High School Gridiron Stars Entering State's Colleges, Sept. 1, 1925

Gridiron Stars Enter Colleges. . . Local Men with Good Records Leave for Early Football Practice at Leading Colleges of the State

By Donnell Wharton

Joe Ellington and James Kirkman, formerly Smithfield high school boys, are leaving for early football practice to Wake Forest College and Oak Ridge respectively. Jimmie Kirkman left Smithfield Monday for North Carolina’s leading prep school, where he will make a bid for backfield honors, while Ellington is leaving today for the Baptist school where he has made his letter in football for the past two years.

But this is not all that Smithfield will contribute to the collegiate football circles of North Carolina this season. Last week a telegram received in the city requesting the presence of Frank Skinner at the early practice of the University of North Carolina, while Norwood Holland will enter that school this fall also.

John Jeannette and “Rip” Summerell, N.C. State backfield quarter and fullback who have been engaged in highway work around Smithfield during the summer are not planning to attend the early practice at State but will enter when the school opens. Jeannette is a flashy quarter at State, this being his third year on the varsity. He is a New Bern boy.

Ellington, Kirkman, Skinner and Holland all received their early football training on the Smithfield High eleven. Ellington was the first Smithfield boys to make his varsity letter at a good college sine the days of Bill Holt at N.C. State (then the old A. & M.). He has made two letters in both football and basketball. Playing quarter as an understudy of the famous Rackley, Ellington has put in some valuable work for the Baptist eleven, and is expected to go good this season.

He and Skinner and Holland were all on the first football team that played for Smithfield; Kirkman was a sub. All four played in the backfield. Last year Skinner made his freshman numeral at Carolina in both football and basketball. Many predict a place on the varsity backfield for him; anyway, the Fetzers consider him valuable material.

Holland enters Carolina as a freshman this fall, bidding fair to become Smithfield’s most famous athlete. His first football was at Bingham school in Asheville, followed by three years on the Smithfield eleven. Last fall Holland played for the Sanford team, one of the three best in the state, and was unanimously placed on “Honorable Mention” for all-state honors. His work on the basketball court and the baseball diamond has equaled that of the gridiron.

From the front page of The Smithfield Herald, Sept. 1, 1925

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