These appealing little folks started to school in Rose Hill in 1928. Yes, that’s right, I’m sure, and were “Miss Sallys” special charges. Little girls without exception, wore bobbed hair, ear-length, with straight bangs, except for “little curly-locks” on the end of the front row, who can’t control her curls and even now tries to brush them straight. Little girls with pigtails were not stylish then, we see high topped shoes with long socks rolled down below the knees were uniform for the little girls. Little boys do no change costumes so much through the years and so look about the same.

Principal J. D. Jerome wears a stylish suit of dark material with light stripes. He is still in Rose Hill, with the same friendly look. His dark hair has changed its color and there are a few wrinkles now, but his friendly spirit and love for young people are the same. Mrs. Marvin Jerome, “Miss Sally” wears a bouquet on her fur collar, and her hair plastered down in the latest washboard wave style that she shared with the movie stars of the day. She left her influence reflected in the lives of many children who are middle aged today and was beloved by all of them.

Seated, left to right are the following: Helen Cunie Marshall who is now Mrs. Dawlton West of Raleigh and has three big boys of her own. She is a pretty brunette.

Emory Turner is now Mrs. Bemord Eunis of Morehead, who has recently moved to Chapel Hill. Emory has three children. The next little girl, we think, is Margaret Wood. We don’t know what her name is now. The bright-eyed tot next, with her hands folded in her lap, looks like two or three people and we can’t find out who she is. Will someone please let me know? Isn’t she sweet? She must have auburn hair and brown eyes, we think. Next is Ruth Futrell, and interested little blond with the sign “1st Grade.” Ruth is a career woman in Washington, D.C. Next is Marie Merritt of Wallace, who is Mrs. Ray Johnson and has a nice little girl of her own.

Essie Cavenaugh now lives in New Orleans, La. She is Mrs Frank Anastasia and has three sons and a daughter. Essie is a very pretty lady now and she gets home every year or two. The chubby little boy in the overalls next to Essie is Ben Tillman Watson. He and his brothers Ritchie and Robert were the envy of all the little boys in their neighborhood because they had a billy goat for a pet that was gentle and easy to get along with (except once-in-a while!). Ben Tillman grew up and joined the Navy. After twenty years he retired and is now manager of Continental Electronics Co. of Dallas, Texas. He has two daughters and two grandchildren. We hope he sees this picture, even tho’ he will be disappointed that we didn’t mention what a cute little round nose he had:

Sitting next to Ben Tillman is his friend, little Ben Royal Harrell who lived right across the street from him. Ben was a playmate full of pep and was a real Huck Finn type (doesn’t he look it?) He lives somewhere in Maryland we hear and is married. He has one daughter: C. J. Moore, last in the front row, hasn’t been here for years. We hear he lives in California, has a very small son and works with Electronics.

On the second row, left to right, are the following: Hubert Marshburn has had a career with the navy, we hear. He was home some years ago for a few months but moved away again. He is married and has a family.

We think the little boy with his face partially hidden is Durout Smith. He lives in California now, and served in the navy during World War II. He lives in Oakland and is a civil service worker with the Navy Air Force.

Ben Herring Jr., next to Durout, was a good friend of Durouts and we understanding that they served in the navy together. Ben Jr. now lives in Wilmington, is married, has four children, one of whom has served a year in the Armed Forces. Ben works with McLean Trucking Co. His parents still live in Rose Hill and he gets home often.

Damer Fussell, next, is an attractive little oby. Damer lived in Portsmouth, Va. And worked in the ship yards until his sudden death from a heart attack last February. His wife and daughter live in Portsmouth: next is Charles Griffin, blond and serious looking. Charles is still around, lives with his mother on their farm and was never married: Rose Farrior, wearing a striped sweater and a steady look on her usually animated face later became on the Eastern Carolina’s best basketball players, helping her high school team win the regional championship in her senior year. She married Gene Merritt and lives in Wilmington. They have two children and Rose recently became the grandmother of a baby girl.

Kathryn Lanier was called by her nick-name, “Cappy” all of her life. She married and had two daughters, but died shortly after the second was born: Delia Cavenaugh stands next to “Cappy.” She grew up, her hair turned dark and during High School was a beautiful chestnut color. Della was a pretty girl. She married Ernest Rooks and now lives in Watha. She has two married daughters and a son who is serving the the Armed Forces in Vietnam.