William Penn High School - Penn Yearbook (High Point, NC)

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NORTH CAROLINA TEACHER ASSOCIA The problems of 8:00 a.m. registration! FTA members serve as

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P.T.A (THROUGH THE YEARS) Soon after he came to William Penn, Mr. Burford noted the lack of and sensed the need for an organiza¬ tion of parents and teachers through which closer co¬ operation between the school and home might be achieved. Accordingly a group of interested parents was chosen and these provided the groundwork upon which Penn’s first Parent-Teacher Organization was founded. Messrs. D. N. Moore, A. O. Brown, M. B. Byrd, and Mesdames Hattie Leach and Hazel Starr formed the pilot committee. When the parents assembled for their first P.T.A. session, Mr. A. O. Brown was elected president and the new principal was introduced. “Parents, friends”, he said, “I am here as a worker among you and I am happy to find active interested parents. There is much to be done here and working to¬ gether 1 feel certain that we shall accomplish much”. Mr. Burford then pointed out to the parents the need to have nourishing lunches for students provided here on the campus, since the old practice of allowing pupils to go home for lunch had not proved to be satisfactory. The organization was asked to accept as its first project the establishment and operation of a campus cafeteria. The project was unanimously approved and thus was begun the first William Penn Cafeteria. Lunches were passed through a window to pupils, standing on the porch of the old Building “C” and grumbling because they were not permitted to leave the campus. Later in the year a committee was sent to the School Board to ask for a suitable place where the children could be served hot meals. Shortly thereafter an old building which had served as a laundry for H.P.N. l. was renovated and equipped and upon their return from Christmas vacation pupils found an attractive cafeteria manned by Mesdames H. Leach and Starr who gave their services until the enterprise began to earn small profit. During the year the first president, Mr. Brown, died and Mr. Moore was installed as his successor. In 1939 the first female president, Mrs. L. E. Mc¬ Donnell was sworn in. In 1940 under her administra¬ tion the P.T.A. set out to raise funds for the organiza¬ tion of a school band. The band numbering 8 was under the direction of Mrs. G. W. Yokeley. In 1941 a father’s organization with Mr. W. F. Mc¬ Donnell as president was formed. As their first project, the fathers decided to purchase uniforms for the band, which had grown to 27 members. On Baccalaureate Sunday the band in uniform performed. Through the years many other worthwhile projects have been undertaken and the school has benefitted financially, but the moral support and the understand¬ ings that have developed as a result of the close harmony between home and school far outweigh any monetary contribution. One of our past presidents, Mrs. McDonnell has con¬ tinued to serve the executive board of the N. C. Con¬ gress of Parents and Teachers until very recently. Among others who have served ably are: Mesdames M. Haizlip, W. Parks, E. Pike, R. Chavis, A. Barrier, M. Gideon, F. Parker, H. Starr, M. Bass, and Messrs. T. Carter, C. Strickland, H. Kearns and B. Moore. As Penn closes her doors we pay tribute to the loyalty, devotion and cooperation of all our parents through the years. 55

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TION MEETING guides for the meeting. After collecting for the lunches, Mrs. Little and Mrs. Whitaker flash smiles of relief. The choir relaxes after a stren¬ uous performance. Miss Brown gives a few more pointers to the choir before their performance.