Victory High School - Optic Yearbook (Clarksburg, WV)

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The Junior-Senior Prom, the biggest social event on the calendar, took place on May 17, in the Waldo Hotel Ballroom. The theme of the prom, a Hawaiian motif, made a most colorful and festive evening for the students and faculty. Miss Ernst had charge of this event with the aid of Ronnie Mancuso, who headed the committee of Elissa San Julian, Jim Land, Erseline Gainer, Dena San Julian, and Tom Cottrill. Following the prom, the students were royally entertained by the local Exchange Club with a snack, a movie, a dance at the Carmichael, and a breakfast for the tired but very happy guests. That summer was not a dull one by any means. Judy Ferrell and Becky Van Scoy attended Girls' State. Richard Van Scoy, Ronnie Mancuso, Tip Bennett, Jim Fittro, Kenley Menendez, and Tom Cottrill represented V.H.S. at Boys' State. Nancy Titchnal, Brenda Felton, and Ronnie Mancuso made the most out of their summer when they represented the local Odd Fellows Organization to the United Nations Pilgrimage for Youth in New York City. Mary Gray, who was sponsored by the Goff Plaza Garden Club, attended the Junior Nature Camp at Oglebay Park in Wheeling. Don Fitzhugh enjoyed his summer vacation when he represented Victory at the National Hi-Y Congress in Ohio. Then, at long last, in the fall of 1957 we were seniors. Now we were very sophisticated—too much so, some said. Once again we held our election of class officers and the results were the same as the year before with Jim Fittro in the top position and Neil Bennett, Elissa San Julian, and Dave Gianettino as his co-workers. The council members also remained the same for the most part with Marlene Findley, Dena San Julian, Brenda Felton, Sam Demicco, Richard Van Scoy, Jim Hurley, and Tom Cottrill. This year we added a new advisor, Mr. Holden of the D.E. class. Replacing Coach Sappington, who moved to Ohio, was Mr. Kenneth Alessi, who was to be our basketball coach. The taking of our senior pictures by Buffington Studio and the ordering of our class rings were two of our biggest steps as seniors. December 3 was an important date to all of us for this was when our rings arrived. Now we were so sophisticated that hardly anyone could live with us. Our new football coach, Mr. John Mazzei, did a fine job with our boys and he was honored by being voted the All County and City Coach off the Year. Coach Mazzei also helped the Eagles to repossess the City Championship Trophy. Our tri-captains, Jim Fittro, Dennis Duncan, and Turtle” Knight, were three of the nine players from Victory on the '37 Harrison County Team.” Other seniors making the team were Ed Jenkins, Dave Gianettino, and Dave Criss. Two seniors, Jurtle” Knight and Dave Criss, were elected on the Big Ten Squad. Posted on the All State third team was Dave Criss. Receiving honorable mention were Turtle” Knight, Dennis Duncan, and Ed Jenkins. Francis Turtle” Knight received honorable mention on the Sporting News All American High School Team. Coach Alessi and the basketball tri-captains, Dave Criss, Turtle” Knight, and Jim Fittro, with the rest of the team definitely proved themselves this year on the basketball floor. Many of Victory’s seniors have won honors this year. Doris Smith won the Betty Crocker Homemaker's Award, Mary Gray was selected as Girl-of-the-Month and Future Teacher of the Month, and Jim Fittro, Tip Bennett, Dave Gianettino, and Richard Van Scoy were the selections for Boy-of-the-Month. During a beautiful candlelight ceremony on November 22, fifteen members were welcomed into the National Honor Society. Those initiated were Dena San Julian, Judy Ferrell, Sue Ann Davisson, Tom Cottrill, Doris Smith, Barbara Fittro, Dave Bitonti, Eileen Winning, Shirley Strother, Gladys Ashcraft, Doris Johnson, Becky Van Scoy, Kay Ritter, Carolinda Caussin, and Kathryn Granett. One of the most enjoyable events of the year was the Senior Christmas Party, which was under the direction of Mrs. Wanda Martin and Mr. Matthey. The gym was beautifully decorated and the seniors and their guests enjoyed the delightful entertainment and danced to the music of the Ellis Brothers' Orchestra. Star Over Bethlehem” was the title of the stirring Christmas play, which was under the direction of our class sponsor, Mrs. Morgan. The cast received many compliments on their fine performance. Senior D. E. students missed Mr. Holden when he went to legislature in January and February to serve in his capacity as State Senator. This year Spring brought many different feelings to us seniors. We were caught in a happy whirl of activities but we were sorry that soon we would be leaving our school days behind. May 9 brought a sigh of relief from Mrs. Morgan and the cast as the curtain fell on the senior play for the last time. Once again as the Prom time came rolling around beautiful formals and the boys for white dinner jackets. This year we could sit back and really enjoy the music and entertainment because now it was our turn to be the guests of the juniors. Our class tried something new this year by inviting former Victory graduates to be the speakers at the banquet, commencement, and Baccalaureate sermon. On May 13 we were honored to have Dr. Cornelia Ladwick, who graduated with the Class of 1930, as the speaker for our Senior Banquet. The Baccalaureate Sermon was a new experience for all of us with Reverend Jack Cottrill, who is from Washington D. C., and who graduated with the Class of 1949, as our speaker. On Class Day, many tears were shed as we moved to the stage in our caps and gowns while the new seniors and juniors joined us in singing Auld Lang Syne.” Finally it was May 27, the night of graduation. As we sat listening to our speaker, Mr. Glen Toothman. who is the District Attorney of Green County, Pennsylvania, and who was the president of the Class of 1938, we suddenly felt sad as we realized what a wonderful experience it was to be a senior. We'll miss the joys and privileges of our final year and the bitter-sweet parting at its close but now we must look forward to the future and be able to face the challenge of life. BRENDA FELTON Historian 29

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Class History -1958 There is a tide in the affairs of men. Which, taken at the flood, leads on to fortune: Omitted, all the voyage of their life Is bound in shallows and in miseries. —SHAKESPEARE We will never forget that day in September of ’55 when 216 of us entered Victory's side doors as frightened and timid, green sophomores. If it hadn't been for the help of the teachers and the mighty upperclassmen, we would never have found our way to the balcony of the auditorium where all ignorant sophomores are privileged to sit. Mr. Powell along with the rest of the faculty didn’t seem to think we could plow through our next three years without any help, so he assigned us to homeroom teachers. Although we were certain we didn't need them, Miss Ernst, Mrs. Morgan, Miss Van Horn, Mrs. Martin, Mr. Matthey, and Mr. Sappington guided us through our first year with great skill. P. S. We would never have made it without them. At the first meeting of this well-mannered, hard-working class, we elected our class officers. The head man position went to Jim Fittro with Jean Cottrill as vice president, Elissa San Julian as secretary, and Dave Gianettino as treasurer. Aiding these officers with their responsibilities was the student council which is made up of the presidents of each homeroom. The members were Shirley Clayton, Neil Bennett, Harold Reed, Gayleen Hornbeck, Jim Hurley, and Dena San Julian. Our first real social event was the traditional sophomore get-acquainted party. Many friendships were made that night, and they have lasted and grown during these three rough but exciting, years at V.H.S. Just before the basketball season started the Spirit Committee held an election and everyone was very proud when Mar)' Gray and Patty Scolopio were selected by the student body as the new reserve cheerleaders. The class of ’58 really proved itself during our excellent magazine campaign. We were the first class to surpass the goal of $2,000 with our net profit being $596,71. The undying efforts of Dena San Julian, Martha Merandi, and Ronnie Mancuso paid off, for they were the high salesmen and were awarded valuable prizes. Easter was anxiously anticipated this year, for it gave us our first chance to display our outstanding and varied dramatic talents. It was through the excellent direction of Miss Ernst that the play was so successful. And so as our first year ended, we were a little bit wiser and more sophisticated as we marched downstairs to our new seats which denoted that we wrere now juniors. 28 Then came our second year—At last we were upperclassmen. Assuming a new dignity, we began to take life more seriously. Our first big assignment was to elect our class officers. Jim Fittro made the grade again as president with Tip Bennett, Elissa San Julian, and Dave Gianettino filling the other posts. This year's council members were Dena San Julian, Brenda Felton, Marlene Findley, Dennis Duncan, Jim Hurley, and Richard Van Scoy. November was certainly a busy month with both our annual Thanksgiving program, directed by Mrs. Wanda Martin, and the junior play, directed by Mrs. Julia Embry. Giving fine performances in our first program, Thanksgiving Through The Ages were Dave Bitonti, Mary Ann Gerasco, Doris Johnson, Don Gabriel, Dave Gianettino, Don Fitzhugh, Lloyd Nestor, Junior Ramsey, Mary Beth Riddle, Ronnie Mancuso, Carol Loria, Mary Gray, Jim Hurley, and Day Ritter. The audience definitely enjoyed our junior play, a teenage comedy entitled Seventeenth Summer, which starred Judy Husk and Tom Cottrill. Displaying great talent in the supporting roles were Carolinda Caussin, Becky Van Scoy, Judy Ferrell, Jean Cottrill, Dean Pernell, Jim Hurley, Richard Van Scoy, Eileen Winning, Nancy Titchenal, Tip Bennett, and Frank Glaspell. One busy month followed another as in December we launched our Christmas card sale. We all worked hard but the top salesmen were Charlotte Bumgardner, Edward Bottura, and Robert Steele. The result of our project was a net profit of $481.50. Chosen by their classmates to represent Victory at the state capital for Know Your Government Day were Neil Bennett and Jean Cottrill. While they were in Charleston, they learned many things to relate to their friends back home. On May 1, nine juniors were honored and very pleasantly surprised to learn that they had been accepted as charter members of the National Honor Society. Chosen on the basis of the four cardinal principles, Scholarship, Leadership, Character, and Service, were Tip Bennett, Don Fitzhugh, Richard Van Scoy, Jean Cottrill, Elissa San Julian, Brenda Felton, Mary Gray, Nancy Titchenal, and Charlotte Bumgardner. Elected to serve as Head Cheerleader for our senior year was Mary Gray, an enthusiastic and loyal fan who had been honored earlier in the season by being selected as the Best City Cheerleader.

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Junior Janie oletta Virginia Carolinda Frank