Windsor Lions: Still Roaring AFter 80 Years

by Cleo Warlick - Windsor High School Class of 1952

Over three hundred former students of Windsor High School and their spouses from as far away as Texas and as close as across the road from where the school once stood are gathering this weekend, September 29, at the Bob Martin Agriculture Cen¬ter in Williamston for a gala celebration to reconnect with long lost - but never forgotten friends from our carefree teenage years and to reminisce about those treasured moments we shared so long ago.

Windsor High School was completed in 1926, and the first graduating class was the Class of 1927. Known members of that class were Eunice Byrd, Elizabeth Cooper and Mary Haste.



The oldest surviving student, Araminta Sawyer Blowe, Class of 1928, will be attending. Basketball - boys and girls - was played in a tobacco warehouse at first and later over at a store on Granville Street. Baseball was played in the field behind the school, and the first football game was played in September 1928 in a field al the end of Granville Street.



The inexperienced Lions, many who had never played football, were defeated 70 to 0 by Williamston. Members of that inaugural team were: Pat White, Hampton Brett, Paine (Payne) Spivey, Philip Waters, J.I I. Matthews, John Shimer, Alvin Byrd, Buck Harden, Wood-row .Johnson, Edward Pierce, Wheeler Cooper, Charles Hobbs, Perry Dickens and Johnny Walker.



Later teams excelled, and the 1950 Lions were undefeated. Possibly earlier ones were undefeated also, but there are no survivors left to brag about it. Some of our older alums tell of having to pick up volunteers at times on the way to games to have enough for a team. Even the Marines helped out.



There was no cafeteria, and those near enough, walked home for lunch. Many others would bring a sausage biscuit and sweet potato. Sandwiches were not a popular lunch in those days.



Chapel was held in the auditorium on Fridays, and classes would enter to a rousing march on the piano, seniors first and given the front row.



In 1941 a gym was added, a home ec building, a mechanics shop, and in 1947, a lunchroom, and a building for the gram¬mar school classes, which had been on Queen Street by the railroad tracks.



The skating rink, a favorite, was left behind when the old building, known as the Windsor Graded School, built circa J908, was deserted. We were happy to leave those basement toilets!



The first annual was published in 1947, named WINOCA (for Windsor North Carolina), and in 1953, with support of Mr. and Mrs. Clyde Earl Moore and other Band Boosters Club members, a band was formed, the first since Miss Whitley's famous first grade rhythm band, which consisted of tambourines, triangles, bells, sticks . . and I don't remember what other instruments were used to bang out a tune.



The last class graduated in 1963, as with consolidation and the completion of Bertie High School, Windsor High School faded into history. For a while, it was used by Martin Community College as a Bertie Campus. When it was no longer in use, there were hopes of restoring the main building so that there would be an auditorium for community use. Removal of asbestos was stated to be a problem but we all had survived that asbestos in good health.



Sadly, the building was partially destroyed by fire before any plans could materialize, and those in power in the County government at the time wanted it torn down rather than selling it to a restoration group composed of Alumni and community. But the sights, sounds, and even the smell remain a vivid memory still for all who walked those hallowed halls.



So, if you think there has been a breakout at the nursing homes, and the old folks are running amok all over town, it's just us high school kids, our parents no longer around to rein us in.




. . . . . . . . . . Go Lions!