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Category: Vintage Yearbooks


Feb
2024

Vintage Yearbook Superlatives from Black High Schools, Colleges & Universities 1950-1959

categories: vintage images, Vintage Yearbooks

During Black History Month, discover the most iconic yearbook superlatives from Black high schools, colleges, and universities in the 1950s. From best dressed to most likely to succeed, these vintage snapshots capture the essence of a generation and reveal the unique experiences and achievements of Black students during a pivotal time in history.

Are you ready? Let’s get started.

All images from North Carolina Vintage Yearbook Archives

1940s vintage yearbook photo from Washington High School (Raleigh, N.C.) of the 1948 "Most Humorous" students from the High school.
1948 Washington High School (Raleigh, N.C.) “Most Humorous” students.

Vintage Yearbook Superlatives from Black High Schools, College & Universities 1950-1959

1950s yearbook photo from Williston Senior High School, North Carolina, The Willistonian [1955] featuring a young Black Woman being voted as "Best Looking" for the Superlatives in her yearbook.
“Best Looking” Williston Senior High School, North Carolina, The Willistonian [1955] via digitalnc.org

SUPERLATIVE: The actual definition of a superlative is an object or person that has the most of a given quality. Within the context of high school, college & university, superlatives are reserved for the senior class as a rite of passage, with their peers voting in various categories. They are part of yearbook traditions.

Examples of Categories:

  • Best all-around
  • Biggest flirt
  • Class clown
  • Cutest couple
  • Life of the party

The Vintage Class Superlatives…

“Most Dignified“, Pauline Leake & Kenneth Norton from Central Piedmont Community College, “The Buck [1950-1951]” Yearbook.

Liz note: I’m obsessed with Pauline’s early 1950’s jacket.

1950s vintage yearbook Superlative from Central Piedmont Community College, "The Buck [1950-1951]" Yearbook featuring "Most Dignified" Black Man and Black Women from a HBCU. Fantastic early 1950s fashions!

“Most Carefree”. One more from Central Piedmont Community College, “The Buck [1950-1951]” Yearbook.

1950s vintage yearbook Superlative from Central Piedmont Community College, "The Buck [1950-1951]" Yearbook featuring the "Most Carefree" Students. The Image features 5 Black College students in early 1950s fashions.

Saint Augustine’s University, 1951 ‘Falcon’ Yearbook picks….

“Most Popular” was Alexander Morris. “Best Dressed Girl” went to Marilyn Lomax. “Best Dressed Boy”, Jason Randall and “Most Versatile” was Donald Ashman.

1950s vintage yearbook Superlative from Saint Augustine's University, 1951 'Falcon' Yearbook picks. Featuring 4 Black students who won, Best Dressed Girl and Guy, Most Popular and Most Versatile at this HBCU.

Saint Augustine’s University, 1953 ‘Falcon’ Yearbook Superlatives…

“Most Cooperative”, “Most Musical” and “Friendliest”.

1950s Vintage Yearbook: Saint Augustine's University, 1953 'Falcon' Yearbook Superlatives featuring "Most Cooperative", "Most Musical" and "Friendliest" Black students.

1955 Williston Senior High School, North Carolina, The ‘Willistonian’ Yearbook featuring the “Most Intellectual”, “Best Dancers”, “Best Solo Dancer”, “The Most Studious” and “The Most Temperamental”.

1950s Vintage Yearbook photos: 1955 Williston Senior High School, (Black High School) North Carolina, The 'Willistonian' Yearbook featuring the "Most Intellectual", "Best Dancers", "Best Solo Dancer", "The Most Studious" and "The Most Temperamental".

1955 Superlatives from the Booker T. Washington High School (Reidsville, N.C.), ‘The Pioneer’ Yearbook. The categories on this page were…

“Most Dependable”, “Most Studious”, “Most Versatile”, “Biggest Flirt”, “Most School-Spirited”, “Most Likely to Succeed”, “Best Dressed” and “Best Actor / Actress”.

1950s Vintage Yearbook from a historically Black High School-1955 Superlatives from the Booker T. Washington High School (Reidsville, N.C.), 'The Pioneer' Yearbook. The categories on this page were... "Most Dependable", "Most Studious", "Most Versatile", "Biggest Flirt", "Most School-Spirited", "Most Likely to Succeed", "Best Dressed" and "Best Actor / Actress".

1958 ‘Blue Flame’ Yearbook from Central High School (Hillsborough, N.C.) featuring the “Most Dramatic” & the “Most Talkative” Superlative.

1950s Vintage Yearbook: 1958 'Blue Flame' Yearbook from a Historically Black HS-Central High School (Hillsborough, N.C.) featuring the "Most Dramatic" & the "Most Talkative" superlative.

Another 4 from the same Central High School in 1958….“Most Athletic” & “Best Dancers”.

1950s Vintage Yearbook: 1958 'Blue Flame' Yearbook from a Historically Black HS-Central High School (Hillsborough, N.C.) featuring the "Most Athletic" & "Best Dancers".

Some new one’s in the Senior Superlatives from Dunbar High School 1959 ‘The Bar’ Yearbook.

“Most All-Round”, “Most Helpful” & “Shortest”.

1950s vintage yearbook: 1959 Dunbar High School in North Carolina a Historically Black High School featuring the Superlatives students of 1959.

Shaw University, 1959 ‘The Bear” Yearbook featuring the chosen two for “Most Jovial”.

I hope our Richard was just having an off day when they took his photo.

1950s vintage yearbook from Shaw University, 1959 'The Bear" Yearbook featuring the chosen two from "Most Jovial". Shaw is a Historically Black University.

Thanks for reading my post!

I wonder how everyone made out in life? Did they continue to be the “best dressed” or the “most carefree”? I would like to think so.

Question time: Did your yearbook have as Superlative? If so, were YOU in it (I don’t think my school had this)? Share any fun insights or comments in the section below.

Further Reading: Vintage Yearbooks 1920s-1960s (archived blog posts)

Liz


Sep
2023

Back To School: Vintage School Clubs Part 2

categories: Back to School, Vintage Yearbooks

Do you remember the excitement of joining a school club? Maybe you loved the music program, voted for student council president, or joined the debate team. Whatever you were part of you cannot deny that for decades, school clubs have provided students with the chance to explore their interests, build relationships, and create lasting memories.

Here at the Vintage Inn Blog, I have always loved this subject and finally in 2017 I did a post on ‘School Clubs 1920s-1950s‘. It was fun to scan yearbook photos of times gone by and try and figure out what some of the clubs were about.

I decided since it’s been a few years that I would do a part 2. Especially since I have come to realize that school clubs were also called “Organizations & Associations” (maybe that is why hardly anybody saw my last post?).

Anyways! Let’s get started and explore the exciting world of vintage school clubs!

1950s High School Yearbook Photo featuring the Pep Club

Source: eBay

All images are sourced from the North Carolina Yearbooks-DigitalNC

Vintage School Clubs / Organizations / Associations 1920s-1950s

The “Happy Four Club” – 1923 Barton College, ‘Pine Knot’ yearbook.

Any thoughts on what this club was about? My research came up empty. Let’s have some fun in the comments section below.

Further Reading: Vintage Photo Tuesday: A Look into 1941 Barton College-Pine Knot Yearbook

1920s vintage yearbook photo of a school club called "happy four club" in 1923 featuring 4 girls in 1920s fashions at Barton College, North Carolina.

1927 yearbook photo of the Campbell University Dramatic Club as seen in the ‘Pine Burr’ yearbook.

That year the school play was “Peg O’ My Heart”.

1927 yearbook photo of the Campbell University Dramatic Club as seen in the Pine Burr yearbook. Super 1920s fashions in the photo for men and for women.

1929 yearbook (The ‘Lotus’) from William Peace University featured The Advertiser’s Club & the Happy-Go-Lucky Club.

What club would you of joined?

Liz note: These stylish young women in both images are posing in some pretty fantastic late 1920s coats and hairstyles.

Late 1920s vintage yearbook photo from 1929 from William Peace University featuring an image of the Advertisers Club. A group of young women in late 1920s coats & hats holding binders.
Late 1920s vintage yearbook photo from 1929 from William Peace University featuring an image of the "happy-Go-Lucky" club. A group yearbook photo of young women in late 1920s coats and 1920s hairstyles.

1930 ‘The English Study Club’ as seen in ‘The Blue Bear’ yearbook from Livingstone College, North Carolina.

1930s vintage yearbook - 1930 'The English Study Club' as seen in 'The Blue Bear' yearbook from Livingstone College in North Carolina. Livingstone college is a Black College and the image features Black Men & Wome in 1930s fashions.

Western Carolina Teachers College 1934 Debate Team (as seen in the ‘Catamount’ yearbook).

Don’t mess with our lady in the bottom right (2nd in), she will debate you!

1930s Vintage Yearbook photo from 1934 of the Debate Team from The image features young men and women in 1930s fashions posing together on the steps of the school.

The ‘Paint and Palette Club’ of 1939-an organization for the purpose of furthering an interest in art among members of the art department and student body.

Queens University of Charlotte, ‘The Coronet’ yearbook.

1930s vintage photo from a 1939 yearbook of the Paint and Palette club (art club) featuring young university women in late 1930s hairstyles.

The ‘Chemistry Club’ as seen at the Woman’s College of the University of North Carolina in 1941 (The ‘Pine Needles’ yearbook).

1940s vintage yearbook from 1941 from the Woman's College of the University of North Carolina. The image is of the Women's Chemistry Club.

The ‘Stirrup Club’ & The ‘Monogram Club’. Salem College, 1944 ‘Sights and Insights’ yearbook.

What do you think the ‘Stirrup Club’ was all about?

1940s vintage yearbook photo from Salem College, 1944 'Sights and Insights' yearbook. The Stirrup Club & The Monogram Club.

The ‘Service Club’ & ‘Women Collegiate Club’ at Fayetteville State University as in the 1947 ‘Bronco’ yearbook.

I’m loving all the saddle shoes in the bottom photo!

1940s vintage yearbook photos of The 'Service Club' & 'Women Collegiate Club' at Fayetteville State University (Black University) in 1947 (The Bronco yearbook).

The ‘Day Students Organization’ as seen in the Phi Psi Cli 1948 yearbook from Elon College.

About: The Day Students make up a great portion of the student body. They are always on the job to lend a helping hand to all school activities. Each year they give a party for the student body which is one of the big affairs of the school year.

1940s vintage yearbook photo of The 'Day Students Organization' as seen in the Phi Psi Cli 1948 yearbook from Elon College

“The Tailoring Club” 1950 ‘Ayantee’ yearbook from North Carolina Agricultural and Technical State University.

Look at those well dressed students! DANG!

The Tailoring Club-1950 Vintage Yearbook photo from a HBCU in North Carolina. 1950 'Ayantee' yearbook from North Carolina Agricultural and Technical State University featuring Well dressed Black Men and a Black Women

The ‘Hoof-Print Club’ at Meredith College as seen in the ‘Oak Leaves’ 1952 yearbook.

This club was all about the love of horses, horse shows and everything else around that subject.

1950s vintage yearbook photo of the 'Hoof-Print Club' at Meredith College as seen in the 'Oak Leaves' 1952 yearbook.

A full page of clubs and one association in the ‘Ayantee’ [1954] yearbook from the Agricultural and Technical College of North Carolina.

  • The Women’s Athletic Association
  • Physical Education Majors Club
  • Art Circle
  • Masonry Club
  • Virginia Club
  • Floridian Club
  • French Club
  • Home Ecker’s Club
1950s vintage yearbook page of School Clubs at the Agricultural and Technical College of North Carolina a Black College.

The ‘Marshal Club’ at Gardner-Webb University as seen in the ‘Anchor’ 1955 yearbook.

About: The Marshal Club is the honor society of Gardner-Webb. Membership in this organization is one of the highest honors attainable. The active marshals servce as ushers at public functions and marshals at graduation. The purpose of this organization is to stimulate scholarship, to develp character, to encourage leadership, and to create good fellowship.

1950s vintage yearbook photo of The 'Marshal Club' at Gardner-Webb University as seen in the 'Anchor' 1955 yearbook.

The 1957 ‘Ivy Leaf Club’ from Elizabeth City State University, the ‘Pirate’s Log’ yearbook.

They even have an “ivy” in the photo.

I am also unsure of what this club was about. Thoughts?

1950s vintage yearbook from Elizabeth City State University a Black University featuring a photo of the Ivy Leaf Club. The Image is of young Black Women in 1950s fashions & hairstyles

Question Time: Were you in any school clubs during your highschool or maybe higher education days? I was in Drama in highschool and I loved every minute of it (even though I was not very good). Share any thoughts in the comment section below.

Further Reading:

Thanks for dropping by!

Liz

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