One of my dad's favorite stories was about my mom winning 1st runner up in the Rocky Mountain Bathing Beauty Contest.
It was during the early years of the Great Depression, and my mother's father was forced to sell their house, because his business debtors were unable to pay him. Mom desperately wanted to go to college, but there was no money. She tried to get a job, but no one was hiring. She was miserable, and trying to figure out how to get the $75 she needed for school. After a couple of weeks, she read in the evening newspaper that a local department store was looking for a girl to sponsor in the Queen of the Rocky Mountain Bathing Beauty Contest. The top four girls would go on to compete among 150 girls at Saltair in Salt Lake City. The prizes were the best part - $25, $50, $75, and $100 for the winner. Mom was excited. Her parents were not. The thought of their daughter parading around on a stage in a bathing suit was unthinkable, but mom persisted and they relented. She also received tips from a silent screen star, Wanda Hawley, who told her to look over her shoulder and wink at the judges. The day of the contest came and mom took Miss Hawley's advice. She walked briskly down the steps with a wide smile on her face and winked at the judges. As the winners were being announced she held her breath, nervously waiting. Finally, her name, Margaret Watkins, was called as first runner-up. She had earned her $75 for college that year. (More details in Margaret's autobiography, "Stop Me If You've Heard This Before".)
It was during the early years of the Great Depression, and my mother's father was forced to sell their house, because his business debtors were unable to pay him. Mom desperately wanted to go to college, but there was no money. She tried to get a job, but no one was hiring. She was miserable, and trying to figure out how to get the $75 she needed for school. After a couple of weeks, she read in the evening newspaper that a local department store was looking for a girl to sponsor in the Queen of the Rocky Mountain Bathing Beauty Contest. The top four girls would go on to compete among 150 girls at Saltair in Salt Lake City. The prizes were the best part - $25, $50, $75, and $100 for the winner. Mom was excited. Her parents were not. The thought of their daughter parading around on a stage in a bathing suit was unthinkable, but mom persisted and they relented. She also received tips from a silent screen star, Wanda Hawley, who told her to look over her shoulder and wink at the judges. The day of the contest came and mom took Miss Hawley's advice. She walked briskly down the steps with a wide smile on her face and winked at the judges. As the winners were being announced she held her breath, nervously waiting. Finally, her name, Margaret Watkins, was called as first runner-up. She had earned her $75 for college that year. (More details in Margaret's autobiography, "Stop Me If You've Heard This Before".)
Grandma was pretty cool. Can't wait for more posts!
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