PICTURE OF THE WEEK
This Saturday, September 18, is the 79th annual Miss America Pageant. While Beauty School does not offer a degree program in the Miss America Pageant, we do owe a debt of gratitude to Miss America.
As our most dedicated students know, the Miss Universe Pageant was created when Catalina Swimsuits dropped their sponsorship of Miss America and decided to set up a contest of their own. The swimsuit company did this because Miss America 1951, Yolande Betbeeze, refused to wear the company's swimsuits on promotional tours.
We also owe another debt of gratitude to Miss America. In 1955, Carol Morris competed as Miss Iowa in the Miss America Pageant, where she placed 14th. The next year, she won Miss USA...and Miss Universe. Thank you, Miss America, for giving us Miss Universe 1956!
In the photo, we can imagine Carol calling the Miss America Organization and telling them of her victory at Miss Universe.
POSTSCRIPT - September 19, 1999: One of our students has astutely pointed out that Miriam Stevenson, Miss Universe 1954, also competed in the Miss America Pageant, as Miss South Carolina 1953. Thank you, Miss America, for giving us Miriam, too!
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