Miss America 1922 was the second annual Miss America pageant, held at the Million Dollar Pier in Atlantic City, New Jersey from September 7, 1922.

At the conclusion of the event, Miss America 1921, Margaret Gorman of Washington, D.C., and film actress, Anita Stewart, presented the $5,000 Golden Mermaid Trophy to Mary Katherine Campbell of Columbus, Ohio thus declaring Campbell as the official successor to the Miss America title.

Contestants from 64 cities, states, and titles competed at the event. The event was presented by Hudson Maxim dressed as King Neptune.

Overview Organization of pageant The pageant consisted of six phases of competition: rolling chair parade, evening gown, intercity bathing, amateur surf attire, professional mermaids, and the final. There was no talent competition at this pageant (this would not become part of the Miss America competition until 1935), and there was no formal interview sessions between the contestants and judges.

On the afternoon of September 7, 1922, the 58 contestants competed in the rolling chair parade. Later that same day, they competed in the evening gown competition. Both the rolling chair and evening gown competitions were won by Miss Indianapolis, Thelma Blossom. On September 8, 1922, the contestants competed in bathing suit revues. The contestants were divided into three unique groupings: intercity, amateur, and professional beauties. During the bathing revue, the Mayor of Atlantic City and some of the city's police force joined the contestants, wearing their own bathing attire.

The three winners of these bathing/beauty competitions then progressed to the final phase of competition to compete directly against the reigning Miss America 1921, Margaret Gorman. Mary Katherine Campbell, competing as Miss Columbus in the pageant, edged out the previous year's winner, Margaret Gorman, who competed as "Miss America 1921" in the 1922 event, to claim the preliminary "Intercity Beauty Award." Campbell then competed against "Professional Beauty Award" winner, Dorothy Knapp of New York, "Amateur Beauty Award" winner, Gladys Greenamyer of West Philadelphia, and Gorman, the reigning Miss America. After the conclusion of the final phase of competition, judging panel deliberated for over two hours before selecting the sole winner of the pageant. Mary Katherine Campbell, Miss Columbus, was then named Miss America 1922 just after midnight on September 9, 1922.

Judges The panel of judges for the national pageant included Heyworth Campbell, Coles Phillips, Joseph Cummings Chase, Arnold Genthe, Willy Pogany, August William Hutaf, Norman Rockwell, and Howard Chandler Christy. Rockwell later reported that the judging panel was given no instructions on how to judge the pageant and select a winner. One judge suggested that they judge each part or feature of the body out of ten, then the woman with the total highest score would win. After they had tried this system, they discovered that judging a contestant "piecemeal" did not result in the most beautiful and well-rounded contestant being selected as a winner. So they "...gave up trying to figure out a system and resolved to trust our eyes. It led to squabbles, because all of us didn't see things in the same way, but it was the best we could do."

Results

Placements Placement Contestant Miss America 1922 – Mary Katherine Campbell 1st Runner-Up – Dorothy Knapp Finalists – Margaret Gorman – Gladys Greenamyer

Preliminary awards

Evening Dress Award Results Contestant Winner Indianapolis – Thelma Blossom Second Prize Detroit – M. Beth Madson Third Prize Columbus – Mary Katherine Campbell

Intercity Roller Chair Parade Results Contestant Winner Indianapolis – Thelma Blossom Second Prize Pottsville – Leah M. Knapp Third Prize Cleveland – Leile Charles

Intercity Beauty Award / Bathers' Revue Results Contestant Winner Columbus – Mary Katherine Campbell Second Prize Nashville – Sue Burton Third Prize Rockaway Beach – Dorothy Hughes

Professional Beauty Award Results Contestant Winner New York City – Dorothy Knapp Second Prize New York – Pauline Virginia Dakla Third Prize Indiana – Sydney Nelson

Amateur Beauty Award Results Contestant Winner West Philadelphia – Gladys Greenamyer Second Prize Vineland – Mary Elizabeth Edwards Third Prize Atlantic City – Estelle Marks

Contestants Sixty-four contestants competed for the title.

Locality Contestant Age Notes Akron Doris Widdersheim Alaska Helmar Liederman 23 Disqualified from Miss America 1923 pageant because she was married Allentown Ellen E. Sherr Atlantic City Estelle Marks Baltimore Irma Knabe Binghamton Helen Agnes Searles Birmingham Elise Sparrow 24 Married Boston Red Sox owner, Tom Yawkey, in 1925 and later divorced in 1944 Boston Charlotte Trowbridge Bridgeport Paula E. Spoettle Bridgeton Sarah Alice Bell Brighton Beach Ruth Andrea Buffalo Bertha Rent Chester Anna Marie Burke Chicago Georgia Hale 22 Starred in Charlie Chaplin's 1925 film, The Gold Rush, and the 1926 silent film, The Great Gatsby Cleveland Leile Charles Competed in pageant despite being marriedColumbusMary Katherine Campbell15 Dayton Helen Francis Smith Detroit M. Beth Madson Also competed in Miss America 1923 pageant as Miss Detroit Easton Dorothy Haupt Also competed in Miss America 1923 pageant as Miss Erie Erie Thora McDannel Fall River Helen Lynch Florida Eleanor Logan 19 Greater Camden Eleanor Lindley Harrisburg Gertrude Shoemack Indiana Sydney Nelson Nelson lived and worked in New York City at time of pageant but cited as being from IndianapolisAppeared in the Broadway productions of The Passing Show of 1922 and The Whirl of New YorkIndianapolisThelma Blossom20 Johnstown Velma Ziegler Kansas City Miriam Chafee Lancaster Elsie Blumenstock Long Beach Lillian Harnach Los Angeles Katherine Grant Louisville Dorothy Heick Macon Frances Gurr Memphis Ruth DoughtyMiss America 1921Margaret Gorman17Also competed as Miss America 1921 in the 1923 pageant Montreal Marie Gauthier Nashville Sue Burton New Bedford Alice Burke New Haven Lillian Peterson New Orleans Maude Allison Price New York Pauline Virginia Dakla Appeared in the Broadway productions of Bombo, The Passing Show of 1922, and The Whirl of New YorkNew York CityDorothy Knapp17 Ocean City Marion Steelman Philadelphia Kathryn Molineaux Pittsburgh Rae Bennett Portland Virginia Edwards Pottsville Leah M. Knapp Reading Evelyn Renninger Rochester Mildred Moon Rockaway Beach Dorothy Hughes San Francisco Tanssia Zara Schenectady Roberta Cooper Seattle Evelyn Atkinson South Beach Mary Hlavka St. Louis Mildred Hose Syracuse M. Rosamond Fahey Toledo Loraine Foskey Toronto Marjorie Smith Utica Janette Adams Vineland Mary Elizabeth Edwards 18 Washington, D.C. Evelyn C. Lewis Waterbury Hazel GermershausenWest PhiladelphiaGladys Greenamyer18 Wheeling Mary Dague Wilmington A. Adele Senft

Notes

References

Secondary sources

External links Miss America official website missamerica1933.com