October 9, 2005

Bishop School Play May 15, 1953 – School Memories Last

By Wendell Dawson, Editor, AVOC, Inc.

Recently a mutual friend (and High School Classmate) sent my wife a picture of a Play Cast that included her at the Bishop Grammar School on May 15, 1953.   The pictures and Play Program were poignant reading.  Reading names and viewing pictures of persons now deceased and longtime friends brought back many memories.

The picture included almost all the students at Bishop Grammar School at the time, a feat not seen much anymore.  It was also a patriotic play that unabashedly showed respect, pride and love of country.  It was called “Hold The Colors High!"

It was the last play for the seventh graders who mostly would go onto the eighth grade at Watkinsville’s Oconee County High School.  They became members of the OCHS Class of 1958, the graduating senior class that included me and my wife, Betty Pritchett.

The Pictures include ’58 Class members:

Caroline Anthony (Eades), Keith Barnette, Elizabeth Miller (Bradberry),  Barbara Ann Mitchem (Landers), Eleanor Hale, Jerry Casper, Gail Shelnutt (Boos), Joyce Johnson (Andrews), Nancy Middlebrooks (McCart), Donald Carson, Hazel Martin (Smith), Sara Beale (Fields); 

And many more who were High School friends, i. e., Gene Greenway, Walter Lee Jr., Harry Bradberry, Jean Shelton (Darley), Vivian Jones Moore, Marvin Green, Joe McCart, Dick Dickens, Wesley Whitehead, Julia Shelton (Drake) and many more.

As best as some remember, all of the Bishop teachers helped with it and Mrs. Annie Bray probably took the lead.  Teachers at Bishop included Ms. Edith Marshall, Louisa Lee, Lois Elder, Carolyn Kenimer and Annie Bray.   Most students have vivid memories of those and other teachers at Bishop.

Bishop School Teachers

Annie Bray, Edith Whitehead Marshall, Louise Whitehead Lee, Carolyn Kenimer, Lois Elder

In those days, in all grammar schools in the county (I was at Watkinsville), everbody said the pledge of allegiance, had prayer and sang a patriotic song.  That built a foundation of respect for our nation and our fellow Americans.   Some of that local feeling and pride is now “a thing of the past”, unfortunately.

The memories, values and lessons of those years and of those teachers have lived on in countless ways.  They will continue to do so.

For more information on the individual teachers, SEE:  http://oconeeteachers.com/  

 The Program

Related Articles Links:

8-3-05 Oconee County High School Class of 1958 Reunion & Memorials

6-14-03 OCHS Class of 1958 Holds 45th Reunion

11-14-03 Art Carney, Our Town, Anna S. Curtis and OCHS Class of 58

11/08/02 - TEACHER HALL OF FAME IS GREAT IDEA-MANY DESERVING

12-21-04 Oconee Native, Joe McCart, Has Come A Long Way Since Farmington

The Bishop School

Proudly Presents

“Hold The Colors High!"

A PATRIOTIC PAGEANT IN FOUR ACTS

MAY 15, 1953 -:- -:- 8:00 P. M.

School Auditorium

"HOLD THE COLORS HIGH"

Poem-------------------------------------- --------------------------------- Gail Shelnutt

Color Bearers------------------------------- Walter Lee, Billy Thomas, Mac Turner

America and Pledge of Allegiance------------------------------------------ Audience

ACT I - What The Flag Means CHARACTERS

School Children: Fred Carson, Barbara Malcom, Loretta Marable, J. A. Peck,

Keith Barnett, Joyce Newman, Judy Johnson

Mr. Thomas------------------------------------------------------------ Robert Crumley

Voice of Flag-------------------------------------------------------------- Jerry Casper

Betsy Ross---------------------------------------------------------- Betty Joyce Stowe

Minuet: Wyvolyn Marshall, Delores Raines, Hilda Griffeth, Geraldine Brown, Julia Ann Shelton, Joyce Johnson, Sara Beale, Betty Pritchett, Alton Burger, Johnny Lay, Herbert Wood, Gene Greenway, Donnie Carson, George Durden, Joe Miller, James Perry Hayes.

ACT  II - "That's The Meaning of Uncle Sam"

Flag Drill--------------------------------------------------------------------- Third Grade

Liberty------------------------------------------------------------------- Elizabeth Miller

Uncle Sam------------------------------------------------------------------- James Pike

Pages------------------------------------------------- Marvin Green, Harry Bradberry

                        BLESSINGS:

Love  - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - --------Hazel Martin

Religion---------------------------------------------------------------- Vivian Jones

Free Speech------------------------------------------------- Nancy Middlebrooks

Good Health----------------------------------------------------------- Jean Shelton

Plenty  ---------------------------------------------------------- Barbara Mitchem

Peace---------------------------------------------------------- -- Carolyn Anthony

ACT III - Uncle Sam's Children

Prudence-A Pilgrim Maid--------------------------------------------- June Hardigree

Nils-A Boy from Sweden------------------------------------------------ Charles Ivey

Katrinka-A Girl from Holland------------------------------------------- Joan Bennett

Sandy-A Boy from Sccitland-------------------------------------------- Dick Dickens

Margarita-A Girl from Panama----------------------------------------- Patsy Barnett

Pedro-A Boy from Brazil-------------------------------------------------- Joe McCart

Kathleen-A Girl from Ireland-------------------------------------------- Eleanor Hale

Ying Fun-A Boy from China-------------------------------------- Wesley Whitehead

ACT IV - Victory

Victory ------------------------------------------------------------------Eleanor Fullilove

Nurses------------------------------ Evelyn Raines, Geneva Arthur, Shelby Griffeth

Unknown Soldier--------------------------------------------------------- Michael Bray

Duet-------------------------------------- Mrs. Clarence Anthony, Mrs. Carlos Bray

Bond Girls-------------------------- Annette McCart, Dianne Teet, Nellie Malcom,

Macy Savage, Marjorie Miller

Soldiers and Girls---------------------------------------------------Fourth Grade

Marine------------------------------------------------------------------- Farring Mitchem

Sailor-------------------------------------------------------------------- Kenneth Brown

Soldier------------------------------------------------------------------ Clifton Thrasher

COMMENTS

The Bishop School is completing one of the most successful years in its history. This has been accomplished by the tireless efforts of the faculty and by the cooperaton of the community.

We give a hearty welcome to Mrs. W. N. Bradberry, the in­coming president of the Bishop School Club and pledge to her our hearty support. To Mrs. C. J. Anthony, the retiring president, we say "Thank You" for a job well-done.

An outstanding example of help and cooperation was demon­strated by the following ladies, many of whom have no children in school who "spent the day" at school on Wednesday for three weeks sewing on costumes for the pageant: Mrs. Julia Barnette, Mrs. Maybelle Porter, Mrs. Sell Porter, Mrs. Charlie Kilpatrick, Mrs. Clarence Anthony, Mrs. Myrt Landers, Mrs. Ellene Whitehead, Mrs. Bin Bradberry, Mrs. Hoke Turnbull, Mrs. Grover Sexton, Mrs. Henry Fullilove, Mrs. Ralph Green, Mrs. Calvin Landrum, Mrs. Bill Pritchett, Mrs. Frank Jenkins, Mrs, Larry Middlebrooks, Mrs. C. E. Jones, Mrs. Viola Carson, Mrs. Glenn Holcomb, Mrs. Mindora Bray, and Mrs. Alma Hardi­gree. Mrs. Carolyn Kenimer and Mrs. Mindora Bray furnished the sewing machines for these ladies.

To all the other people who made costumes at home, or gave any other help, we also give our grateful thanks.

We appreciate the help of the merchants who purchased advertising space on this program. Please tell them the next time you visit their places of business how much we really do appreciate it.