County's first queen presented new crown
By Jennifer Archibald Staff writer

Déjà vu Jane Williams Kearns won the 4-H fair queen title in 1958 and was treated like a queen all over again at the 50th queen pageant last Saturday night. Dale Snipes photo

Jane Williams Kearns was the first queen of the Carroll County 4-H Fair, in 1958.

She was honored Saturday night at the county's 50th queen contest. She was given a dozen long-stemmed red roses, a plaque, and a real crown. Back in 1958, her crown was made of cardboard, sprinkled with glitter, - but she wore it proudly.

Jane said she still has that original crown - somewhere - along with her banner, the watch she was given, and dried roses. She also still has the pale pink dress she wore in the evening gown competition and all the newspaper clippings from the event.

That first contest was sponsored by Delta Theta Chi. The sorority selected sponsors (all women), who then sought out contestants.

"Cora St. Amand came to me and said, 'If you'll be in it, I'll sponsor you,'" Jane said.

There were 16 contestants, and the sponsors also served as judges. They rated each girl in the contest, with the exception of the one they sponsored.

Kearns ('58)

Jane recalls what that first contest was like. She said the stage was a highly decorated flat bed trailer with skirting. At least 1,000 people were in attendance.

The judges didn't know anything about the girls except what they saw that night. They didn't have a list of their activities, they didn't interview them, and there was no impromptu question, all of which are part of the contest now.

Jane said although the girls appeared in evening gowns, the naming of the winners and the crowning were done when they were in their swimsuits.

In 1958, only a queen, first runner-up and second runnerup were named, and no Miss Congeniality.

While Jane was thrilled then with the beautiful watch she was presented, the queen and her court now receive many more prizes.

The queen contest is now at the beginning of the 4-H fair, but in 1958 it was held on the last night.

Jane represented Carroll County at the first State Fair queen contest. Although all counties were invited to participate, 31 girls entered that first competition.

Jane said the State Fair experience was something she will never forget.

"I was just a country girl going to the big city," she said. "The contest was in the Coliseum, and Tennessee Ernie Ford crowned the winner."

Jane represented her county well and was named second runner up. No other Carroll County contestant has topped that placing at the state level, although Lou Ann Milner Collins also was the state second runner-up in 1962.

Jane said her mother accompanied her to the State Fair. Her parents were Mr. and Mrs. Lloyd Williams, and the family lived near Burlington.

Jane's fiancé was Bill Kearns. She said he had just completed Army boot camp and drove all night to be home in time for the county contest. They were married that December.

They have two children, Mike of Lafayette, and Lisa Spruill of Newport News, Va., and two grandchildren. Lisa also entered the county queen contest and was named first runner up in 1981.

Jane said she took 10 years of 4- H. One of her projects was "clothing," as it was called then. Today it would be "sewing." Jane went on to sew professionally, and still sews for herself and others. She said her favorite sewing project now is to make blouses and skirts out of old Battenberg lace tablecloths. She wore one of these blouses to the queen pageant.

Much has happened in Jane's life since that first contest. She said walking onto the stage Saturday night brought back all the memories.