Thomas Dale High School - Reflector Yearbook (Chester, VA)

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Robert Bradley, Royall Bailey, and Herbert Bennett, helped to achieve these honors. During this year, we also published the Junior Journal, which demanded more hard work. Days came and went, as days will do, and we had grown, we felt, in wisdom if not in stature. And at last came the hoped for, prayed for, dreamed of time— Senior year. After a carefree vacation, we eagerly entered school as dignified Seniors. Under the supervision of Miss Park and Miss Williams, we ac- complished many tasks. Our Senior officers, who were elected at the close of our Junior year, were: Royal Bailey, President; Cleveland Martin, Vice-President; Anne Rock, ‘Treasurer; and Wilton Birdsong, Secretary. During this year, we had difficulty in keeping a class president. After our president, Royall Bailey, transferred to another school, Cleveland Martin, our vice-president, became president, with Rodney Wells, vice-president. During the Christmas holidays, Cleveland Martin was married and Rodney Wells served as our president for the remainder of the year. Everyone had a delightful time at the reception given by the Tenth Grade in honor of the Senior Class, dancing to the delightful music of the Southern Serenaders’ Orchestra. The figure, in which members of both classes took part, was done beautifully. This year, many members of our class worked faithfully during the Curtis Campaign. Miss Park’s homeroom was in the lead with Jake Williams as head salesman. The point system, which was introduced in our Sophomore year, enabled us to see many Seniors wearing monograms before the end of the year. Robert Tait, Rodney Wells, Jake Williams, Jean Ann Bryant, Edith Merritt, Dorothy Adams, Nell Brooks, Wilton Birdsong, Jane Johnson, Roy Collie, and Albert Huband are the members of our class who are wearing the point system mono- grams now. This year Mrs. Betty Bibb Ware directed our class play, They Did Away With Uncle. Jake Williams, Albert Huband, Theodocia Morris, Robert Tait, Florine Ammons, Betty Jean Hitt, Connie Adams, Marion Reid, Marjorie Payton, Catherine Goyne, and Randolph Kientz gave an outstanding performance in this play. Later on in the year our Senior Class undertook the difficult task of editing the Reflector. With Miss Williams and Mr. Thompson as faculty advisors, we produced our cherished yearbook! So, as we come to the end of our sojourn here, it is with reluctance and sorrow that we take leave of the friends and pleasures we have shared. The inspiring words ‘“. . . Now, voyager, sail thou forth to seek and hayek by Walt Whitman, challenge advancement in our lives. We will go forth, but we shall often recall our happy days of training at Thomas Dale. : JANE JOHNSON, Class Historian. SOLVE etlector

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Class Histor HE MONTH of September, 1944 found us, a strange assortment of Freshmen, at ‘Thomas Dale High Schoo! glancing from seat to seat to see familiar faces inter- mingled with faces we had never seen before. For many weeks we had looked forward eagerly to our first high school day. When the time came, we proudly marched to the Freshmen homerooms which were under the direction of Miss Wright, Miss Prochazka, Mrs. Hunt, and Mrs. Cecil, later replaced by Mrs. Smart. Our class officers for this year were: Charles Fisher, President; Edith Merritt, Vice-President; Louise Wilbourne, Secretary; and Mac Cogbill, ‘Treasurer. After work- ing hard during this year, we welcomed a vacation of three months. After this vacation, we returned to Thomas Dale in the fall as Sophomores. Our sponsors were Miss Gooch, Mrs. Crump, and Miss Hudson. ‘This year we were not as enthusiastic about being in high school as we were the first year, but the months passed quickly and June was soon in sight. All of us had pleasant summer vacations. Some visited the sunny sea shores, while others visited the cool mountains. Of course, there were many industrious people who worked all summer. September came quickly, and school bells began to summon us back to our studies. “This year, with the loss, however, of a number of our former classmates, we entered ‘Thomas Dale as Juniors. Our faculty sponsors were Mrs. Smart, Mrs. Casey, and Miss Spencer. The Junior class officers were: Robert ‘Tait, President; Royall Bailey, Vice-President; Jake Williams, Treasurer; and Wilton Birdsong, Secretary. These officers did a splendid job in helping our class to succeed in its many undertakings. Our Junior year was one of the most interesting periods in school. One of the outstanding events which took place during this session was our class play, Yow ll Die Laughing, under the direction of Mrs. Faye Casey. After many days of practice, the following students gave a good performance: Florine Ammons, Robert Tait, Jake Williams, Cleveland Martin, Jerry Tunstall, Catherine Goyne, Fred Jouget, Marion Reid, Nell Brooks, ‘Theodocia Morris, Betty Jean Hitt, Ethel Johnson, and Randolph Kientz. Next, we prepared for the Junior-Senior Reception and on the day of the reception we worked very hard preparing refreshments and decorating the gym- nasium., ‘That evening the gymnasium was a beautiful sight with the soft lights falling on the lovely decorations and on the multicolored whirling gowns. ‘Thus ended another special event on our year’s calendar, Then, we planned a trip to Williamsburg, Jamestown, and Yorktown. Afier days of waiting, our “tour day” arrived. We were highly excited as we climbed aboard the large buses. On this trip, we visited many historical sites in that area. Perhaps the most outstanding event of the year was the state honors which our basketball team won. Even though the season of 1947 started out with losses, it ended with many victories. Our classmates, Cleveland Martin, Kenneth Leech, ee erlector

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Class P rophecy .| ERHAPS you may think it strange that I, one of the world’s greatest circus acrobats and trapeze flyers, should in this year of 1970 be established and ordained a full-fledged angel up beyond the golden gates of heaven. But heed me, my friends, for these words I speak hold naught but truth, and it is with this truth that Iam able to cast my eyes on the whole of earth and its inhabitants. The terrific force by which I am now driven parts the white cloud upon which I sit, and permits my eyes to wander downward. I behold a great tower with five golden figures set atop it—yes, it is the famous ‘Tait University, established in honor of that great gentleman, Robert Tait, A.B., D.C., B.C., who so faithfully served his country through the invention of the world’s most lasting and deadly rat poison, the “Pansy”. Upon peering more intently, I discover that there are not five but four golden figures perched upon the tower. ‘The fifth figure is that of Jerry Tunstall in person who is busy shining the remaining four. I now rearrange my halo, thus causing my cloud to float swiftly eastward until I behold the capital of the United States. Seated in his new Deisel heli- copter, which runs on the power generated by a piece of bubble gum, and which was invented by Fred Jouget, is the President of the United States, Rodney Wells, At the wheel of this contraption is the pompous figure of the President’s chauffeur, Donald Johnson. Donald obtained this coveted position through the recommendation of Geraldine Hadder, the late Duchess of Bellwood Manor. But this is enough of the capital, so let’s travel to the city of New York. Waverly Martin’s newly invented twenty-eight-way stretch rubber girdle has created a minor sensation in spite of the fact that seamstresses, Dorothy Gay and Ramona Kelly, claim it takes more rubber to make than a raft. It is here that I also behold Florine Ammons and Mary Jane Jackson, sensational dancers in the Leech Club. Their arrangement of The Lost Chord vs. The Last Dance was a smashing success in more ways than one! Let’s pass on to the Museum of Fine Arts and take a look at Harold Jinkins’ latest surrealistic creation, commonly called “Halli-Tosis’. It consists of a clothes-pin with two frog legs and half an eye on it. Modern art, they say—well, I am indeed glad I am up here and out of it all—or am I? Could this white thing coming toward me possibly be an airplane? Yes, it is and it’s being driven by that daring flyer, Nell Brooks! Now back to earth. Say, there’s Jean Bryant and her five little Nugents! I hear she’s coaching them to be great American basketball players. “Take a look at Yankee Stadium. Barbara Ellison is pitching for our Yankees in their eighteenth undefeated year! Edith Merritt, I hear, just had a heated argument with Leo over who should manage the Chester Cubs. ‘There’s Jake Williams, too, who has recently been appointed official score keeper for the Lower Slobovia fishing team, Pardon me now for just a minute while I get out my telescope and “specs”. “The Reflector.