THE CHOWANIAN, APRIL-MAY 1959
CORRECT POSTURE HELPS MISS
AMERICA OF 1958 WIN HER TITLE
Miss Marilyn Van Derbur, Denver, Colorado, Miss America of
1958, who exeinplihes correct posture at its best.
Winning tlic title of "Miss
America” is not just a nnatter
uf beauty, although that, of
course, is important. Considered
are grace, charm, poise and in
telligence. Good posture plays
an important part, too.
When Marilyn Van Derbur of
Denver, Colorado walked down
the 150 foot long runway in Con
vention Hall, Atlantic City, on
September 7, 1957 as a contest
ant for the title of Miss Ameri
ca, her charm and grace were
enhanced by near-perfect pos
ture. When the judging was
over she was Miss America of
1958. For her that was one of
the. happiest days of her life.
For the chiropractors of Colo
rado it was a red letter day,
too, -for they had played a sig
nificant role in helping Marilyn
Van Derbur achieve her coveted
title.
It all started with an idea of
Dr. Robert Ohlson of Denver.
As a member of the Denver
Junior Chamber of Commerce,
he was on the Miss Colorado
Scholarship Pageant Commit
tee. The preliminary state con
test of the Scholarship Pageant
is sponsored oy the Denver Jun
ior Chamber of Commerce. The
winner becomes the Miss Ameri
ca Candidate from Colorado. Dr.
Ohlson approached the Denver
Jaycees, offering the support of
the Colorado chiropractors for
the Pageant of 1957. He told the
Jaycees about National Correct
Posture Week and explained
what an Incentive it would be to
school youngsters to have a
Miss Colorado tell them how
important correct posture is to
beauty and health. The Jaycees
invited the Colorado chiroprac
tors to join in the sponsorship
of the Miss Colorado Pageant
and ijffored complete coopera
tion with the National Correct
Pu.'Uue Week Program.
the work of promoting the
Colorado Pageant, tied in with
National Correct Posture Week,
proceeded. Little did they know
that their efforts would receive
national attention. Then came
the dramatic day when Marilyn
Van Derbur was crowned Miss
America. Colorado chiroprac
tors and the Jaycees of Denver
were fully rewarded for all the
work they had done up to that
time. Miss Van Derbur, who is
no stranger to chiropractic,
could be thankful that her per
fect posture had played an im
portant part in her being select
ed Miss America.
ANOTHER CHOWAN CAMPUS QUEEN — While Chowan's campus is beautiful with its many
trees and spacious green lawns, more prized than these are the pretty co-eds who lend charm and
grace to enhance the picture. One of the prettiest is Miss Frances Johnson, secretarial student
from Williamston. She will graduate in June and plans a summer wedding with Ervin "Buddy"
Leggett of Robersonville as the lucky man. Daughter of Mr. and Mrs. Lance Johnson, Frances
was Chowan's basketball queen; is a member of Alpha Pi Epsilon national honorary society; and
is secretary to Mr. John McSweeney, Director of the School of Graphic Arts.
May Day Program is Historical
(See picture of May Day Queen Audrey Marr/ner on cover.')
Many guests and students
joined Miss Audrey Marriner of
Hickory, Va., the Chowan Col
lege May Queen, on Chowan’s
campus Saturday afternoon,
May 9.
On that occasion she turned
back the pages of time to the
year 1825. It was on February 26
of that historic year that Gilbert
Montier, Marquis de La Fayette,
visited the town of Murfreesboro.
Histoiical Note
In keeping with the strong his
torical note being sounded this
year throughout Hertford County
as it observes the 200th anniver
sary of its existence, the annual
May Day exercises at Chowan
College took the form of pageant
depicting the treasured appear
ance of the young French Gen
eral who played such a noble
part in the American Army’s
battle for freedom.
Concerning La Fayette’s visit
to Murfreesboro, Winborne’s
Histoiy of Hertfoxd Counly says:
“A committee consisting of Col.
James Brickie, Dr. O’Bryan,
Lewis M. Cowper and John W.
Southall was appointed to meet
the General at Somerton, Va.,
and escort him to the town. He
stopped at the Indian Queen
Hotel, then owned by Henry A.
Ramsay. The brilliant young
lawyer, Thomas Maney, in a
speech of welcome, greeted the
distinguished visitor, who gra
ciously replied. The parlors of
the grand old hotel were beau
tifully decorated with the nation
al colors and patriotic banners.
The brass band filled the hearts
and souls of the assembled mul
titude with patrotic music, the
noble and beautiful women of
the town and county on that
occasion would have done honor
to a presidential inaugural ball
at the present day. A most dig
nified and elite reception was
held, when all were given an
opportunity to shakehands with
the General. At 11 o’clock p.m.
they sat down to supper. The
people came in from all parts
Two $500 Scholarship Winners
WIUIAM WAIUCE AAANGUM, Jr.
BETTY CRAFT AAAHHEWS
Betty Craft Matthews, 206
Sampson St., Clinton, and Wil
liam W. Mangum, Jr., 211 Pen
dergrass St., Durham, have been
awarded “Donald G. Matthews,
Sr. Competitive Scholarships,”
in the amount of $500.00, for the
1959-60 academic year at Chowan
College.
The two high school seniors
were selected from many out
standing student applicants from
the 40 counties which make up
the three eastern North Caro
lina educational districts. Their
selection was based upon aca-
dcmic scholarship, character,
leadership ability, personality,
and need.
Miss Matthews, daughter of
the late Mr. and Mrs. A. E.
Matthews of Roseboro, is among
the top ten students in this
year’s Clinton High School grad
uating class. A National Honor
Society member, her extra-cur
ricular activities have included
dramatics, glee club, athletics,
and work with the school news
paper.
Mangum, son of Mr. and Mrs.
W. W. Mangum, Sr., is one of
the top five students in a gradu
ating class of more than one
hundred seniors at Northern
Durham High. Like his co-win
ner, he is also an active member
of the National Honor Society.
He is also an active member of
the Student Council, business
manager of the Northern year
book, and had a leading role in
the Senior play.
of the surrounding country to
see and shake hands with the
great General and join in the
great rejoicings.”
The Pageant
The May Day pageant was
directed by Miss Anna Belle
Crouch, a member of the college
faculty, and Mrs. Edwin P.
Brown of Murfreesboro. Mrs.
Neva Cambell, college librarian,
furnished the historical back
ground materials around which
the pageant was built. The char
acters in the several dramatic
scenes chosen to highlight the
La Fayette visit was played by
Chowan students selected from
the men’s and women’s physical
education classes.
Reigning over the May Day
festivities with Queen Audrey
Marriner were her maid of hon
or, Patsy Picot of Franklin, Va.,
and representatives of the vari
ous student organizations on the
Chowan College campus: Phi
Theta Kappa (National Hono
rary Scholastic Fraternity), Lil
lian Carter, Woodland; Fresh
man Class, Frances Johnson,
Williamston; Woman’s Athletic
Association, Jeanne Miles, Nor-
folk, Va.; Baptist Student Union,
Jane Winslow, Bevidere; College
Choir, Carol Landen, Weldon;
Young Woman’s Auxiliary, Gwen
Eure, Eure; Women’s Judiciary,
Linda Watson, Conway; The
Chowanoka (College Yearbook),
Mitzi Oden; Hatteras; Delta Phi
Epsilon (National Honorary
Business Fraternity), Delores
Hill, Woodland; National Educa
tion Association, Katheryn Trip
lett, Banner Elk; Spanish Club,
Bonnie Tinkham, Alexandria,
Va.; Monogram Club, Lisa Tay
lor, Nashville; Men’s Council,
Brenda Bradshaw, Franklin,
Va.; Sophomore Class, Bettye Jo
Lassiter, Ahoskie; The Chowan-
ian (College Newspaper), Gene
va Congleton, Washington':
Chemistry Club, Serina Davis,
Davis.