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

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St. John's Echoes, t 9 3 0 26 GYPSY MAGIC CLASS PROPHECY IT WAS a late November afternoon. The football game was won! I could hear the last straggling laugh of the crowd as they left the grounds. As I tripped through the narrow path in the woods leading to my home, I decided the world was a beautiful place in which to live. The golden autumn sunset shimmering mystically through the brilliant leaves, intensified the still, lonely silence. The hazy richness of the atmosphere, the steady flow of the tiny stream, and the stillness, all formed a picture as elusive and impalpable as a day dream. Wishing things could stay like this forever, I finished the apple I was eating and quickly began counting the seeds—“One, I love—two, I love—three, I love, I say—four, I love with all my heart—five, I cast away—” Suddenly I was interrupted by a laugh and a rustle of leaves! Peeping quizzically through the bushes was the mischievous, smiling face of a gypsy child. I found myself in a gypsy camp! I was fascinated by the sight of the tent, the fire, the brown woman with her babies, the radiant colors of their scanty clothes, and the strange music of a guitar. Night had fallen. I lingered—spellbound by the sweetest, wildest music I had ever heard — melodies made at will. The graceful bodies of the amber-hued children danced in the firelight like magic elfins. A laughing, carefree woman dressed in scanty, limp clothing and a beautiful shawl, a scarlet kerchief around her black head and her neck adorned by a necklace of gold coins, sat near me giving a vivid account of their wanderings. She told of gypsy romance, of gypsy folk-lore and of the wonderful gift of second sight. Deftly she removed an odd-looking ring from her hand and slipped it on the first finger of my left hand. In a flash I could read the future! Crayton McCown, who boasts of being “Darlington’s Best Sofa,” will go a step further, sooner or later, as he will become the private sofa to a triple-chinned, three- hundred-and-fifty-pound “sweet thing” known as “wifey.” Ruth LaMotte shall rule over men. For while on a big-game hunt in the African jungles she will adopt a long-lost tribe and become “Queen Boop-Boopa-Doop,” wield- ing her heavy scepter with a firm hand. To the amazement of his friends, Ivan Taub will become a fearless lion tamer. Before his iron will the roaring beasts become docile as kittens, as their master places his handsome head in their hungry mouths. His dependable and fearless understudy will be no less than William Howie, himself well knowrn in this profession. Taddy James, as “The Lady Champ Golfer,” will go on an extended vamoose to Africa, where she will have plenty of space and caddies to satisfy her wants. Ned Dargan will run away from home to become a popular night club leader and tap dancer, spreading sunshine with his good-natured grin! One of the most interesting figures in the music world of tomorrow will be the noted director of the Newr York Symphony Orchestra. Dressed in the customary

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St. John's E c hoe s , 19 3 (! 23 public, and later made the “Junior Revue” a success to help the Junior Class. Then, of course, there was our senior play in which we “shone.” All along: our way through school other trees had been set out in our little forest while some were taken away from it. But there is still quite a large group here as you can see. Stay with me a while—and be kind enough to accompany me through the forest of this Senior Class. We have separated into different types of trees and here I will try to point out to you the individuals. Here stands a clump of Oaks—large and dependable— by the names of John Brown, Ned Dargan, Richard Davis, Mollie James and Julian Wilson. Then over here the pines—stately pines of untold value to the world— Lawrence Abbott, Inez Law, Margaret McLeod. Over there the very useful and charming maples—Edith Register, Ruth Russ and Pearl Munn. And now we come to two trees of much beauty—the Mimosa and the Magnolia—Harriet Vaughan and Margaret Jeffords. Next comes the trees noted for their broad roots and splendid foundations—Jack Byrd, Mildred Hatchell, James Lyles. Then here is a very hardy and useful tree—the fir, represented by Edward Davis. Right beside it grows a group of fine spruce trees—almost like the pines—Ivan Taub, William Howie and Phoenix Hewitt. And here is a clump of sturdy and hardy hickorys as Neill Murphy, Dick Vaughan and Ernest Langston. Nearby are three trees that we could hardly get along without—the cocoanut trees, namely, James Mozingo, Crayton McCown and Mildred Baker. Next to these you see the pretty quivering little aspens, perpetually fluttering and whispering—Ruth LaMotte and Frances Lea Huff. We have, too, some holly trees; they get along almost anywhere—Annie Me. Edwards, William Greene, Taddy James and Dorothy Leigh Parker. Now at last we come to a group of very stately but modest trees—the elms—Minnie Smoot, Mary Louise Rhodes, Emma Law Baker, Helen Ward, Nannie DeWitt and Pearl Hill. I sincerely hope that you love nature enough to enjoy these fine specimens of trees—and that you have found as much pleasure in their history as I did—and now I take great pleasure in presenting to you the senior “forest” of 1930. J. P. BRUNSON, JR., ’30

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St. John's Echoes, 1930 27 black suit with flowing hair and tie, the great artist adds laurels to her crown by her superb directing — it is our own Edith Register! One of America’s foremost lecturers, John Phoenix Hewitt will be. His most successful and forceful lectures he will deliver to desperate husbands on the sub- ject, “How to Keep VVifey Subdued.” As Monte Carlo’s richest and most reckless lady gambler, Mildred Hatched will make a name and reputation for herself. It is at Mildred’s villa in southern France where Minnie Smoot, the world’s worst husband-wrecker, will spend many pleasant hours with her old friend. It is Minnie’s fate to become a second Peggy Joyce, tying and untying the matrimonial knot nine times. Curtis DeWitt as an author will become the shining idol of young school boys, after having revealed the “key to popularity” in his book, “How to Become a High School Hero.” Emma Law Baker’s many friends will follow her glamorous career with much interest. She will sign a long-term contract as prima donna of the Metropolitan Opera Company. James Lyles, as the world’s greatest “lover” of all time, on screen and stage, will win fame and fortune. His favorite leading lady being a dainty and fragile blonde, Suzette Marchalette, who in private life is Frances Lea Huff. Helen Ward, as a professional fancy diver, will tour the country with her trainer, Mildred Baker, herself a professional in all aquatic sports. Atlantic City will soon be overcrowded with the “weaker sex” when our manly Dick Vaughan decides to be a life guard and begins to strut up and down the strand, eagerly saving drowning damsels or gladly giving private swimming lessons to fair maidens. Florenz Ziegfeld, while passing through the South, will “discover” “Culu” Edwards, and overnight she will become a favorite Broadway butterfly, dancing with fast-flying feet along the path of stardom. The “Fresh Air Corporation,” owned by Bunny Abbott and Richard Davis, will be a “sure-fire” success. They will become millionaires almost overnight, as the business of this firm will be to air the pets of the new-rich at 50 cents an hour. Nannie DeWitt is to become an artist’s model and live in Greenwich Village, where she will win fame posing for an artist suffering from the “modernistic mania.” Julian Wilson and Ernest Langston will start out “to see the world,” but will end by becoming champion feather pickers on an ostrich farm in Australia. The society columns will feature the “doings” of one of America’s most popular young society matrons of New York. Newport, and Palm Beach. For Harriet Vaughan is to make a brilliant marriage and take her place as a social leader. Speeding motorists will be stopped with a firm hand by a comely little police- woman. Pearl Munn is destined to be the captain of a group of none-too-gentle “lady cops.” For Jack Byrd, I saw a flourishing business as owner of a large lunch table on the campus of St. John’s. Jack has developed a method of controlling hungry stu-