Glimpse of the Past: Miss Mankato program has offered life skills to young women for decades
Jan. 22—MANKATO — Billye Jane (Kittleson) Kruse believes her reign as Miss Mankato 1973 had a lasting effect on her life.
"I learned social skills and how to be a good salesperson. And I also learned something about how city governments work," said 70-year-old Kruse.
"She is still a beauty," said BonnieSue Bennett, one of Kruse's siblings.
Kruse is a country music performer with homes in Ormsby and Texas. Her pageant days memories include wearing her crown for a variety of local appearances.
"Back then, every little town had a parade."
Kruse did not strive to perfect the "twist-of-the-wrist" technique used by many parade queens.
"I did a big wave instead."
She has especially fond memories of a slow ride through Montgomery in a red Mustang convertible during a Kolacky Days parade.
"My brother got to drive me; he was only 14. We still talk about that."
Kruse was a young vo-tech student with a job at the Woolen Mill in St. Peter when she was recruited for the pageant by a Mankato Jaycees member. Her winnings allowed her to take art and dance classes at Mankato State.
"My scholarship was for $500 — that helped pay tuition for one quarter."
Winning the local competition made her eligible for the state competition, Miss Minnesota.
Kruse said her tie for the title of Minnesota's Miss Congeniality means a lot to her and it's more indicative of her experiences at the state pageant. Contestants helped each other prepare for the show and showed support of each other.
"Those girls were the nicest girls I've ever met."
Shelly Bartlett, current volunteer executive director for the Miss Mankato competition, recently began searching through boxes of archives on the competition. Those files include news clips about candidates from several decades and details about Miss America 1977's visit to Mankato.
Dorothy Kathleen Benham was from Edina and had reigned as Miss Minnesota 1976. Benham attended the Miss Mankato pageant after being crowned Miss America. The area pageant's co-host, she also performed opera selections.
"All the history and the many memories. It really brought back ideas that need to be happening today ... to make our communities an even better place to live," Bartlett said.
Emily Schumacher, of Mankato, recently was crowned Miss Mankato 2022. She previously served as Miss Mankato in 2018 and she's a former Miss Mankato Outstanding Teen, Miss North Mankato Outstanding Teen and Miss Minnesota Outstanding Teen.
Schumacher, a senior at Northern State University in Aberdeen, South Dakota, was awarded a $1,500 scholarship at the Jan. 16 competition.
Bartlett said seven young women from the area representing diverse backgrounds participated in this year's event.
On competition day, the contestants also performed "The Star-Spangled Banner" to kickstart Hockey Day Minnesota activities this week at Blakeslee Stadium in Mankato.
"This has never happened in the history of our organization," Bartlett said. Candidates in pageant history have been backstage preparing for the competition and wouldn't have participated in the national anthem.
