Miss Chaparral and Miss DJC

Dalton Junior College was born in a time of social change and upheaval. The Vietnam War, the civil rights movement, greater liberality in lifestyle and sexual choices, and the rise of increasingly partisan political divisions all caused an examination of traditional rites and rituals that before were considered as normal aspects of American life. While striving to adapt to these new models of social structure, Dalton Junior College continued to hold fast to several traditions still considered standard for both the times and the community.

In 1968, the staff of the campus yearbook “The Chaparral” sponsored a contest to name Miss Chaparral, who would serve as the face and image of the campus community. The name chaparral comes from the arid, desert environment of the southwestern United States that serves as the home of the school mascot: the roadrunner. The first Miss Chaparral, Libby Scott, was selected by a panel of local business leaders on April 8, 1968. Judged on poise, personality, and general appearance after modeling business, casual, and sportswear, Miss Scott was presented with a trophy and a dozen roses.

In a February 14, 1969 interview with the campus newspaper, The Boulder, Miss Scott reflected on her reign as Miss Chaparral and explained how her natural shyness almost prevented her from entering the contest at all. After constant pressure from her friends, Miss Scott finally agreed to take part and was “stunned” by her selection. During the personality segment of the ceremony the judges asked her, “If you had to go on a date at the country club and your escort showed up in a sweatshirt and tennis shoes, what would you do?” Miss Scott replied, “Ask him what size he wore and get him one of my daddy’s suits.”

On January 21, 1968, while appearing at the Chattanooga March of Dimes Telethon, actor Leonard Nimoy, Mr. Spock of the Star Trek television program, was approached by members of the Chaparral editorial staff. Linda Cleveland and Max Caylor asked Mr. Nimoy to serve as the final judge for the selection of Miss Chaparral. Mr. Nimoy agreed and it was decided that photographs of the final five contestants would be submitted to Mr. Nimoy for selection. Unfortunately, as the contest neared, it was determined that the Chaparral’s budget could not support the cost of professional quality photography for the candidate submissions, and Mr. Nimoy’s participation was replaced by a panel of five local business leaders.

The Chaparral yearbook ceased publication in 1971 and the contest was discontinued. Sally Pike was crowned as the last Miss Chaparral. But the end of the Miss Chaparral contest did not mean the end of the tradition of contests to select representatives of school identity and spirit. The Miss DJC contest developed concurrently and was designed to increase direct student involvement in campus activities. Sponsored by the Student Government Association, the field of candidates for Miss DJC was determined by allowing each student to enter one name into contention. The top fifteen names formed the final field of candidates. The winner of the first Miss DJC title, revealed at the February 14, 1969 Valentines Day dance was Susan Freeman.

On January 31, 1970, during halftime of the Roadrunner’s basketball game with Northeastern State Community College of Blountville, TN, Jane Silvers was crowned as the second Miss DJC. By now the title of Miss DJC also carried the honor of being recognized as Homecoming Queen. This dual title continued until 1978, when the Roadrunners basketball program was discontinued, but the contest continued for several years. The last Miss DJC tiara was awarded to Kim Baynes in 1983.

Nancy Stone, Miss DJC 1974, remembers the excitement and confusion as the award ceremony approached the year she won. No one could locate a crown suitable for the presentation until she stepped forward. “I drove to East Ridge [TN] to the store I knew had this kind of thing and I purchased this crown. Then later in the week it was on my head.” Miss Stone’s crown now rests in the archives of the Bandy Heritage Center.

Although today these pageants may be seen as symbols of an unenlightened past, there can be no argument that they were significant moments in the lives of the young women who participated. For many of the contestants, these ceremonies provided them with their first entry into the public arena where poise, personality, and appearance contributed greatly to success beyond the classroom. The confidence they gained through the judging process contributed to their self esteem and put their names in front of community leaders who could assist them in their careers. These contests also provided a respite from the turmoil and confusion assaulting the world beyond the campus and allowed for reflection upon less threatening problems such as where to buy a crown and how to deal with a boy inappropriately dressed for a date.

Miss Chaparral and Miss DJC

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