Mr. and Miss Lee College
Beginning in 1951, Lee annually designated one male student as "Mr. Lee College" and one female student as "Miss Lee College" based on who the student body determined most embodied the ideals of Lee. This tradition continued until 1973, with another one-year reoccurrence in 1985. Prior to 1951, however, there was clear evidence that BTS and Lee students wanted to pick their favorites from the student body. Back in 1944 the first "superlatives" were chosen and showcased in that year's annual, the Vindagua. Ten people -- not necessarily seniors -- were named and given the one-word titles of Versatility, Successful, Intellectual, Personality, and Pulchritude.
In 1945 the student body expanded the superlatives and chose students they viewed as "Most" in a category, such as "Most Athletic" and "Best All Around," a certain prelude that would become Mr. and Miss Lee College.
In 1946 there were 10 "Features," which included the likes of Virginia Green, Ed Wooden, and Cecil Knight. In 1947, Gainus Murphree and Daisy Sapp were named "Vindagua King and Queen." Then, in 1950, W.T. Rogers and Helen Daughdrill were chosen "Boy of the Year" and "Girl of the Year" respectively. It would be the next year that the titles of Mr. and Miss Lee College would become standard.
The superlative trend continued through the 1950s and into the 1960s. The final year for superlatives at Lee was in 1962, but not before a plethora of "honors" were bestowed on students, including such tongue-in-cheek titles as "Best Dressed," Most Congenial Married Couple," Most Studious," Most Dignified," and even "Most Conceited."
In 1963, and in the years to follow, students began to be recognized in a variety of categories, both by the faculty and student body. Coverage in the Vindagua began to give more play to student academic awards, such as departmental awards, Who's Who, and the Hall of Fame. As superlative titles fizzled, the bestowing of Mr. and Miss Lee College remained for another 11 years, with the last honors bestowed in 1973. The honor was reprised for one year at Homecoming in 1985, as the student body chose Philip Morris and Lydia Culpepper the last ever Mr. and Miss Lee College.
/ C. Fisher
In 1945 the student body expanded the superlatives and chose students they viewed as "Most" in a category, such as "Most Athletic" and "Best All Around," a certain prelude that would become Mr. and Miss Lee College.
In 1946 there were 10 "Features," which included the likes of Virginia Green, Ed Wooden, and Cecil Knight. In 1947, Gainus Murphree and Daisy Sapp were named "Vindagua King and Queen." Then, in 1950, W.T. Rogers and Helen Daughdrill were chosen "Boy of the Year" and "Girl of the Year" respectively. It would be the next year that the titles of Mr. and Miss Lee College would become standard.
The superlative trend continued through the 1950s and into the 1960s. The final year for superlatives at Lee was in 1962, but not before a plethora of "honors" were bestowed on students, including such tongue-in-cheek titles as "Best Dressed," Most Congenial Married Couple," Most Studious," Most Dignified," and even "Most Conceited."
In 1963, and in the years to follow, students began to be recognized in a variety of categories, both by the faculty and student body. Coverage in the Vindagua began to give more play to student academic awards, such as departmental awards, Who's Who, and the Hall of Fame. As superlative titles fizzled, the bestowing of Mr. and Miss Lee College remained for another 11 years, with the last honors bestowed in 1973. The honor was reprised for one year at Homecoming in 1985, as the student body chose Philip Morris and Lydia Culpepper the last ever Mr. and Miss Lee College.
/ C. Fisher
YEAR |
MISS LEE COLLEGE |
MR. LEE COLLEGE |
1951 |
Geraldine Harris Pye |
Paul L. Walker |
1952 |
Grace Walker Delatour |
John Petrucelli |
1953 |
Louise Siders Lomas |
Russ Delatour |
1954 |
Regina Terrell |
Paul Alumbaugh |
1955 |
Betty Smith Ogle |
John Daniel |
1956 |
Beverly Simmons Richardson |
Andy Killman |
1957 |
Patsy Fitzgerald Lauster |
Paul Lauster |
1958 |
Cherrie Jarrell Yother |
Jerome Mueller |
1959 |
Ruth Crawford Lindsay |
O.D. Robertson |
1960 |
Glenna Sheppard Lee |
Howard Hancock |
1961 |
Helen Anderson Johnson |
Bill Wooten |
1962 |
Martha Smith Wong |
Gerald Johnson |
1963 |
Sue McGhee Whittaker |
James Hubbard |
1964 |
Wanda Blackaby Fox |
John Lombard |
1965 |
Donna Pharr Sparks |
Robert Varner |
1966 |
Dawn Wooderson |
Kyle Hudson |
1967 |
Peggy Johnson Chambley |
Danny Keller |
1968 |
Kathy Smith Fields |
Bedford Smith |
1969 |
Regina Johnson Isom |
Ron Boyd |
1970 |
Tanya Trimble Bell |
James Jones |
1971 |
Ann Mixon Pinder |
Jerry Rushing |
1972 |
Beth Homner Osborne |
Gary Trenum |
1973 |
Sandy Holcombe Copper |
Eddie Crabtree |
1985 |
Lydia Culpepper |
Philip Morris |