Maplewood History: The Maplewood Swimming Carnival and Beauty Pageant – The Program

By
Doug Houser
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If you read my last post, you read the Globe-Democrat’s article about the Maplewood Swimming Carnival and Beauty Pageant. Now take a look at the program. I think this piece of ephemera is very interesting. We’re lucky it survived and by the looks of it, it nearly didn’t. Thanks again to Marty Fischer who has provided so many illuminating looks at the past of our community.

I was surprised to learn just how big this carvinal (sic) actually was.
I was surprised to learn just how big this carvinal (sic) actually was.
Even this fragment has some information for us. this event in 1941 was the fourth annual. I wonder how long it continued. Also look whose mug is featured. None other than old R.T.Kalb himself (I'm fairly certain) who was the manager of the pool for a time. Marty found this program amongst the other Kalb items he acquired during their tag sale.
Even this fragment has some information for us. This event in 1941 was the fourth annual. I wonder how long it continued. Also look whose mug is featured. None other than old R.T.Kalb himself (I’m fairly certain) who was the manager of the pool for a time. Marty found this program amongst the other Kalb items he acquired during their tag sale.
Take a look at this schedule of events. Wow!
Take a look at this schedule of events. Wow! And then at the end just, “Beauty Pageant”. C’mon, those young ladies deserved a better buildup than that.
The amount of seating they had shows they were expecting a crowd.
The amount of seating they had shows they were expecting a crowd.
The photo montage.
The photo montage. Pay particular attention to the man at bottom right receiving the lei.  I’ll have more on him later.
Here's a closeup of the girls. I include this for two reasons. 1. The girls are very pretty. 2. Look at the size of that stonework they're posing on. It was a sort of headboard to the original pool. It stood right over the kiddie pool and is indeed still standing though the kiddie pool is long gone.
Here’s a closeup of the girls. I include this for two reasons. 1. The girls are very pretty. 2. Look at the size of that stonework they’re posing on. It was a sort of headboard to the original pool. It stood right over the kiddie pool and is indeed still standing though the kiddie pool is long gone.
Here is a photo I took of it in 2007.
Here is a photo I took of it in 2007.
Here is a vintage photo with the kiddie pool. A stream of water came out of the center upper part. Collection of Tom Grellner.
Here is a vintage photo with the kiddie pool. A stream of water came out of the center upper part from what looks like it might have been a lion’s head in this photo taken by the Kennedy Photo Service.  How about that, Wanda?  Collection of Tom Grellner.
Here is a bonus photo that doesn't have much to do with the rest of this post. I've included it because it affords a view of the site that is now occupied by our current city hall. Courtesy of Tom Grellner.
Here is a bonus photo that doesn’t have much to do with the rest of this post. I’ve included it because it affords a view of the site that is now occupied by our current city hall.  Courtesy of Tom Grellner.