MARBLE HILL HOME TO BUSY BEAUTY QUEEN

In addition to school and a part-time job, Ruthie Tipton, 17, of Marble Hill has recently taken on the duties of Miss Missouri Outdoors. Crowned but three weeks ago, she has already done a lot of work, with much remaining.

On Nov. 8 Tipton performed one of her first duties as Miss Missouri Outdoors when she attended a veterans memorial dedication in Branson. Tipton was in good company -- The Osmond Family, Andy Williams, Tony Orlando, Mel Tillis, BoxCar Willie, the Lennon Sisters and Jo Ann Castle, Jim Stafford and Anita Bryant were among the entertainers who appeared at the dedication. Bob Hope dedicated the memorial.

While in Branson, she appeared on stage at the Osmond's show and Country Tonight, and was surprised, and a bit embarrassed, when she was asked to sing "Rudolph, the Red-Nosed Reindeer" at The Osmond Theater in front of hundreds of people.

But Tipton says it's all part of the job.

Tipton's main job as Miss Missouri Outdoors is to promote tourism, and she says she will be doing that in many ways.

"I'll be traveling all over the state," Tipton said. "I'll be going to festivals, judging other pageants, all kinds of things."

Her calendar is testimony to this. This weekend Tipton is in Rolla judging a beauty pageant, next weekend she'll participate in the Parade of Lights in Cape Girardeau followed by a weekend back in Rolla for a Christmas parade.

She is also planning to visit the children in the St. Louis Shriner's Hospital around Christmas. She has plans as far ahead as next May (tourism month) when she will attend the Special Olympics at Fort Leonard Wood. She will assist there by placing the medals on the winners of the events.

Considering she still has another semester until she graduates from Woodland High School and a part-time job for Bollinger County Prosecuting Attorney Bill Hopkins -- that makes for a full schedule.

"But I can handle it," Tipton said, turning serious for a moment.

Miss Missouri Outdoors is by no means the first crown Tipton has had placed on her head. Almost two years ago, she won Miss Winterfest -- the first pageant she ever entered.

She then won several more pageants before becoming Miss Missouri Outdoors -- Miss Mayfest in Perryville, Miss Delta Fair in Kennett and Miss Octoberfest in Steelville. She was even a finalist in the Missouri State Fair pageant.

Tipton has learned much through her experiences as a beauty queen. "It's really helped me to learn a lot about myself and other people," she said. "And I get to take on a lot of responsibility, which is good."

Tipton said she has wanted to compete in beauty pageants since she was a little girl when she would watch them on television. "I found them very interesting," she said.

She first considered entering the Miss Missouri Outdoors pageant when she saw the previous winner in a magazine. "My dad told encouraged me to do it."

Tipton's parents have always encouraged their daughter to be in pageants.

"I think pageants are really a good thing for the girls," Linda Tipton said. "And there are so many things they can do to help and this gives them the means to do that."

Tipton was chosen over many other girls who were from all across the state. This pageant, like many, had an evening gown and swimsuit competitions, a personal interview and an on stage question.

While a good deal of the pageants focus on appearance, Tipton feels pageants do not portray women as objects. "The winners are chosen mainly because of their performance in the interview and on stage question."

Tipton's on stage question had to do with the Arch in St. Louis -- what are the streets around the Arch and what is it made of?

Tipton said the question was logical since Miss Missouri Outdoors is representing Missouri. The judges asked tough questions about the state to all the girls.

Tipton admits she didn't know the answer and told the judges so.

She said it is common practice in pageants to simply make up answers, but she doesn't do that. The judges appreciated her honesty and told her so.

The term for Miss Missouri Outdoors is one year, and Ruthie Tipton hopes to have many accomplishments under her sash when she's through.

"I'm a role model for children and I hope to continue that and hopefully make a difference."

Tipton plans to start college next fall at Southeast Missouri State University majoring in elementary education.

Does she have her eye on bigger pageants?

"Not this year, not while I'm doing this," she says with a smile. "After that, who knows?"