Woodrow Wilson High School Alumni "Class of 1954"

JUNE CLASS HISTORY

February 1st, 1950! What a day for us Eighth Graders! Yes, at last we could make the once-in-a-lifetime pilgrimage to Woodrow Wilson High School. Remember how we were conducted into the auditorium together with 8B's from all over the city? Mr. Robert Sweeney, Principal, and members of the faculty briefed us on life at Wilson and helped us to adjust ourselves. Maxie Weinberg, then President of the Student Body, warmly welcomed us to Wilson High.

How is it that we Eighth Graders never could arrive to class on time? Probably because our new combination locks had to be broken in, I guess. That year small fortunes were spent on elevator tickets, auditorium seats and Activity Cards.

As underclassmen we suffered constantly under the stern eye and joking word of the Mighty Senior. Remember forever entering the wrong classes due to the confusing auditorinin schedule? Gee-and to think that that was four long years ago!

Freshmen in the Fall of '50! Now we pitched right into the main lifeline of Wilson. Joining clubs, attending athletic events, and participating in other activities reduced our spare time to zero. Remember how important you felt at the induction ceremonies of the Hi-Y's?

In this year the new Band Building reached completion, and bounding band members skipped gaily aronud at the thought of a building all to themselves. After this they wouldn't have to practice "Stars and Stripes" in tlie cafeteria each morning during first perio

On April 11, General Douglas MacArthur's farewell address was made possible to Wilson Students by the installation of television sets throughout the school.

In our freshman year Mr. Robert W. Allen assuined the duties of our Assistant Principal, Mr. A. J. Mapp. Mr. Mapp had recently been appointed Superintendent of Portsmouth Public Schools.

George Burns took over the office of President of the Student Body~

We were greatly saddened by the loss of one of our best friends, Amelia Miles, who met with unexpected tragedy that spring of 1951. Amelia will remain in our memories forever as a wonderful girl and true friend.

As sophomores we saw Larry Goldman our school President.

Golly! Can you recall that Mock Convention? Flags fluttered everywhere. Campaign speeches dominated the history classes. Campaign buttons were carelessly left in the cafeteria chairs. Each state attempted to outshine all others in the mad race for Presidential nomination. Finally, Senator Estes Kefauver received the hearty nomination from political minded Presidents, and the convention went into hibernation for another four years.

Now hear this! Now hear this! All Eighth Graders report to the cafeteria at the end of second period! What's that? Why it's only the installation of the third lunch half system. Now the Eighth Graders received placement in the earlier lunch period, and every. one was happy. Then came summer and plans for the juilior year.

To start off our 3A term, we elected our Junior Class officers who were: President-Don Ricketts, Vice-President-Taylor Johnson, Secretary-Beverly Jones, Girl's Treasurer-Betty Oakley, Boy's Treasurer-Eddie Phelps, aud Representative to student council-Jean Futrell. Our advisor was Mrs. Wilda Oakley.

Why is everyone going downtown? We're on our way to Chapman's to order the all important Class rings, of course! Remember (you girls) how you tried to squeeze your finger into a size smaller ring than you needed?

Near the beginning of 1953 Mrs. Margurite Bruinfield gathered together a troop of students and, via Greyhound Bus, we made our way to Washington, D. C. for the inaugilration of Dwight D. Eisenhower as President of the United States.

The early bird doesn't always get the worm. Some of them get eight o'clock classes. An entire new system went into effect~when the eight o'clock class made its appearance at Wilson. Rising at the crack of dawn! Groping your way through the early morning fog to school! How did we nianage to keep awake? Well, some didn't, but due to overcrowded conditious these classes were certainly necessary.

Junior-Senior time! Thousands of feet of crimson and white crepe paper were cut, rolled, frilled, mirolled, stapled together, and finally put into place. My, what a time we had assembling the most important dance of the year together in two days! The Ring Dance was performed on a small bridge spanning a pool of wajer containing live fish. Remember the coins you so generously dropped iii? Remember the morning after and the clean-up committee?

Tribbles' Studio furnished the scene for the taking of our Junior Class pictures. Now we were recognized classmen boasting individual pictures in the annual!

The President for our Junior year was Joe Helms.

Our senior year began two days early-on September 8.1953. We received greetings from a freshly painted school, also. Even the lockers smiled through a bright coat of green paint.

Senior Class officers were: President-Don Ricketts, Vice-President-Teddy Gartman, Secretary-Joy Wilson, Girl's Treasurer-Linda Creecy, Boy's Treasurer-Wiley Kidd, Representative to Student Council-Jean Futrell, and Mrs. Oakley was once again our advisor. George Gould served as President of the Student Body.

New additions at Wilson included fluorescent lighting for the rooms which taught commercial subjects, and much needed couf ereure rooms on the first floor.

Our last year at Wilson introduced us to such terms as "Cool Cat" and "Square," and also such adjectives as "crazy, gone and ~

Our secret was out! Those new report cards told everything-even our exam grades. The whole world now knew how dumb we really arc!

We lost one of our best friends, too. It was the ever popular warning bell. I'm sure you can recall how we waited and longed for its dear, welcomed buzz. To us this was the sign for the closing of books, the stopping of work, and the starting of talking. When they took it away, our eyes remained glued to the clock, and we didn't hesitate to inform Teacher that she didn't have enough time to complete the next example.

Coach Gray was appointed to assist Mr. Allen in the duties of Assistant Principal. Now there are two people to go to see when you are caught over a Coke at Murden's.

In the cafeteria one bright morning we had to take the ACE tests. Far into second period we burned at our mental stock-pile trying to determine how to fit a round square into a square circle.

Christmas in 1953 gave us more than two weeks vacation. Near the end of the 4A term, Mother Nature gave us another holiday in the form of fluffy, white snow. Not deep, but too deep for us to make it safely to school.

Career Day offered us opportunities to converse with representatives from colleges and universities from Virginia and neighboring States.

4B's. Sadly we gazed at the last schedule card we were to receive while at Wilson. We began our last months of study. Histories, p rophecies, and wills are being compiled for the annual. Baby day is almost upon us. Water guns are going to drench us, and we'll have our pi~ture taken a hundred times. In starched ruffles and white lace all the girls will dress for the Junior-Senior. Then tryouts for the p laY, arrangements for the banquet! Practices in the auditorium! Finally comes the climax when Mr. Sweeney hands us our sacred diplomas, and we march off the stage as members of the June Class of 1954.

MEREDITH BUSBY