Worldwide Recognition For East Suffolk High's 1960 Miss Homecoming Queen , Audrey Boone and her attendants, Lenora Barnes and Brenda Ricks

                                   The above picture shows the crowning of the Homecoming Queen for the East Suffolk High Class of 1960 in November 1959.  The picture left to right:  The exquisite Lenora Barnes, attendant, in her dainty attire; the beautiful Audrey Boone in her appealing outfit, being crowned by Lowell Turner, principal, and the eloquent dressed and attractive Brenda Ricks, attendant.

 Article 4 Volume 14     Part 1

            EAST SUFFOLK HIGH'S JOURNAL

    October 1959 was a very busy month for the senior class at ESH.  They worked extra hard to prepare for the Homecoming game that was scheduled for October 30, 1959.  In September 1959 the student body had voted on which students would serve as the queen and her two attendants.  They elected Audrey Boone as queen and the two runner-ups were her attendants. They were Lenora Barnes and Brenda Ricks 

   So in preparation, we rented a top back sedan from a local car dealer and put in extra work for decoration for that upcoming celebration.  The whole student body was excited and anxiously waiting for that nite to show off at Peanut Park.  The football game would feature  St. Emma High against the East Suffolk Wolverines.

   On Thursday, October 29th it started to rain, and it continued on into Friday, October 3oth. At noon, it was still raining, and the football field was soaking wet.  Due to the weather conditions, the game was postponed until  November 13, 1959.  We couldn't play the makeup game the following week because we were scheduled to play our cross-town rival, Booker T Washington Bears in what was slated to be our final game of the year on November  6th.

   The following week we lost to the Bears by more than two touchdowns.  On Monday, November 9th, Coach Fitz Turner had a team meeting.  He informed us that he was unable to reschedule the game for this week.  Therefore, the season was over.  His parting words to the team were, "You birds were awful against the Bears.  Enjoy the off-season." So, our game against the Bears turned out to be Coach Turner's last game at East Suffolk High.  Until that point, he was the only head coach in the school's football history. ( I don't know when the football program started at ESH, but my unconfirmed review indicates it was in 1946).

PART II 

        THE HOMECOMING CELEBRATION AND CROWING OF THE QUEEN

   Since we were unable to have the football game. school officials decided that we would still celebrate the event on campus on Friday, November 13th.  

   On the day of the celebration, classes were dismissed at 2 p.m., and the student body got an opportunity to cheer the queen and her attendants as they rode around campus in the convertible new car, just waving at the onlookers.  

   It turned out to be, perhaps the best Homecoming celebration in the school's history. The whole student body got a chance to witness a Homecoming event in person.

go to Grady E. Bryant on Facebook for a picture and the rest of the story, posted on July 12, 2024.