| "Texas will soon be pretty well covered with chapters. Then
we can organize a State Association down there, or at least a District
Association taking in OkLahoma"
Before that could happen, on October 7, 1946, The Central States District
became official and included all of Kansas, Missouri, Nebraska, and OKLAHOMA.
On January 18 of the following year they added all of Iowa, New Mexico,
eastern Colorado, and TEXAS. Needless to say, chapters in southern Texas
weren't too thrilled about the conventions held in Des Moines.
A movement began to convince the International Board (and perhaps even
themselves) that not only were we capable of doing things right down here,
but we could do 'em better and bigger than anyone else. Such was the goal
of the Oklahoma City Second Annual Parade of Quartets and a special barbecue
on April 19 and 20, 1947.
On Saturday night the parade included a collection of who's who of
the society quartets. Over 5000 people from 27 states gathered in the Municipal
Auditorium to enjoy four International champions: The Misfits (1945), Harmony
Halls (44), Four Harmonizers (43), Chord Busters (41) as well as several
medalists and . . . oh yes . . . a Little female quartet called the Chordettes.
The next day 1000 people were bussed out to Oklahoma Governor Roy Turner's
huge ranch, "Hereford Heaven." Oklahoma City chapter president Grady Musgrave
served as general chairman. Tickets were $2.44 for the show, $1.25 for
the afterglow and $2.75 for the round trip bus ride (taxes included). It
was a major success and apparently duly impressed the Society VIP's. Oklahoma
City was awarded the 1948 International.
Another test was given with the Central States District holding its
regional prelims April 30, 1949
"deep in the heart of Texas", in "sunny" San Antonio. The Central States
clan planned to show us how it was done.
The wheels were already in motion to break away and form our own district
association of chapters.
|
The first official organizational meeting was held
February 19, 1949 in Wichita Falls with
|
THIS YEAR
THE CENTRAL STATES
REGIONAL PRELIMINARIES
WILL BE HELD
'DEEP IN THE HEART OF TEXAS'
IN SUNNY
SAN ANTONIO
APRIL 30, 1949
MUNiCIPAL AUDITORIUM
TICKETS -$2.00- $1.50 .and $1.00, Including Tax
AFTERGLOW - PLAZA HOTEL BALLROOM - ADMISSION $1.50
For Contest and AFterglow Tickets Write
E. A. KUEHN - CONTEST HEADOUARTERS - ROOM 1530 - PLAZA HOTEL
For Room Reservations
TOM POWELL, Vice President - General Manager -PLAZA HOTEL
|
(Ad appearing in 1949 Harmonizer:)
37 current or future chapters represented. Special guests included some
Society VIPs;
International Board Member Bernie Simmer - St. Louis, International
Board Member Johnny Means - Manitowoc,WI, International Secretary Carroll
Adams - Detroit,
and current International President
O.H. King Cole - Manitowoc, WI.
Others recognized in this photo are: Our International Board Member
Ernie Dick of Oklahoma City, J. Ray Dickey and Pat Cunningham of Lubbock,
George Naden, I.S. "Hank" Wright and W.D. "Bill" Shoemaker of Oklahoma
City, Wichita Falls' chorus director Max Krentz, and Ox Jameison of Roswell. |
