The First International Pageant of Pulchritude and Seventh Annual Bathing Girl Revue, was a beauty pageant held from May 15 to 17, 1926, in Galveston, Texas. The previous editions of the Galveston Bathing Girl Revue had only featured contestants from the United States. However, during the 1926 event, one contestant from Mexico and another from Canada entered, giving the pageant its first international competitors. It was reported that around 160,000 people watched the bathing costume parade on the afternoon of the 16th.
Miss Dallas, Catherine Moylan, won the event, becoming the first Beauty Queen of the Universe.
Events
The contestants began to arrive in Galveston on May 13. Señorita Mexico Maria Martha Perres and Miss Winnipeg Patricia O'Shea, both international entries, notably arrived on that first day, amid a crowd of curious onlookers. The opening parade was held on May 15, with the pageant itself held on May 16. The prizes were given out at the American Beauty Ball, held at the Garden of Tokio in Galveston, which was accompanied by music from various bands such as the Missouri Pacific band, and the Southern Pacific band.
Results
Miss Dallas, Catherine Moylan, won first place in the pageant and was crowned Beauty Queen of the Universe. It was the second time in a row that Miss Dallas won the competition. For winning, Moylan received $2000, and a gold and silver plaque engraved with "Beauty Queen of the Universe". After the competition, Moylan had revealed in an interview that she would use the prize money to attend Southern Methodist University in Dallas. She also gave credit to Dorothy Stahl, her coach, for her win.
The second-place winner received $1000, the third $250, and the remaining nine places received $100 each.
Judging was based on "beauty, form, grace, and personal charm." Costumes, props, and other decorations were not considered.
Placements Place Contestant 1st Miss Dallas - Catherine Moylan 2nd Miss New Orleans - Gladys Moore 3rd Miss Winnipeg - Patricia O'Shea 4th Señorita Mexico - Maria Martha Perres 5th Miss Tulsa Rose - Pauline Mason 6th Miss Palestine - Arylie Mae Hiser 7th Miss Nebraska - Grace Tolsen 8th Miss Shreveport - Pauline Zacharias 9th Miss Wichita Falls - Frances Rutledge 10th Miss Jefferson City, Mo. - Evelyn Manchester 11th Miss Groesbeck - Lois Ford 12th Dallas - Rosebud Blondell
Delegates
Thirty-nine women entered the contest in 1926, with most coming from Texas and its surrounding states. The presence of contestants Maria Martha Parres from Mexico and Patricia O'Shea from Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada, made the competition Galveston's first international event.
Contestants
Señorita Mexico - Maria Martha Parres Miss Winnipeg - Patricia O'Shea Miss Jefferson County - Dorothy Burnham Miss Nebraska - Grace Tolsen Miss Tarrant County - Gladys Bullock Miss Wichita County - Frances Oden Miss Beaumont - Estelle Johnston Miss Brownsville - Mary Stillwell Miss Caddo - Jacquetta Calvin Miss Cane River Lake - Louella Porter Miss Cleveland - Constance Martin Miss Dallas - Catherine Moylan Miss Ellington Field - Margie Collins Miss Fort Worth - Vivian Cayce
Miss Groesbeck - Lois Ford Miss Houston - Karen Hall Miss Jefferson City - Evelyn Manchester Miss Monroe - Mary Mcvay Miss Natchitoches - Peggy O'Neil Miss New Orleans - Gladys Moore Miss Palestine - Arylie Mae Hiser Miss Port Arthur - Beatrice Smith Miss San Antonio - Lola Beazley Miss Shreveport - Pauline Zacharias Miss Tulsa - Pauline Mason Miss Waco - Maurice Reed Miss Wichita Falls - Frances Rutledge
Barbara Brewer - Dallas Clyde McConathy - Beaumont Elalu Watts - Dallas Freddie Mae Henkel - Dallas Grace Weber - Houston Lola Bernhardt - Beaumont Lorraine Gazzaway - Dallas Lulu Buchanan - Houston Maiden Maxwell - Dallas Marie Evans - Dallas Pearl Flint - Dallas Rosebud Blondell - Dallas
References