Mary Frances Rides Shotgun: Fond Memories of Seaboard High School

This week I was cleaning out boxes of mementos, cards, and letters, and came across this piece in my Mom's hand written in ink on a yellow legal paper. It appears it was written preparation for a class reunion at the age of 65, nearly 30 years ago. She enjoyed this walk down memory lane as did I. Hope you enjoy as well!

FOND MEMORIES OF SEABOARD HIGH SCHOOL

The Graduation Class of 1942

We went to school for eleven grades with eight month school years. In the fall we went for half days so some students could return home and help harvest the crops.

I remember the flag flying in front of the school and the big rope in the hall that was pulled to make the bell ring when school started and closed each day. There would be lots of sawdust on the floors that Uncle Robert Clark put there to help settle the dust before he swept them. The fire drills were carefully observed by everyone.

The chapel programs were always the highlight of each week. We went to Chapel everyday, however, and marched in with someone playing the piano. Edward Bottoms played the piano for many years. Songs were sung from the Golden Song Book. Miss Grigg played The Glow Worm and Miss Marjorie Williams played the Glee Club Song.

Miss Garris, the first grade teacher, always had her children tell their names and where they lived. Many children lived so many miles from Bealie Taylor's store near Galatia.

Miss Bickley had lots of marching programs with drills, using sawed off, painted broom handles. Sometimes, she gave quiz programs with proverbs that were acted out. I remember "A stitch in time saved nine."

Movies were shown about once a week, largely about how things were made. I always enjoyed these and enjoy documentary films to this day.

We helped plant pine tress when Mr. Everett was principal. Some of these pines are still growing on the school ground today.

We picked up the trash on the grounds and ran a lot at recess. Mostly we played dodge ball or softball.

One week during the year, the older grades in elementary school had bathroom monitor duty. A desk was placed in the hall outside the bathroom door. A student could get up homework, spelling work for the whole week, or read library books. No one seemed to mind this duty at all.

I remember the stories that Miss Betty Walter Jenkins told in the second grade. They made me cry lots of times. They were good but I have no idea what they were about as I try to think back. There were two grades in several rooms. This was more work for the teachers but we didn't worry about that.

The big map of the US in Miss Rebecca Peeble's 5th grade room was most impressive. We enjoyed finding places on it and even learning the states and capitals. We played games inside like Good Morning, Judge and Steal the Eraser. I enjoyed this grade so much that it influenced me to become a 5th grade teacher myself. when I finished college. This was the year that the Dr. Doolittle stories were read to us.

In the 6th grade, we memorized lots of poems under Miss Fannie Emma Bickley Bullock. We went to the auditorium and learned the names of the pictures on the walls about Rome and Greece. Each year the Coca Cola Company gave everyone in school a tablet, red pencil and ruler, with Coco Cola printed on them. We really used those in that room.

It was during this year that Lillian Ruth Gates, Mildred Maddrey and I were some of the fairies in the Midsummer Night's Dream that was given in the football stadium at Duke University. Mrs. Bullock was the narrator for part of it. I was sent to find her that night when it was time to start. I found her by the rock wall in her long white robe with her black hair hanging down behind her back. Her hands were folded, eyes closed and she was praying. This was truly a moment of inspiration for me.

Then in Miss Mabel Powell's room, we were read The Man without a Country and Miss Minerva and William Greenhill. This was a learning time in Math as well as other subjects. She really could explain things and was so patient with all of us. There was always a 7th grade graduation exercise and she spent much time on this each year. We did the Maypole Dance for a part of it. I picked up the wrong streamer. She whispered for us to drop them and start over. This time it worked out just right.

Miss Anna Bert McCrummin "was high school." This teacher loved and worked with every student to help them to be the best they could be. She read Shakespeare's plays to us and made it all so meaningful. We, again, memorized lots of poetry. She directed many plays and they always were fine. The Little Shepherd of Kingdom Come was lots of fun. It was our senior play. Bascum Hurley prayed for rain: " Lord send us rain, not just a sizzle sozzle but a gully washer and a sod soaker!" His real father was a preacher so he knew just how to do this.

Ruth Vick Everett gave a reading of The Cremation of Sam McGee and it was so interesting! That is one one my very favorite poems. She was such an outstanding person but we never had the opportunity to have a class under her as she resigned by the time we got to the 9th grade.

Miss Cannon came from a theatrical company and worked for two weeks and put on a play. The costumes were furnished and many students were in it. I remember the songs You Ought to See Hezikiah and Me By the Back Yard Pump. She did her Minnie Pearl skit and told us that she was thinking about doing it full time. We were "so proud to be there" with her before she was famous and known all over the country as Minnie Pearl.

Miss Martha Furchess was the phys ed teacher. She wore a gold college sweater with a big "A" for Appalachian State. We knew it took lots of hours to win that letter and she was "A Okay" with us!

Miss Helen Williams was so sincere in trying to teach the girls cooking and sewing. She never gave up on any of us. I'm sure, with me, it must have been a struggle. Everyone was so proud of her when she joined the Navy and became a WAVE during the war. That made her special!

When war was declared in 1941, Miss Mary Williams, math teacher, told us that we could best help by being the best students we could be right where we were.

Dillard Drewitt, our classmate, gave a news report in Chapel each day. he listened to the radio and read the evens in the newspaper. He had the gift of explaining the events so all could understand.

The school year came to a close during the first week of May. A May Day celebration was held in which every student in every grade took part. There was a King, Queen and Court. The May Pole dance was always a part of the program. Costumes were made for the various dances and the whole affair was very pretty. It was always attended by proud parents and friends.

Now, at 65, when I look back over the school years, they seem like a short time. It seems that none of us have really changed a great deal. Our teachers and the experiences we had at school helped us to form some of the ideals that we now have and we can be thankful for the good things that were installed in us.

These are things that I, Mary Frances Stephenson Draper, remember about school days. I, like a sundial, have recorded only the "sunny hours".