Maiden of the Roses Theme Song
From 1954 or 1955 until 1974, North Columbus Civitan (along with Columbus Parks & Recreation) sponsored a Maiden of Roses Festival at the Rose Garden. While rummaging through Civitan's archive for the festival, I came across a written composition of music, clearly intended to be played at the festival and perhaps at the award event. I don't know who composed it (does the sheet say, "Al Waslon"?). My musician friend and technical advisor Mark Bendig played and recorded the tune for me and now you, too, can listen to it. Click the play button below to stop/play the music. (Access [...]
A Rose Is a Rose Is a Rose Is a Rose…
Joyce Ailes Schatz shared some wonderful Maiden of the Roses treasures with us. The photos were taken by her dad, Howard Ailes, on May 30, 1954, and they are of that year's Maiden of the Roses pageant. The winner that year was Nancy Blanchard (later, Mrs. Clyde Graham). Nancy is Joyce's cousin. Nancy attended Mifflin High School, which in 1954 was a county school and located on Sunbury Road near Agler Road. Nancy was born April 23, 1938 in Columbus, and died May 10, 2018. [Images courtesy of Joyce Schatz] You can read more about this pageant here. In these [...]
A Rose by Any Other Name…
I’m enthralled by pictures of the Maiden of the Roses pageant, held at the Park of Roses each Father’s Day from about 1954 until 1974. The pageants were sponsored by North Columbus Civitan. They evoke an era which is now gone. The celebration included floats, a dance, and the beauty competition, with the award given to the Franklin County girl who “made the greatest contribution to the community and who has worked most in her school.” The 1964 Maiden was Lynn Wilson, from Upper Arlington High School. (Photo courtesy of Glenn Williams)