The Saline Reporter
A Heritage Newspaper
Weekly Publication
Miss Saline Pageant has long local history
Former contestants keep it going through volunteer efforts
By Chris Wright, Special Writer
PUBLISHED: August 28, 2008
When Miss Saline 2008 is crowned Tuesday during the Saline Community Fair, she will be continuing on with the rich and often interesting tradition dating back 60 years.
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From the day in 1948 when Betty Wallo McAllister was named the first Miss Saline right up to present, the pageant has seen its share of changes. Originally organized by the now-defunct Saline Jaycees, the program has continued on for the last 20 years thanks to a committee largely made up of former Miss Saline contestants.
Along the way, winners have always received a loving cup and a savings bond, but in some years, winners have also walked away with curiosities such as a cardboard crown and a bowling ball.
The Miss Saline committee, currently made up of members Nancy Niethammer, Taryn Hartman, Denise Blumenauer, Alicia Long, Sharon Heft, Laurie Stegenga and Katrene Starling, has historically kept scrapbooks consisting of old Saline Reporter newspaper articles and other memorabilia.
Those archives tell of how the pageant has changed over the years. For example, in 1954, and only in 1954 as far as anybody can remember, Miss Saline was renamed the Harvest Queen. Instead of a traditional rhinestone tiara, that winner, Nancy Ross Niethammer, was presented a cardboard crown covered in glitter.
In 1957, all contestants received an ankle bracelet, but the winner, Pat Teachout Niethammer, also took home a bowling ball, a bowling ball bag and an electric shaver, among other prizes.
In 1959, Paula Stralnic Haarer was the first contestant to be named Miss Congeniality, an award that is voted upon by fellow pageant entrants. The tradition continues to this day, said Starling.
Pageant winners have kept it in the family on many occasions, as well. Miss Saline 1961 Katrene Gall Starling has proudly watched both of her daughters win the title. DeeDe Starling Bormann won it in 1981 and Stacey Starling was Miss Saline 1983.
Sisters Laurie Vogel Stegenga and Beth Vogel Newman won titles in 1978 and 1982, respectively, and then in 2003, Laurie's daughter, Nicole Stegenga, was named Miss Saline.
Sisters Renee and Robin Bush were crowned Miss Saline in 1985 and 1989, respectively.
In 1991, pageant organizers saw the number of contestants dwindle down to five. In response, they moved to do eliminate the talent portion of the contest. As expected, the number of contestants increased, Starling said.
She added that the logic behind getting rid of the talent contest was that a lot of young women seemed intimidated by it. But, historically speaking, the talent show hasn't always been just singing and dancing and such.
"One year, we had a girl bake a pie as her talent, and that was good," she said.
Pageant organizers, starting in 1992, substituted grade point average for talent, thus making it a true scholarship pageant. Entrants have to be enrolled in high school or college, and extra points are awarded for grades of "C" and higher, Starling said.
Scholarships totaling $1,800 will be given away this year. The total amount of scholarships, bonds and other prizes expected to be given away to participants at next month's pageant is expected to be more than $6,000.
This year's pageant will be held 8 p.m. Sept. 2 as part of the Saline Community Fair at the Washtenaw County Farm Council Grounds, 5055 Ann Arbor-Saline Road.
Nowadays, pageant entrants can't be married, but that hasn't always been the case. Starling said that during the early 1950s at least two girls were listed as being married, both of them being named runners-up in their years.
For the first 40 years, the Jaycees oversaw the event before the group disbanded in 1988. After the Jaycees disbanded, the fair board approached Miss Saline 1949 Jackie Mitchell Hoeft to see if any former queens would be willing to continue the pageant.
Mitchell Hoeft went on to found the committee that has run the pageant ever since. Starling said the committee's focus is to offer young women in the community a free local competition that supports the Saline Community Fair, while continuing to expand the pageant.
"The committee has changed a lot in 20 years, but we keep on going," said Starling, who is retired and has moved to Tecumseh.
Many past winners and court members volunteer with the pageant, lending their support both physically and financially. The committee keeps in touch with supporters by sending a newsletter each spring. They are even effective in getting in touch with those who live farther away, Starling said.
"The people who grew up in Saline still call it home, and a lot of them give us support," she said.
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