PICKING JACKSON'S BEAUTEOUS MISSES

JACKSON -- No one from Jackson has ever won the Miss Jackson Scholarship Pageant in the seven years of its existence.

The primary reason is that all preliminary contests for the Miss America contest -- Miss Jackson qualifies to compete for Miss Missouri -- must be open to anyone who is a resident of the U.S. Thus, last year's Miss Jackson was Stefanie Hammersmith of St. Louis, and the Miss Jackson to be chosen Saturday may come from Kirkwood or Moberly or Dexter.

Hammersmith and 1996 Miss Missouri Kimberly Massaro will be co-emcees for the event Saturday.

Marybeth Williams of the sponsoring American Business Women's Association says out-of-towners enter the Jackson contest for two reasons:

-- The contest's scholarship money, $2,500, is the largest amount of any other preliminary contest in the state.

-- The organizers are supportive on through the Miss Missouri contest in June. "We always get a busload to cheer them on," Williams said.

The pageant will be held at 7:30 Saturday night in the Jackson High School gym.

Jackson's lone chance for a homegrown winner this year is Angie Scherer, now attending veterinary school at the University of Missouri. Scherer's parents have a Cape Girardeau address but she attended Jackson High School.

Entrants in Miss Jackson compete in talent, interview, evening gown and swimsuit competitions. The winner automatically is entered in the Miss Missouri pageant. The contest has several singers and dangers, and one entrant will perform a dramatic piece she wrote herself.

The Miss Jackson contest Saturday night is for young women between the ages of 17 and 24. Miss Christmas, for grades 9-12 also will be chosen Saturday night.

A total of 50 young women have entered both competitions. Special entertainment will be provided by the Missouri Girls, a song and dance troupe composed of former entrants in the Miss Missouri pageant.

Beginning at 2 p.m. Saturday, a series of contests will be held for Little Miss Snowflake, Little Miss Snowball, Miss Holly and Junior Miss Christmas. Girls in these competitions are in grades 4-8.

A few years ago, the organizers of the Miss Jackson pageant were in a quandary when the high school football team wound up with a state playoff game in Jackson on the same day. When asked, parents said to go ahead with the contest."

"The mothers watched the pageant and the men watched the football game at the stadium. Some of them went back and forth."

All the contest winners' first appearance will be at the Jackson Christmas Parade to be held Dec. 6. The parade theme this year is "A Traditional Family Christmas."

The parade once again is being sponsored by the Jackson Jaycees. There is no fee for entering.

To enter, phone the Jackson Chamber of Commerce at 243-8131. The deadline for entering is Friday, but Patty Reisenbichler of the chamber says, "We've never turned anyone away."

The parade will begin at 1:30 p.m. near the frozen food locker on South High Street and will conclude at Farmington and Main streets.