Wilson Memorial High School - Hornets Nest Yearbook (Fishersville, VA)

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Senior Class History ; In 1931 the present Senior Class entered the Woodrow Wilson High School. While still in the grammar grades, we had been emphatically inform- ed that we were a terrible bunch, and we thought ourselves quite the thing in troublesome children. Imagine our surprise when we were told, at the first chapel program after entering high school, that we were con- sidered very good pupils, and that we looked to be a most promising class, in fact, one of the most promising that had ever entered Wilson High. What a gnashing of teeth there was at this startling information— we were goody-goodies—, and thereafter we set about to be as mischiev- ous as possible. There came the unwanted and uncalled for day when we were to be initiated by the Sophomores. Some of our number objected violently. Margie Lee Phipps crawled under Miss Royston’s desk to hide, but she was discovered and dragged out then and there. We were made to wear our clothes wrong side out. What a lot of raw seams were exposed! But we survived, and swore vengeance on next year’s Freshmen. For the first time we belonged to a real literary society. How proud it made us feel! We were well represented in other things too. Virginia Hiserman, Sara Baker, Pauline Thacker and M. V. Griffith began to make basketball fame. We had representatives in the Student Council. We gave chapel programs. Why, we felt as though we might be Seniors rather than Freshmen. But this feeling soon changed. We realized, when we became Sophomores, that we didn’t know as much as we thought we did. Mr. Harmon was the Sophomore home-room teacher, and Miss Vaughn taught a class of Sophomore girls. While we were in Mr. Harmon’s English class, we gave a series of debates which so interested Mabel Sharpe that she joined the Public Speaking and Debating Club; and shot straightway to fame by proceeding to make the debating team for that year. Before the year had well begun, we had the pleasure of hazing the Freshmen. We did not inflict any great hardship on any of them, ex- cept the ones who were very particular about their style of dress and could not stand to come to school looking untidy. The class officers of our Sophomore year were Wilbur Ross as class President, Billy Bragg as Vice-President and Pauline Thacker as class Secretary. Jewell Webb was selected to represent the Latin Club at the University, with Phyllis Saufley as alternate. When we became Juniors we entered more and more into Scholastic

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JEWELL WEBB “BLONDIE” ‘And her sunny locks hang on her temples like golden fleece.” GRACE BEATRICE WIMER S GRACE « “The fruit of patience is sweet.” WILLIAM B. WHITE WILLIE Hi-Y Club; Assistant Edito r of WIL- SONIAN. “One learns by study and experi- ence.” CHARLOTTE DOROTHY WRIGHT “ad A CCVES Dramatic Club; Choral Club; Advertis- ing Manager for WILsONIAN. “Happy am I, from care I’m free; Why aren’t they all contented like me?” WILLIAM HARLOWE SDL lim Basketball; Dramatic Club; Baseball. “What silly things wits are.”

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activities. Stanley Garber was our class President, George Von Frank, our Vice-President, and Virginia Hiserman, our Secretary. A dramatic Club was formed, with a Junior Class member as Sec- retary. We had class members holding offices in a number of other clubs too. Mabel Sharpe made the debating team once more and won a great many debates in the county contests. George Von Frank was selected as Latin representative that year. Very soon after we entered school as Seniors in the fall of 1934, we were impressed with the fact that we had a position to fill. I think we have filled it very well. The Senior Class was organized in the early winter. Cordelia Mohler was chosen class President; Stanley Garber, Vice-President; George Von Frank, Secretary and Melvin Jennings, class Treasurer. We had in our class several star players on the athletic teams of our - school. Among these were Billy Bragg, Stanley Garber, and Sonny Gordon. In addition, Stanley Garber was captain of the boy’s basket- ball team and manager of the football team during his Senior year. Francis Conner was manager of the basketball team for 1935, and also President of the Monogram Club. Robert White acted as manager of the baseball team for the same year. Virginia Hiserman was captain of girl’s basketball; Mabel Sharpe, their manager. Others who were on the first team from our class were Elizabeth McClung, Sara Baker, Pauline Thacker, and M. V. Griffith. During this year these girls won practically all of the games played with other schools. Try-outs were held in the Reading and Spelling Club, of whch George Von Frank was President. He won first place in two of these try- outs. In the Public Speaking and Debating Club, of which Mabel Sharpe, a Senior Class member was Secretary, try-outs were also held. Mabel Sharpe, Elizabeth Fay Davies and Della Clark were chosen to represent the school in the debating contests in the county and state. The Dramatic Club was composed primarily of Seniors. The officers were all from thi s class. The President was Robert White; Secretary, Katherine Ross, and Treasurer, Cordelia Mohler. Plans were made for a Senior play entitled ““The Volunteer Wife,” which was given in the spring. The cast was as follows: Cordelia Mohler, Billy Bragg, Pauline Thacker, Robert White, Sara Baker, Mabel Sharpe, Stuart Sampson, and Hilda Holbert. Then came commencement. We found that Mabel Sharpe and George Von Frank were to make talks on class night. Mr. Jennings secured for us a prominent speaker from Charlottesville. And so we graduated. High School is now a memory—for most of us a happy one.