that Tiny, for some mysterious reason, became suddenly ill and had to go home.” “And Bernice, have you forgotten the time that Virginia walked pompously into the room in' her new pink gingham conscious of the many admiring glances which she was receiving. But alas, the admiration turned to smothered laughter when she unconsciously sat in a pool of ink which Bill had mischievously prepared to lower her dignity. As we pause and think of that period (which we may term space) between the first grade and the seventh, we can but think of some of the striking things which we learned. We had not only gained facts and knowledge but we had acquired also the power of ascertaining for ourselves the things which we once considered too difficult. “Oh, that we could have tarried along this dear road. “Oh. that we could have abode longer with those dear companions, our teach- ers, who made the way so pleasant. But no, no such good fortune was to be ours.” “And now September again, and we had only four more mile stones to pass, hirst year High School! What bliss! First High School work is usually diffi- cult but not in the year 1925. “Ninth grade! O yes. Annie Louise, that was the year that Bill, instead of bestowing a kiss upon a certain fair maiden who was expected to pass under some mistletoe, conferred it very affectionately upon the janitor.”

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“Yes, Annie Louise, we did experience the thrills of being the envied of all observers but this could not last always. We had to forge ahead. The parting was inevitable, but may we never forget the days spent at St. John’s. The mem- ories of them will push us toward the goal, stimulate us to good and keep us from evil. “Annie Louise, we were just beginning to live.’’ Bernice Bryant, '28. Annie Louise Smoot, ’28.