Miss America 1923

Opening ceremony

Miss America 1923, the third Miss America pageant, was held at the Million Dollar Pier in Atlantic City, New Jersey on Friday, September 7, 1923.^[1][2] The incumbent, 17-year-old Mary Katherine Campbell, retained her title due primarily to her victory in the bathing suit competition exhibiting "an almost perfect figure."^[3]

Campbell is the only Miss America to win the title twice. She stated that she was very surprised to have won and was rooting for one of the other girls to win.^[4] Joseph Cummings Chase, a judge at the pageant said, "Miss Campbell is possessed of great vivacity and an inherent shyness that constitute a wonderful combination. She is typically American and altogether an ideal type."^[5]

Overview[]

Organization of pageant[]

The pageant consisted of four phases of competition: evening dress (called King Neptune's Court); roller chair parade, bathing girl revue, and the final.^[6] There was no talent competition at this pageant (this would not become part of the Miss America competition until 1935).^[7]

Judges[]

The panel of judges for the national pageant included film director, Penrhyn Stanlaws; painter, Joseph Cummings Chase; glamour artist, ; illustrator, Dean Cornwell; and painter and illustrator, Norman Rockwell.^[8]

Aftermath[]

Soon after the conclusion of the pageant, numerous women clubs and church groups protested against any further beauty contests and, "[urged] that they be prohibited by law," and, "[denounced them] as vulgar, undignified 'and demoralizing to young womanhood."^[9][10][11] One woman was quoted saying, " 'The beauty of our girls is too glorious, too sacred a thing to be put on exhibition like the freaks in a circus side show, to be commercialized and made the basis for all sorts of mercenary schemes.' "^[9]

Another protest arose when Ethelda Kenvin, Miss Brooklyn, was named the 1st runner-up at the conclusion of the contest despite being married since 1921 to professional baseball player Eppie Barnes.^[9] Some of her fellow contestants insisted that her placement and awards be revoked due to her marital status and violations of eligibility rules.^[9] The judges' panel were made aware of this but ultimately decided to allow Kenvin to keep her prizes.^[9]

Additionally, Helmar Liederman of New York filed suit against the contest directors, Armand T. Nichols and , for $150,000 due to their refusal to allow her to enter the national competition as "Miss Alaska" because she was a married woman, despite being authorized to compete by a newspaper in Juneau, Alaska.^[9][12]

Results[]

Placements[]

Awards[]

Evening Dress Award[]

Award also referred to as "King Neptune's Court."^[6]

Roller Chair Parade[]

Contestants[]

City / State / Title	Name	Hometown	Age	Placement	Special awards	Notes
Akron, Ohio	Thelma Boyd[19]	Akron
Alaska	Helmar Liederman[9][20]	New York City	24	N/A[9][20]		Competed in Miss America 1922 pageant as Miss Alaska[21] Disqualified from 1923 pageant because she was married (despite there being no eligibility rules against this)[9][20]
Albany, New York	Peggy Ross[22]	Albany
Allentown, Pennsylvania	Helen Noble[23]	Allentown
Altoona, Pennsylvania	Margaret Lillian Ross[22]	Altoona
Asheville, North Carolina	Rose Hildebrand[22]	Asheville
Atlanta, Georgia	Frances Thayer[22]	Atlanta
Baltimore, Maryland	Billie Muller[22]	Baltimore
Binghamton, New York	Bonita C. Bement[23]	Binghamton	19
Birmingham, Alabama	Louise Newman[22]	Birmingham
Boston, Massachusetts	Margaret L. Black[22]	Boston
Bridgeton, New Jersey	Sarah Delp[22]	Bridgeton
Brighton Beach, New York	Edithea Lois Wild[24]	Brooklyn	15
Brooklyn, New York	Ethelda Kenvin[22]	Brooklyn	24	1st runner-up[15]	Roller Chair Parade Fifth Prize[18]	Married baseball player, E.D. Barnes, in 1921[9]
Buffalo, New York	Irene Knight[22]	Buffalo
Burlington, Vermont	Hazel Gove[22]	Burlington
Cambridge, Massachusetts	Doris Rowden George[25]	Cambridge
Camden, New Jersey	Florence Nurock[25]	Camden
Cape May, New Jersey	Mildred McCann[25]	Cape May
Chicago, Illinois	Corrine Dellefield[25]	Chicago
Cincinnati, Ohio	Olga Emrick[25]	Cincinnati				Later worked as a stenographer and was active with the "Anti-Flirt Club"[26]
Cleveland, Ohio	Mary Jane Clark[25]	Cleveland
Columbus, Ohio	Genevieve Mambourg[25]	Columbus
Coney Island, New York	Heather Eulalie Walker[16]	Coney Island		2nd runner-up[14][16]		Star of the lost musical film, Hit the Deck, opposite Jack Oakie[27]
Cumberland, Maryland	Elizabeth Catherine Steele[28]	Cumberland	18
Detroit, Michigan	Beth Madson[25]	Detroit				Also competed in Miss America 1922 pageant as Miss Detroit[29]
Easton, Pennsylvania	Agnes Connelly[25]	Easton
Erie, Pennsylvania	Dorothy Haupt[25]	Erie				Also competed in Miss America 1922 pageant as Miss Easton[30]
Fort Worth, Texas	Bessie Laurene Roosa[31]	Fort Worth
Hammonton, New Jersey	Alice Kind[25]	Hammonton
Harrisburg, Pennsylvania	Helen R. Knisely[32]	Harrisburg
Jacksonville, Florida	Alyce Phillips[23]	Jacksonville
Johnstown, Pennsylvania	Betty Grening[33]	Johnstown
Lakeland, Florida	Mary Weaver[34]	Lakeland
Lebanon, Pennsylvania	Grace Kohr[35]	Lebanon
Long Branch, New Jersey	Elene Hicks[7]	Long Branch	19			Died of breast cancer in 1940 at age 38[7]
Louisville, Kentucky	Juanita Hobbs[25]	Louisville
Memphis, Tennessee	Elizabeth Mallory[36]	Memphis			Evening Dress Award[8] Roller Chair Parade Second Prize[18]
Miami, Florida	Katherine Kyle[37]	Miami				Also known as "Katherine Newlon"[37]
Miss America 1921	C. Margaret Gorman[38]	Washington, D.C.	18			Competed as Miss America 1921[38]
Miss America 1922	Mary Katherine Campbell[25]	Columbus	16[10]	Winner[13][39]		Competed as Miss America 1922[25] Only woman to win the national pageant twice[13]
New Bedford, Massachusetts	Mildred Salisbury[23]	New Bedford
New Haven, Connecticut	Helen Haddock[25]	New Haven
New Jersey	Elizabeth McClure[40]
	Alberta Dorothy Smith[40]
	Elsie Banholzer[40]
New York City, New York	Peggy Verna Shevlin[25]	New York City
Niagara Falls, New York	Nelda Tell[25]	Niagara Falls
Norristown, Pennsylvania	Mildred Maconachy[41]	Norristown
Ocean City, New Jersey	Grace Taylor[42]	Philadelphia[42]
Oklahoma City, Oklahoma	Mary Deen Overly[43]	Oklahoma City
Pensacola, Florida	Katherine Floyd[44][45]	Pensacola
Philadelphia, Pennsylvania	Marion Green[46]	Philadelphia		4th runner-up[17]	Roller Chair Parade Third Prize[18]
Portland, Maine	Winona Evelyn Drew[32]	Portland
Portland, Oregon	Patricia Smith[25]	Portland
Pottsville, Pennsylvania	Isabel Lynch[23]	Pottsville			Roller Chair Parade Fourth Prize[18]
Providence, Rhode Island	Loretta La Flamme[23]	Providence
Reading, Pennsylvania	Jane Ondeck[47]	Reading
Richmond, Virginia	Billie Gates[48]	Richmond
Rochester, New York	Reta Cowles[49]	Rochester
St. Louis, Missouri	Charlotte Nash[18]	St. Louis	17	3rd runner-up[17]	Roller Chair Parade Grand Prize[8][18]	Married millionaire and theatre magnate, Fred Nixon-Nirdlinger, twice[50][51] Shot and killed Nixon-Nirdlinger in March 1931 in Nice, France[50][52] Was acquitted after successfully arguing act was in self-defense[53][54]
San Antonio, Texas	Katherine Helmsley[25]	San Antonio
San Francisco, California	Violet Regal[55]	San Francisco
Sunbury, Pennsylvania	Mary Botto[32]	Sunbury
Syracuse, New York	Eileen Snyder[6]	Syracuse			Evening Dress Award Runner-up[6]
Trenton, New Jersey	Alma D. DeCone[25]	Trenton
Tulsa, Oklahoma	Constance Crosby[25]	Tulsa
Vineland, New Jersey	Mary E. Edwards[25]	Vineland
Washington, D.C.	Lorraine Bunch[25]	Washington, D.C.
West Virginia	Neva Jackson[56]	Philippi
Wildwood, New Jersey	Eleanor Addis[25]	Wildwood
Wilmington, Delaware	Ruth Agnes Brady[48]	Wilmington

References[]

Secondary sources[]

External links[]

• Miss America official website