Walnut High School - Echoes Yearbook (Walnut, NC)

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SENIOR CLASS OFFICERS President .........-.--.,..0.......-...Arthur Ramsey Secrecary....... .........LouiseAl1en Vice-President . . . . .Dorothy Lee Reeves Treasurer . . . . W . . . . . . Zettie Roberts F . F. Vice-President Reporter . . . Treasurer . . . Sentinel . . . . Advisor , , 7 President . . . . . Secretary . . . . . A. OFFICERS . , . . . . . .Herbert Allen . . .... Wallace Hollifield . . . . Eugene Wilds . . . . Bobby McClure . . . Bobby Chandler . . . . .Arthur Ramsey . . . Ormand Williams

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THE LITTLE VILLAGE OF WALNUT The little village of Walnut is nestled in the hills at an elevation above the sea level of nearly 2200 feet, and the mountain scenery is not surpassed in any other sec- tion of the Great Smoky Mountains. Pure water and pure air make it a most healthful locality. The little village sprang up when Bell Institution was here, It is geograph- ically in the center of Madison County, and but one mile up the mountain from Barnard, N. C., the nearest railroad station, for the Southern Railroad -- on the French Broad River. This is a delightful summer resort for people who dearly love the mountains. The fir st public school that was at Walnut was in 1910. It consisted of two rooms with two teachers. Three years later another teacher and another room were added. The school was lacking in sufficient equipment, and very little progress was made. In 1914, Bell Institute was abandoned and a high school was established. The children were not graded and it. took a considerable time to get them started for work. They added grades as the students advanced in their work. In 1921-22 there were two high school teachers, Mr. Jones and Miss English, who taught to the eighth grade. In 1922-23, we had three high school teachers, Miss Epps Haws as principals Prof. Kimsey and Miss Francis Ramsey. There were about 150 enrolled that year. The following year, 1923-24, there w.ere 350 enrolled, due in part to consolidating Mt. Neta and Hopewell with Walnut, with no increase in teachers. This was the first year that there were any graduates. There were only four in the class. The school made such progress that a new and larger school house was demanded. A new building was erec- ted. New interest was taken by all and did all they could to promote the progress of the school. The school made progress under the following principals: Cook, Pegg, Blankenship, and Wells, and improved greatly until the fire in 1932 swept the building and destroyed all the records and equipment. The remainder of the year and the Fall term were taught in the churches. During this term, the large, new brick building was built. Mr. Wells and his faculty were very patient, but longed for that memorable day, Thanksgiving, November 27, 1933, when they came to the new building. They didn't have sufficient equipment but the school made progress. We have still grown under the leader ship of Messers Ed Wilson, A. V. Nolan, William Peek, E. W. Hill, and Fred W. Anderson, until we have seventeen teachers, and an Agricultural Department has been added which is most helpful to our boys. The Walnut School is outstanding in many ways in our county. We are looking forward to better things. The Senior Class of '49 has had four different principals during their four years of high school. Herbert Allen s 6

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CLASS HISTORY CHAPTER ONE The history of the class of '49 of Walnut High School, county of Madison, state of North Carolina, had its beginning like most classes. It was in the year 1945, August 17, that twenty and eight meek and humble Fresh- men started their tread down the long rocky road of High School to gain the last four milestones cf learning. Although weakened from hard toiling, indifference, ill health, and laziness, those who were left strove harder to toil on and not give up. Many had fallen by the wayside because of mental inabilities to cope with the hard work assigned them. Such problems as marriage, war, and weakness of mind, caused the class to dwindle at an unbelievably rapid rate. Mr. A. V. Nolan, principal, and Mrs. C. M. Blankenship had the task of leading us into the world of learning as Freshmen. Our class had dissolved until there was only twenty-one members to enter as sophomores. Those who had fallen out were: Robert Buckner who is employed in farming on Big Pine: McKay Farmer who is now serving in the Army: Buddy Hanes who is married and living in Knoxville, Tennessee. Ray Ramsey who is staying at his home in Marshall, Route 3, Gladys Farmer married Junior Lunsford: Beaulah Wildsg married to Frank Shelton and has one child: and Clark Harris, who is also serving in the Army. CHAPTER TWO Our second year at good old Walnut High was reigned over by Mr. William W. Peek, successor to Mr. A. V. Nolan, It'was in this year that Mr. Peek won the friend- ship of the boys by his great interest in sports. Our class was led by a very fine lady, Miss Anna M. Hyde, who did take leave of us to journey to Ohio to live. The class by this time had gained one new member, Verlene Rathbone from Leceister, and had lost three members, Queenie Rice who married Marvin Rice, and has one child, Ollie Roberts who moved to Mar shall, and Dorthy Doan who married a boy from Knoxville and has a child. CHAPTER THREE Our third year at good old Walnut High was taken over by Mr. Eldridge Hill, successor to Mr. William Peek. Our class was led by Mrs. Epps McClure, who did much to encourage us. It was in this year, that we, the Juniors, did bid the Seniors farewell at the annual Junior-Senior banquet. The class by this time had gained one more member, Arthur Ramsey and lost two more, Rita Henderson and Mor gan Davis, who saw the error of their ways and are both back in school. We regret to have lost them. 8