Detroit evening times. (Detroit, Mich) 1921-1958, 1941-04-20

s~ ME was when the drum major all decked
out in a manner that made Mrs Astor's
J horse look like Il nag that should be pull
ing a junk wagon. was familiar figure of
The American Scene. Every parade worthy
Of the name had at least one Of these tower
ing, baton-twirling, bespangled handles.
During the past few years the drum major
although he hasn't become extinct has given
way to the so-called majorette- and there
have been no mass meetings of protest by an
aroused public Parade watchers are all for
the band-eading girls
Every college and university has at least
one Every high school with a band or
fife-and-drum corps toots and booms to the
prancing Of spirited young things in POM
ponned hats and abbreviated pants Legion
posts and lodges have seen the light and have
pushed the old-time drum major into eclipse.
on gala days their bands are preceded by
hssome and lively majorettes.
It might seem to some people that the
maJorette. in spite Of the fact that she is
fairly recent innovation, has mastered all the
tricks that an athletic girl can reasonably be
expected 20 perform while marching to martial
music The girls lift their knees as high as
the construction of the human frame will
permit They prance sdeWise they whrl like
disciplined dervishes and they turn fp-flops
and cartwhees while they toss and whirl a
cleaning headed baton.
But one Of the best known of Americas
ma1orettes say the end Is not yet There is
still much TO learn according to pretty
Bobbye Vaughn Of Mississippi State College
and she aims to teach il to no end of shapelv
lassies with charlottesville instincts when she
is graduated from her alma mater and has
time to open a school for such shenanigans
Miss Vaughn's aim Of supplying the nation
with pepper and more ingenious maiorettes
goes back TO her high school days The. school
had a band That hand needed a sweet
stFuJJInE maJ0Tette Nne girls including
Bobbye. went after the Job She got it-and
found that there was lot more 10 IT than
wearing snappy ensemble and agitating the
arms and legs N the cocky maneuvers of the
old-time cake walk
j was timid maJorefte II there ever
vas one she SAID recalling her start in
the spectacular profession When ! had
To 90 through all those didoes Iaas
7rarF1 ever before the H6W5T1IKs 7 was
afraid that they would laugh az my eo-
InEs-on. that my tmidtv would make
me awkward and ridiculous in their eyes
But after a time or two ] got over that
and didn't feel so much like am overdressed
or underdressed sho0od. ! could tell when
the folks on the sidewalk or in The stands of
the athlcuc field. liked what ] was doing +
was something Ike an actress feeling the
temper Of the people on the other side OF the
footlights, I guess"
In her neck Of the woods Bobbye became
something Of a celebrity The crowd turned
ont as much 10 watch her as they did 10 see
the boys play football or baseball Her neigh
bors thought She was the gol-dlruIest. peftest
maJorette IN the country And there must
have been some substance TO their opinion b.
cause. after she had praneed up and down the
field az contest Of nigh school bands from
all over the state Of Mississippi ore ~ Tie
JU1ETT dTT7FI IT.
How wodfsyou like TO lead a college band
AFTER you leave high sca0ol?"
That says Bobbye was when she began 10
Pet the notion that there might be some
future ir maioretfine s. she gave fhe mat
Ter some SERIOUS thought and saii .a effect
why not p"
The notion was exeitirgly etrcnrfHerfa