Looking Back: Mystery, Romance, and Fun Prevail in 1957 Senior Christmas Play, ‘Are you Mr. Butterworth?’
January 23, 2018
Preservation of Chattanooga Central History
SENIOR PLAY — (Left to right) Toby Payton, Carolyn Clarkson, Jeanie Lansford, Betty Millsaps, Mike Scherer, Rosemarie Harris, Estell Alton, Alice Williams, Shirley Bolden, Marvin Howard, Martha Jett, Randy Hughes, Charlotte McLain, Don Whitmire, Rein Talmet, James Crumley, Sigrid Lindemann, Clay Ferguson, Pat Hale, Wayne Babb, Janet Armstrong, and Ross Brock made up the cast.
EDITOR’S NOTE: The following article contains summaries of articles from past issues of The Central Digest. Once per month, the Digest will look back into our archives to see what was happening around Central High in the past.
ENROLLMENT SHOWS INCREASE FOR 1957-’58
October 1957
Enrollment at Central High surpassed 2,000 students with an usually large population, consisting of 56 seventh graders and 114 eight graders. 336 freshmen, 591 sophomores, 495 juniors, and 420 seniors rounded off the total school count.
GLEE CLUB MEMBERS SING AT KNOXVILLE
October 1957
16 members of Central High’s Glee Club traveled to Knoxville to participate in E.T.E.A. on October 23-25 1957. They were among 500 East Tennessee chorus members directed by Dr. David Folt of the University of Nebraska; A concert was held that Friday in the University of Tennessee auditorium. Central students in attendance were Jo Ann Massey, Lujean Weaver, Lucille McDowell, Phyllis Luther, Phyllis Dicus, Judy Tittsworth, Sandra Hales, Pat Hays, Larry McCrosky, Wayne Curtis, Johnny McCoy, Donnie Allen, Mike Scherer, Jimmy Childress, Owen McCloud, and Doris Hays.
STUDENTS ATTEND JACKSONVILLE FLORIDA MENINAK FOOTBALL BOWL
November 1957
Central was invited to play football in the annual Meninak Bowl hosted Jacksonville, Florida. 35 students had the opportunity to join the group for a cost of $16 which includes transportation and hotel expenses. Students stayed in the George Washington Hotel, one of Jacksonville’s finest. After leaving school on Thursday, the bus will return on Sunday morning, accompanied by Mr. and Mrs. K. W. John as chaperons.
SENIORS STAR IN PLAY, “ARE YOU MR. BUTTERWORTH?”
December 1957
The senior class (’58) presented a three-act mystery-comedy entitled, “Are You Mr. Butterworth?” beginning at 8 p.m. The play is centered around Mr. Butterworth, a guest in the Empire Hotel, who has gone missing along with some jewelry. Scenes are set around the coffee shop and hotel lobby where romance, mystery, and fun are all combined. Students were able to star as detectives, desk clerks, and even show girls. By the end of the performance, the audience found out what really happened to the jewelry, who married who, and the status of Mr. Butterworth.
For those interested, the archived Central Digest publications can be found on the Preservation of Chattanooga Central History website: https://chattanoogacentralhistory.com/digest/