Walstonburg High School - Talisman Yearbook (Walstonburg, NC)

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CLASS HISTORY It was spring and the warmth of the sun on such a calm day felt wonderful. How I loved to wander through the fields and woods out in the spacious country! It was only yesterday that I, wanting to be alone, decided to take a long walk and think things over. There was just the faintest breeze; everything seemed so peaceful. So I, clad in dungarees and an old shirt, set out on my usual expedition. Strangely enough, I seemed unusually moody. I wasn’t exactly happy and yet I wasn’t sad Oh, I just wanted to go somewhere where I could sit and think. I knew just the spot down by the old canal. As I was sitting on the edge of the canal bank, nudging my bare toes lazily into the sand, I suddenly became aware of the strangest feeling. I could see myself very clearly now as I really am, about to finish high school and begin a life all my own; a new life. Soon I will be actually grown-up. All of our high school days will be in our hearts to remember always. I can remember very well, when we, the Senior Class of ’52, were Freshmen. There were twenty-six of us that first year in high school. Becoming new members of high school made us feel as though we were practically grown. Our class president was Faye Parker and she proved to be a very capable one. We had several class parties and weiner roasts but we did not take any trips. Just being Freshmen was exciting enough for us! Mr. Troy Godwin, our teacher, was wonderful, too. During our Sophomore year, we had become more accustomed to the daily routine of high school. We seemed to fit in much better. However, we regretted having lost five students during the summer, but this did not make us any less active. We tried to be hard workers, but still, we had our fun. As we were a rather rowdy group, our instructor, Mr. Robert Baxter, worked hard trying to make us work. We elected Bonnie Rae Pierce as our class president that year. A few members of our class were represented on the Varsity basketball team. Of these members, we were very proud. It seemed that, after all, our Sophomore year slipped away rather rapidly. We were very happy when we became Juniors. We thought, ‘‘Surely now, we re important members of the W ’burg High School. We will settle down and work hard. ” We wanted the public to recognize us as important beings, too. As a result of our hard work, our Junior-Senior Ban- quet proved to be a success. To Mrs. Mary Ellen Shirley, our wonderful Junior teacher, we feel as though we owe a lot of credit. She helped us all she could and in every way. Because of her, our Junior year was a successful one. We were indeed very proud when we received our class rings in the fall. To us, they were really the hi-light of the eleventh grade. I remember that in our Junior year, Mr. Frank Ceruzzi, our biology teacher, sponsored a trip to Chapel Hill and Raleigh sight seeing. The trip proved to be a very educational as well as a thrilling one. Our Junior Class president, who proved to be a very outstanding one, was Billy Davis. We feel that Billy was one the best presidents that we have ever had. His loyalty to the class won’t ever be forgotten. When visualizing ourselves in the past, we find that the roll we played as Seniors stands out the clearest. Melvin Cunningham made a wonderful president. We could never have found a better person anywhere than Miss Louise Ellis for our Senior teacher. With her guidance, we feel that we reached our goal. Our last year was begun in a big way by editing our school annual. After we had completed our annual, we, with the encouraging help of Miss Ellis, gave our Senior Play, which was successful. To you, Miss Ellis, we were indeed very grateful. With the ordering of calling cards, invitations, caps and gowns, and doing all the other im- portant duties that were necessary, we were kept very busy. Of all our years in high school, the last one proved to be our fullest. As our high school days were quickly nearing an end for us, we, a class of nineteen seniors, sadly realized that we were about to leave all our wonderful classmates and teachers, never to return again as faithful members of the Walstonburg High School. As graduation is just around the corner, we are about to receive our diplomas, wherein perhaps lies the key to our future. We, never having been a favorite class among the teachers, feel that we have completed successfully our first great step toward building for each of us a firm foundation. Darkness seemed to have come all of a sudden for when I finally came out of this miraculous daze, I realized it was already twilight. The stars were beginning to peer out into the night. I could see a full moon off in the distance. Everything was so beautiful but very solemn, too. I jumped up, knowing I had to hurry home. I had really stayed away longer than I realized, but I think in those few hours there on the canal bank, I have finally realized the real meaning of life. As I strolled homeward, I seemed to possess a new courage, one that made me glad that I am finishing high school. Oddly enough, I seemed very anxious to welcome this new life that a- wafted me. Mary Alice Gay HISTORIAN

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CUSS POEM UNFORGOTTEN YEARS Precious memories will linger of our happy high school days, Of the Junior-Senior banquets and the parties, games and plays. Walstonburg has left us memories, memories that are very dear, Pointing to a star to guide us as we plan a great career. As we go into the future, should our star grow somewhat dim. And the paths that spread before us face us with a prospect grim, We will do our best to conquer as we go our. separate ways, Practicing the truths we’ve learned here in our happy high school days. We will not forget our teachers; they have been the best of friends. They stood by us in our struggles round the rough and crooked bends. Their continuous correcting will remain with us forever, For we know that they were seeking from each one his best endeavor. Now our high school days are over; gone are all those happy years. And we see those joys but vaguely for our eyes are dim with tears. But, since we have our diplomas, we must turn our gaze afar To the days that lie before us mounting toward our wondrous star. Annie Mae Boykin Class Poet

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LAST WILL MID TESTAMENT We, the departing class of Nineteen Hundred and Fifty-Two, being sound in mind and healthy in body and realizing that our high school days are near an end, do hereby bequeath our goods and possessions to the benificiaries listed with the hope that they will be used with the same loving spirit as they are given. GENERAL TERMS: To the Faculty - We leave our deepest love for making the last four years the happiest ones of our lives. To the School - We leave our sincerest appreciation for its high standards and morals. To the Juniors - We leave our good looks, intelligence, glamour and above all our dear old homeroom. PERSONAL WILL: CAROL CRAFT wills her quitness to GLADYS COBB with the hope that she will cut out some of her talking. MARY ALICE GAY wills her ability to get her name in ‘ ' Society lines ’’ to SHIRLEY ANN COGGINS. MELVIN CUNNINGHAM leaves his beautiful curly red hair to WAYNE SPEIGHT. FAYE PARKER leaves her leadership ability to JOSEPHINE CRAFT. Carry on as Faye did, Josephine . MARY ELLEN FIELDS wills her ability to be most popular with the boys to EULA TUGWELL. Looks like you are headed in the right direction Eula. DWIGHT NORVILLE leaves his silly, yet likeable ways, to RAY CUNNINGHAM. VIRGINIA CORBETT wills her ability to make A ' s on all her school subjects to LOIS WOOTEN. Let ' s follow in her footsteps Lois. HILDA SPEIGHT leaves her height, a full five feet one-half inch, to BETTY ANN SAWYER. GORDON WALSTON wills his usefulness as office boy, including taking announcements around for Mr. Peeler, to ELMER HARRELL. MOLENE SHIRLEY leaves her talent to play basketball to KATHLEEN STRICKLAND. In the future we are hoping to see her make a lot of points for W.H.S. DOROTHY GAY wills her figure (and what a figure) to MATTIE SPEIGHT DANFORD, provided that she takes a little exercise. WESLEY COBB leaves his crooning voice to HAROLD HOLLOMAN hoping that with Wesley’s aid he will be able to sing just like A1 Jolson. ANN HOLLOMAN leaves her position as photographer for the annual to MARY RUTH COBB. Hope you do as well as Ann did. LOIS HONEYCUTT wills her typing ability, which is -(but maybe I shouldn’t say) to MATTIE SPEIGHT DANFORD, who may not need it. GERALDINE MOORE wills her bashfulness to ARLENE HOBBS, provided she will blush as often as Geraldine does. WALTER SUTTON leaves his dependability to TOMMIE NORVILLE. Tommie, we’re depending on you to bring in as much tobacco next year as Walter did in ’51. JANIE HINSON wills her position as editor-in-chief of the Pack-O-News to SAM TAYLOR if he will promise to work as hard on the paper as she has. ANNIE MAE BOYKIN leaves her poetic ability to DARRELL DAIL. He should be able to write about love. I, BILL DAVIS, finding myself able to think only of my faults, will to MISS ELLIS, my apologies. Since our estate and wishes have all dwindled, WE, the Senior Class, leave to MISS ELLIS, our gratitude and love through all the years. Miss Ellis, from the bottom of our hearts, we cer- tainly appreciate the wonderful job you have done, in guiding us on our way. Billy Davis, TESTATOR