MUSCATINE COUNTY IOWA HISTORY

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Speech and Drama at Wilton High School

By Betty Fair

Transcribed by Elizabeth Casillas, February 6, 2016

     A cultural tinge to our community has been added by the development of the Speech and Drama Department in our local high school. I came to Wilton as a drama and speech teacher for the 1957-58 school year. I was instructed to build a speech and drama program within our high school. During the following years Wilton high brought home many winners, establishing an enviable record for a school the size of Wilton. We have hosted one state-final, one district tournament and numerous invitational meets.

     Wilton speech students have won 5 Muscatine Soil Conservation Contests, 5 Cedar County Soil Conservation Contests, 1 District Soil Conservation Contest.

1957-58	State Winners, Division I—7
	One-Act Play—Division I
1958-59	State Winners, Division I—4
1959-60	State Winners, Division 1--5
	Forensic League Winner—Original Oratory
1960-61	State Winners, Division I—8
	Forensic League Winner—Original Oratory
	7—Winners Music County Speech Meet
1961-62	State Winners, Division I—11
	One-Act Play, Division I
	Outstanding Actors Award—2
	Debate—3rd place in State
	2nd and 3rd in NFL Finals—Dramatic and Original Oratory
	Winner of Coe Invitational—Original Oratory
	Burlington Invitational—1st in Original Oratory,
	Public Speaking and Dramatic
1962-63	State Winners, Division I—9
	Winner of NFL State Finals—Dramatic
	Attended National Tournament in Houston, Texas—Dramatic Declamation
	3rd NFL finals—Original Oratory
	Winner Wetmore Trophy—Dramatic Declamation
	Burlington Invitational—1st in Original Oratory
1963-64	State Winners, Division I—16
	1st Mo-Hawk Invitational—Original Oratory
	J-Hawk Finals—2
	Coe Invitational—Original Oratory. . .
1964-65	State Winners, Division I—14
	1st Play Reading
1965-66	State Winners, Division I—8
	1st J-Hawk Invitational—Original Oratory

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    From 1970 to this our bicentennial year our record has continued, climaxing this year by winning the State NFL tournament, qualifying Renee Baker, in Original Oratory as an entry in the national tournament in June at the Air Force Academy in Colorado Springs.

     Reflecting back through the years these former alumni stand out on our speech and theatre arena: Carol Hafner, Tom Renfro, Joyce Williams, Mark McKillip, Wayne Coram, Jerry Grings, Caryl Werling, Carol Haskins, Christa Elder, Ruth Ann Boorn, Sue Stoll, Ova Luethye, Frank Fair, Jerry Valet, Sharon Hintz, Joan Staschke, Margo Lange, Jim Voss, Joanne Laucamp, Donna Grings, Carolyn Hollenbeck, Jerry Ahrens, Jill Rife, Charlie McIntyre, Dean Birkhoffer, Renna Rasmussen, Betsy Fair, Phyl Ovesen, Barb Boyle, Dianne Luth, Shirley Ayres, Barb Moeller, Bob Smith, Teresa Lange, Peggy Nopoulos, Nick Nopoulos, Sandy Hafner, Connie Grunder, Connie Smith, Mary Smith, Deanna Einfeldt, Laura Geering, Debbie Geering, Renee Baker—these people all brought speech honors to our school.

     Eight Wilton speech students have earned the double ruby NFL-Supreme Honor award. They were Frank Fair, Barb Boyle, Betsy Fair, Connie Smith, Mary Smith, Renee Baker, Debbie Geering and Phyl Ovesen.

Drama

    In the area of drama we have won first place in the state four times with one act plays. Wilton produces two major three-act productions each year. Three years ago Mrs. Fair asked to be relieved from the direction of one play. Since that time a junior class play is produced if a teacher-director is available.

     Some of the outstanding productions were Seven Keys to Baldpate, Aunty Misbehaves, January Thaw, Cheaper by the Dozen, Little Women, Little Men. The Night of January 16th, The Bad Seed, You Can’t Take It With You, The Late Christopher Bean, Our Miss Brooks, and One foot in Heaven.

     This year’s production was “When a Man Answers.” It was a recent broadway success and a movie classic.

     The PTO has graciously been our assistant in the speech area, providing our award night by purchasing our awards and sponsoring our speech activity. To them ALL SPEECH STUDENTS extend a “Special Thanks.” They have been our helping community. Remember when the “calaboose” (city jail) was located where the east side of Jake’s Market now is? Fear caused you to run by fast at twilight time if there was a light, as that meant someone was locked up there for the night.

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