A Pageant of Emotions

T he y scurry around inaflightof activityand last-minutepreparations, looking for a misplaced earingor thatexactshade ofeyeshadow thatmatches theirdress.

"They laugh with nervous giggles, talking with each other, complementing on how great everyone looks. They willbe glad when it's over

"They comb their hair over and over, tryingtogetit perfect, although convinced they never will They add one more stroke ofblush and then wipe it off, thinkingit's too much.

"Will it ever beover? their faces ask What ifItriporworsefall? theyask themselves. Thisis soexciting, they say. This is so scary, they say." Observations of a backstage bystander, 1988.

October 22, 1988.It wasa nightfilledwith emotions: fear,anticipation,humor, honor, nervousness andexcitement for both the participants and the audience.

The pageant, hosted by thecomedy duo ofSteven Hicks and Jerry Coheagan, was held in conjunction with the otheractivities ofHomecoming weekend It soughtto select another Liberty lady who best exemplifiestheChristian life and thestudent body The 24 contestants were selected by the senior class.A board of judges narrowed them toten

The tensemi-finalistsof1988wereJulie Harbot of Williamsport, PA;Kimberly Harris of Ovilla, TX; Lisa Holy ofMt Arlington, NJ; Amy Hubbard ofCharlotte, NC; Lara Leonard of Blountville, TN.

That was true of the Eleventh Annual Miss Liberty Pageant. The 24contestants, after going through interviews and weeks of preparations made itto the big night, A tearful Miss Liberty, Julie Harbot, waves to the audience after being crowned. A wide array of emotions was experienced by each contestant.

Susan Matherly of Danville, VA; Su Park of Sharon, MA; Julie Ann Schwaderer ofColumbus,OH; JustineThyret of Akron, NY; and Kathryn Tomlinson of Flower Mound, TX

The field was then reduced tofivefinalists. The finalist were allasked the same question,individually,by hosts Hicks and Cohegan—"Describe yourself when you firstentered Liberty as a freshman Then go onto describe how you matured into the person you are tonight."The question was the finalcriterion on which thejudges based theirdecision.

Chancellor Jerry Falwellannounced the winners at the evening's climax.

Lisa Holy was fourth runner-up. Kimberly Harris wasthird runner-up Lara Leonard was ' second runner-up. Amy Hubbard was announced first-runner up and Julie Harbot, Miss Liberty 1988