West Street School - Planet Yearbook (New Bern, NC)

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The year is 1959 the town is San Francisco, the state is California. As I look through my High School Annual dating back to 1949 I see a photo of the football team at the front of the book. My, what a rugged looking pictureJ It looked good in those days, though. Pardon me a moment, there is someone ringing at the door. Well, well, look who ' s here, one of ray old friends and classmates, Junius Joyner, who is practicing law now in Chicago. Here comes another gang down the street. I won¬ der who it could be making all that noise. LookJ why at the head of the parade are Gilbert Taylor and Ethel George. They were two love birds in high school. I wonder how they stand now. He is a mathematicianand- she is a business woman. Well what do you know? There ' s the whole gang. Hlere comes George Baucom who in construction engineer now in New Haven, Connecticut. There are Rita Mills, Catherine Blake, Sudle Carter, Delores Godette, Bertie Dobson, Matole Hickman, end Willie Knight who are all nurses. There are Dr. Leroy Moore and Dr. James Lofton. They both have offices on 8th Avenue in New York City. A little com¬ petition, don ' t you think? I was beginning to wonder why all my classmates were beginning to turn up all of a sudden. It has Just ocoured to me that this is class reunion night, and I am supposed to be the host. So now we ' ll get on with the party and real¬ ly have some fun. There are George Woods and George Green in the corner conversing with Gartha Henderson. I guess I ' ll go over and Join the conversation. As you know they are leaders in the fields of laboratory technician, meohaniCB, and teaching, respectively. There is a little commotion over by the radio. I wonder what it is. I think I ' ll go over and see. Oh 1 what a shame, the radio is broken and there ' s not a technician in the house anywhere. There ' s someone at the door now. I ' ll wh0 it is. Why it ' s Donald Taylor, Just the person we want to see. He ' s a radio technician in Philadelphia. Maybe he can repair the radio. Now that the radio is fixed, we shall continue with the party. I nearly forerot we don ' t need the radio anymore, we have Goesle Hudson, Herbert Lofton and James George in the house. They are musicians, and by a stroke of fate, they brought their instruments along. Look ! over by the window. Why there ' re Gertrude Deans and George Hill.I didn ' t know they were here. Nevertheless, they are, and seem to be doing fine in their fields—physloal education end pharmacy. Oh I Here ' s Delores Dudley, T didn ' t thlttthat she would be here tonight. She ' s rearing a son and daugh¬ ter in Philadelphia. As you know, she ' s a housewife and a very fine one, too, I hear. Donald Wallace and Leonard Clarke are now entering the house. I read in , t week ' s paper about their prosperous business as morticians. The aocount was written by Ethel Simmons who is a newspaper reporter in Boston, Mass. Everyone is admiring the dress Helen Dove is wearing. She is a great stylist and seamstress. Clara Saunders also practices the same sort of work in Cleveland, Ohio. There is another one of my old schoolmates coming in now. It looks from here like Geraldine Harris, who is a librarian. Essie Dillahunt is with her. I hlar that Se is a stenographer for Walter Carter. How about that? They graduated from high school together in ' 49 and are still together today. Let ' s go over and see how Annie Frazier is making out. She ' s sitting over in the corner withaa beautiful hair style, one of her own creations. She is a beautician. Maggie Williams is a wonderful beautician also. She resides in Pittsburgh Pa. at present. m

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tisffsmwwmw 29. Sylvester Midgett wills hie poaition in the Varsity to I sac (Gabs) Ridley,, 30. Gertrude Deans wills her ability to play a piano to Carole Sawyer. 31. Linster S. Sanders wills to Odell Channel his seat in the Senior Class and to Hugh Jones his ability to solve problems in mathmatics. 32. Walter Peterson wills to anyone his ability to persevere though others be against him. 33. Lessie Martin wills her athletic ability to Ella Pulton and her musical ability to Joan Martin. 34. Sudie Carter wills her personality to Winifred Pearson and her eyes to Katie Farrow 35. Catherine Blake wills her neatness to Rosa Suggs and her freckles to Pearl Moore. 36 . Clara Sanders wills her sewing ability to Carrie Bunting. 37 . Horace Spr uil l wills his wisdom and knowledge to Laura McCoy. 38 . Bertia Dobson wills her ability to succeed to Rebecca Hicknan. 39 . Marie Gorham wills her ability to keep a secret to Burnette Martin. Maggie Williams wishes success in school.to he brother Abraham Williams. 41 . George Woods wills to Earl (Pickles) Jones his basketball ability and to John Ifertin his No. 55 Football Jersy. 42 . George IfaClease wills his heavy voice to his cousin Richard McClease. 43 Bertha Humphrey wills her Chemistry book to Barbara Rivers. 44 Charles Staten wills his popularity to James Murrell and his speed and athletic ability to Hugh Jones. 45 . Herbert Lofton wills to Joe Hill his drums and his vivaciousness to Preston Hill. 46 . Verlinda Leary wills her ability to grin and to bear it to her sister Ethel Leary. 47 . Willie Knight wills her ability to grin abd sense of humor to Doris Simmons. 48 . Rachel Boyd leaves her quietness to Lourae Fisher. 49 Annie Manley leaves her dancing ability to Barbara Rivera. 50 Jamas Dawson wills his quietness to James Daniels. 51 Ida Hooks wills her quietness to the Strayhorne sisters. 52 I Demice Dove wills to her brother, Clevm Dove, her quietness and dignity. 53 . Velma Becton leaves to her sister. Earnestine, her glasses and poaition in the » u a. Club. 54 . Essie Dillahunt wills her ability to arrive at school on time to the Pleasant Hill students. Tajrlor leaves his ability to grasp things quickly to James (Fats) Murriell . ht n o -chalant way to Vernon Taylor. ano 6 . gne Gustus bequeaths her walk to Carrie Blount and her hair styles to Christabell Jones. BAhel Simmons wills her knowledge of history to Thomas Richardson and her determina¬ tion to Frasier bequeaths her liveness to David Sanders, and her marching ability to Marie Moore wills her shyness and quietness to Lois Howard. 60 Helen Dove wills her Be-Bopa to Ella Fulton. 61 Nixon wills to his sister, Elaine, his desirable position in the Senior Class. 62 Delores Godette wills her slimness to Georgie Dawson. 63 Osric Hargett leaves her ability to Daisy McManus and her musical knowledge to Kay Smith. win 8 his ability to play football to Harold Lofton. 65 Bertha Fonville wills to her sister, Lenora, her personality. 66 Hasel Dawson wills her ability to sew to Mary Lofton. 67 Irene Fonville wills her slimness to Bernice Dawson. 68 James Lofton wills his ability to keep out of other people s business to William Robinson. Finally the class of 1949 do hereby name and appoint the sole executors of this „e«tament, our class advisors Mrs. B. L. Rivers and Mr. R. W. Boley. our last“““ whereof we, the class of 1949 the testators have to have this will set our w and Tthi. 10th rn. Of June In th. y«r of 19W. Rita Mills Witnesses: Gertha Henderson James Benjamin Demice Dove Charles Staten

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Wflll it seems as if all the gang is leaving for home, but before everyone I want to tell you that we all had a wonderful time tonight. It seemed School days again. By the way, it looks as if I ' m the only one who is not married, but I ' ll put the ring on someone ' s finger someday. The next reunion I960, Just one year from today, at the home of Osrio tt in Trenton, N. J. Walter Peterson was elected our new Alumni president nd g he will send announcements about next year ' s plans. Goodnight everyone. Charles Staten Class Prophet Witnessess: Ethel Simmons Walter Peterson CLASS POEM Oh! West Street High, it ' s time for us to part, The years have passed, ouf work has been approved; We give the all the honors and tribute. Thank you teachers for helping us thus far, Oh! West Street High, your walls and ground we cherish, Forever may you linger in our hearts. Oh! West Street High, we bid farewell to thee, We can ne ' er forget our hardships and our sorrows. We pledge allegiance to you now and forever. Farewell, farewell, our parting time has come. We ' ll ne ' er forget our dear old West Street High, Our time has come farewell, farewell, farewdll. Getrude Deans CLASS SONG The Hour Of Parting Tune Amici Out strong ties of years togethet Now we thank thee parents, wTeL ne ' er forget Vox your loyalty; And°our thoughts will ever linger We will always remember. Here at West Street High Chorus Days at West Street High Hail Alma Mater We do part, The class of Forty Nine Excuse me a moment, please, I see Thomas Nixon over at the punch table and u ecmc to be dieoussing the impediments that confronted him before he oould become a success in denistry. His officd is on Fifth Avenue in New York City. We have also here with us tonight four teachers: Ramona Gibbs, a high . 1 teacher in New Jersey; Marie Gorham, a physical education instructor at TTnivoraity; Florizell Cooke, a history teacher; and Velma Becton, a home economics teacher in their own home town. New Bern, N. C. q of th e fellows are beginning to leave and there I see George MoCleaee who is an auto mechanic, conversing with Horace Spruill who is a Psyohlatrist at°Tuskegee Institute. ' nffiffli f W f Someone made a comment about my winding stairs. I informed them that Arthur Greene, Willie Smith, George Whitfield, and Llnster Sanders designed this houBe for me. They are all great architects here in California. Sylvester Mldgette is a little late coming. He haB Just finished a oon- struotlon Job in Cairo. He ' o a civil engineer.