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A talented musician, Miss
Davis was groomed to be a concert pianist, but upon entering the College
of Industrial Arts (now Texas Woman's University) in Denton, Texas, she
selected physical education as her career choice. She went on to earn a
master of science degree from the University of Southern California. In
1929, Miss Davis started the first dancing pep squad at Greenville High
School in Greenville, Texas. Then in 1940 she was hired by Kilgore College
(Kilgore, Texas) to organize a group of girls to perform at the halftimes
of college football games. As a result, the world famous KILGORE COLLEGE
RANGERETTES were born. During her 40 years as director of the 65 member
Rangerette organization, the group traveled over a million miles
representing the United States and Texas in South America, the Far East
and other points around the world. The Rangerettes have been featured at
numerous football bowl games across the nation, on national television, in
movies and on hundreds of magazine covers.
In 1958, Miss Davis teamed
with Dr. Irving Dreibrodt to start a school to teach drill teams not only
routines for the field, but the importance of being ladies. Dr. Dreibrodt
had written his thesis on drill teams and had stepped forward to make a
difference. The first school or camp was held at Southern Methodist
University and drew teams from as far away as Kansas and Iowa. Today,
American Dance/Drill Team School© is one of the largest companies to
service drill teams in the industry.
Miss Davis made many trips
to Rosebud, Texas, where her sister Loraine and Loraine's daughter Betty
lived. She had many special friends in Rosebud, including Betty Thrasher,
who spoke of the 'special occasions' when Miss Davis came to town.
Somewhat of a celebrity in Rosebud, Miss Davis was known as quite a
clotheshorse. That is why she made many trips to Betty's boutique, The
Rosebud in Temple, Betty outfited Miss Davis for some of her many special
appearances.
Miss Davis was inducted
into the TEXAS WOMAN'S HALL OF FAME in 1990; named Honorary Citizen of
Fort Worth in 1965; received the International Civitan Citizenship Award
in 1969, the Cotton Bowl Association 25th Anniversary Participation Award
in 1974 and a State of Texas House of Representatives Certificate of
Citation; was honored as a Distinguished Alumnae of Texas Woman's
University in 1978; and had a woman's dormitory at Kilgore College named
for her. In January of 1996 she was named posthumously to the TDDTEA Texas
Drill Team Hall of Fame. Miss Davis was most definitely the "First Lady of
Drill Team." On December 20, 1993, she died in her sleep in Kilgore,
Texas. She remains a hero and role model in the hearts of all of the many
young women and friends whose lives she touched. |
