ys Robey
Embrey, Emma Ellmore, Gem Thompson, Alan Allison Fleming, Howard
Armfield, George Harrison, Allan Shear, Edgar Reeves; Fifth row: Sue
Creel, Grafton Utterback, Richard Lee, John Keyes; Sixth row: William
McWhorter, Martha Smith, Harriet Moulthrop Cheek, Erline Bready, Oliver
Keyes, Withers Murphy, Charles Austin, John Hessick, Joseph Beard;
Seventh row: Ruth Higdon, Rosalie Smith, Eleanor Bowers Matthews, Mary
Smith Douglas, Daniel Nalls, Ralph Armfield, Turner Hornbaker, Frank
Kidwell, Carroll Murphy; Eighth row: Bessie Beard Garrett, Ruby Hyatt,
Gladys Utterback, Elma Middleton Nalls, Ned Sutphin; Ninth row:
Katherine Hummer, Bernice West, Lillian Adrian Munday, Ruby Ambler
Bocato, Elizabeth Powell Austin, Mae Blevins, Virginia Presgrave
Harrison, Dora Cox Robey, Kathlene Adrian Presgrave. Photo courtesy of
Emma Ellmore.]

Studious or not, the Floris pupils also had their share of fun at
school. Richard Peck recalled playing several pranks during school
hours, such as catching copperhead snakes and letting them loose in the
classroom, or mixing together soil samples painstakingly collected for
County agent Derr. Much to the mischievous students' hilarity, a puzzled
Derr remarked, "I had no idea the soil was so uniform out here."[245]
Though afternoon farmwork occupied most of the pupils' spare time, some
extra-curricular activities were also offered. Plays were given annually
by the senior class, an example being the 1925 production of "Home
Times" billed as "very attractive" by the _Herndon News-Observer_.[246]
The Floris Vocational High School also boasted highly competitive
athletic teams, especially in basketball and track. For a school of its
size, it showed unusual competence and enthusiasm, winning both boys'
and girls' county basketball championships several years running. In
1928 their track team competed with 800 high schools in the state,
finishing fifth overall and claiming two of the seven records which were
broken.[247] In this, as in the academic standing of the vocational
school, the community's dynamism and interest influenced its high degree
of excellence.

Graduation exercises were also community events. The students worked for
weeks planning a memorable evening for proud parents, friends and
relations. The 1927 graduation from Floris Vocational High School
featured an invocation by Reverend Glenn Cooper of the Floris
Methodist Church, valedictory and salutatory addresses given by Virgi