These have been prosperous years. For Wilson High and for us, the Class of '58, the past four years have been full of joy, excitement, and triumph.
Ah, to think back upon this fruitful, memorable part of our lives: in the autumn, when football was in the air and we gazed Out the windows at the falling rain; winter, with its basketball games and an occasional light snow to accompany the cold winds that hit us in the morning on the way to school; spring, when the trees and grass again came to life, and boys on the track, golf and baseball teams were practicing; and, finally, summer, when everv day dragged our and it seemed school would never let out. But it always did.
We can look back at these past four and beam with pride. As insignilicant freshmen, our last year in the old building, we cheered ourselves hoarse as the school went all Out to make that last year really something. The football team marched to the fourth state title in Wilson history, and the varsity and jayvee basketball teams added a pair of Eastern District titles. Wrestling was initiated, and spring sports made a creditable showing.
Came our sophomore year and completely new surroundings. Instead of the old, crowded building, we were in a magnificent quarter-mile long "mansion". Somebody remarked, "We'll need maps to find out where to go." Maps were supplied.
The football team was runner-up in the district, and knocked Roanoke out of the state title on Thanksgiving Day. Norview High started that year on its winning streak, edging by us, 14-6. A one-point, overtime loss to state champion Newport News in the Eastern District tournament cost us a repeat basketball title. Wrestling showed great improvement and the baseball team wound up second in the district with a 19-2 record.
Finally, at last, we crawled out of the ranks of the underclass-men and took our place as juniors. Again the sun shone on us, and everything was geared for another bright year. A powerful gridiron aggregation snatched runner-up honors in the district and third place in the state. We lost only to district titlist Nor-view, 64), and state champs W-L, 14-12. Norview rolled on. Next came basketball and, regrettably, Newport News, to whom, once again, we were runner-ups. For the second successive year, Wilson was the only team to beat the Typhoon, which again copped the state title. A winning season for the wrestlers and spring once again brought the usual fine results, though no titles.
The big year! At last, we made the top rung of the ladder-seniors! We thought we'd somehow be special, but the underclassmen didn't think so, and the teachers didn't let up a bit. There was only the significance that this was our final year.
The football team went undefeated until the last game, and we knocked off four unbeaten teams in the process. Our third victim was the One we wanted most-Norview. We sure did blast that 22-game winning streak, 27-7!
It's really too bad that we had to send this in so early, but if everything went as pre-season predictions figured they'd go, then that Wilson Winning Habit was not broken.
Those were afl the big things we remember. But, what
1958 Class History
really fills out our high school picture are the little
things, the activities other than just football and basketball, and the sports.
Like the Circle, for instance, or the Dixie, or Rodman's, whichever you liked best. There we gathered after the games and on other nights to get together over a good snack.
And who can forget the influence the clubs had on us? Many were the afternoons spent at club meetings, unless we worked under the D. 0. or D. E. programs. Even then, they were clubs, too.
Open house . . . College Day . . . the assemblies . . . the pep rallies, where gathered the faithful few . . . Hi-Y and Tri-Hi-Y meetings, all mean an awful lot to us.
Homecoming is noted for the football games, true. But wasn't something special added with the last-minute, frustrated work on the floats for the parade? Prize-winner or not, we had fun.
Intramurals . . . rehearsing lines for the 3-act play . . . "senior statistics" . . . science fairs ... study periods . . . library
cafeteria "rat races" ... football banquet, they all come to mind.
Mrs. Brady's streak of district debate champions over the last -nine straight years, and a host of state champs in the other phases of forensics, form anothet part of the truly complete picture.
Final exams, and the necessary cramming" ... Baby Day, with all its gayness and tomfoolery - and water pistols . . . all types of conventions . . . A. A. Cards . . . distribution of "The Student" . . . class pictures fire drill!" ... Yes, Mr. Galliford . . . mock elections . . . Tribble's . . . S. C A. and Homecoming elections . . . bus rides, and more come to mind.
What would we have done without our marching band, majorettes, sextette, and, of course, our hard-working cheerleaders, both varsity and jayvee.
Putting up "Maul Maury" signs ... decorating the goalposts band performances . . . stage crew . . . monogram club vs.
faculty . . . sessions in the general office . . . counselling
Yes, Mr. Calliford . . . for our athletes long, long hours of hard practice to give us the many victories we've had to cheer about
chatting in the halls . . . phys. ed., home cc., Gov't., Pub. Spk., and the list pi]es up.
We were taught to play football by Coach Mills, to play basketball by Coach Ryder and to think by Coach Galliford, our greatest lesson. And we were taught a myriad of other things by a host of helpful teachers. Some lessons came easy, others didn't. Sometimes we gave the teachers trouble, sometimes they gave us trouble, but we learned and we got to like it. Now we must leave it.
We, the Class of '58, stand at the culmination of our high school careers. Soon the diplomas will be handed us, and we shall "depart from these ivy-covered walls and go out to face the stark realities of life", whether in college or in work.
If life on our own is to be anything like the bountiful four years we have had at Wilson, then, unquestionably, there are prosperous years to come.
The Class Roster and pictures are as represented in the Woodrow Wilson High School, Portsmouth, Virginia yearbook or annual of the year indicated on the page. The Roster may not be complete and pictures and names may have been removed by request of the person involved. Also, it does not officially indicate the year of graduation and/or that the party in question graduated. If you are not represented in your class, you will be added to the last page of the year and you may submit a photo to be added. All information on these pages came from the yearbook represented and alumni who have passed on information and may NOT be accurate John “Eddie” Lee ’68.
