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"It was all left in God's hands, and when the sign dropped, it was an unreal moment," she said. Daniel Kilgore was born on December 18, 1987. The idea of college dance teams still wasn't widespread, so the Rangerettes were still exciting, making Kilgore distinctive. KV: I had about a day to write this story after I got back from tryouts, but that time pressure was probably better for me because the events were still fresh in my mind. Jun 2, 2021. Maybe I am too young and maybe I am too ignorant, but until driving through East Texas, I had never heard of these Rangerettes. "We're the example. The Kilgore College Rangerettes, also known simply as the Rangerettes, are an American precision dance team from Kilgore College in Kilgore, Texas, created by Gussie Nell Davis in 1939. Site by Encore Multimedia.Encore Multimedia. It's helped me with my confidence and communication, just talking to other people.". You may attend annual pre-training and tryouts a maximum of two times, and you must meet the attendance criteria for Kilgore College. What if she was the one to mess up? "Other dance teams get lost in the inertia that is major college and pro sports," Hale said. How a zoo break-in changed the life of an owl called Flaco, Naked mole rats are fertile until they die, study finds. "Kilgore College Rangerettes announce 80th line", "Rangerettes Bring Red, White, Blue And Shades Of Gray To Cotton Bowl", "Kilgore College Rangerettes performing in Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade", "Kilgore College Rangerettes to perform at inaugural ball", "Black Tie & Boots gala to be Bush's Texas-sized victory party", "The 2019 Birmingham International Tattoo", "Sweet Success: The Debut of the Kilgore College Rangerettes", "Kilgore College mourning loss of Rangerettes' second director, Deana Bolton Covin", "Kilgore College Rangerettes to perform with Mariah Carey at Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade", "Home for the Holidays: Kilgore College Rangerettes plan Christmas shows", "Kilgore Rangerettes prepare for trip to New York City to perform in the Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade", "East Texas groups to perform during event marking Pearl Harbor attack", "90th Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade kicks off holiday season", "Victoria's Kilgore Rangerette performs in Pearl Harbor ceremony", "Rangerettes kick Kilgore economy up a notch during Revels", "Rangerette Revels set for April 1114 in Dodson Auditorium", "Rangerette Revels Tickets Going On Sale To Public March 26", "Zwick Foundation Gives $3.5 Million to Kilgore College for New Dormitory", "Kilgore Dedicates Davis Rangerette Dorm", "World-Famous Rangerettes to Perform at Tremblay Bowl", "Anonymous donor gives $1 million to Kilgore Rangerettes", "Transformational $3.5 million gift to endow Rangerettes scholarships", "Kilgore College student safe after escaping accused kidnapper", "Grand jury indicts woman in Rangerette kidnapping", "Victims in Kilgore Rangerette kidnapping file lawsuit seeking up to $1 million against suspect", "Rangerette kidnapping suspect gets April trial date", "Woman pleads guilty to 2016 Rangerette kidnapping, sentenced to 5 years", "Judge awards victims in Rangerette kidnapping $575K", "The Positively True Adventures of the Kilgore RangeretteKidnapping Mom", "The Texas Trademark: Flair for the Flamboyant", "Trouping the Colors for Gussie Nell Davis", "My Hometown: A True-Blue Rangerette Explains Why There's More to Kilgore Than Oil and the Drill Team", "Over the Hedge by T Lewis and Michael Fry", https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Kilgore_College_Rangerettes&oldid=1137238209, Dec 2021 - 80th Anniversary Pearl Harbor Memorial Ceremony, Honolulu, Hawaii, Nov 2021 - 95th Annual Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade, New York City, Nov 2018 - 92nd Annual Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade, New York City, Jan 2017 - Texas State Society Black Tie & Boots Ball, Washington, D.C., for the, Dec 2016 - 75th Anniversary Pearl Harbor Memorial Ceremony, Honolulu, Hawaii, Nov 2016 - 90th Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade, New York City, Jan 2013 - Texas State Society Black Tie & Boots Ball, Washington, D.C. for the. Masters brought Davis, who had established the "Flaming Flashes," a high school girls' drum and bugle corps in Greenville in 1928, to Kilgore and gave her a free hand in setting up the team. After high school, she attended University of Texas at Austin for one year until she decided to try out for the Rangerettes. For more information go to: http://www.law.cornell.edu/uscode/17/107.shtml. Each lyric of David Naughton's "Makin' It" that's blasting through the Rangerettes' sweltering gym is punctuated with 72 women chanting "Kick! To underscore the significance of the Kilgore Rangerettes, Kilgore College opened a Rangerette Showcase on its campus in 1979. They're a cult without the Kool-Aid. KV: Theres no height requirement, as some people have thought. Kathryn Heller Zwick, a former Rangerette, and her husband, Nick, donated $3.5 million to build the dorm. This is the room where many Rangerettes tried on those uniforms for the first time. They had to pin a gigantic name tag on their solid-colored. We need your support because we are a non-profit organization that relies upon contributions from our community in order to record and preserve the history of our state. 2023 Cotton Bowl Classic | Cotton Bowl Terms of Service | Cotton Bowl Privacy Policy She was not realmore of a permanent paper doll glued to the side of a beige brick building at Kilgore Collegebut she served her purpose in drawing me away from the oil museum and pulling me towards the Rangerette Museum. The Rangerettes are under the direction of Dana Blair, director; Shelley Wayne, assistant director; and Angela Aulds, assistant choreographer and dance technician. 104 Kilgore Rangerettes Photos and Premium High Res Pictures - Getty Images Images Images Creative Editorial Video Creative Editorial FILTERS CREATIVE EDITORIAL VIDEO 104 Kilgore Rangerettes Premium High Res Photos Browse 104 kilgore rangerettes stock photos and images available, or start a new search to explore more stock photos and images. They were not allowed to wear makeup except for red lipstick. ", It's all represented by the organization's motto, which dates to Davis' days at the helm: "Beauty knows no pain.". Masters wanted something different than the traditional women's drum and bugle corps. The Rangerettes are the Alabama football, the Kentucky basketball, the Yankees of dance teams, and the expectations of perfection match. Their biggest annual blowout will come Thursday on the AT&T Stadium field at halftime of the Michigan State-Alabama Cotton Bowl. [48], On December 21, 2018, Blair's attorney filed a civil lawsuit against Motes seeking monetary relief of between $200,000 and $1 million. Shirley Arredondo is the "dorm mom" giving the tour; she actually lives here, too, in a furnished apartment within the building. According to Barbara "Pill" Harmon, a 1965-67 Rangerette and a former assistant director, that standard was set by Davis. All rights reserved. [52], Motes was granted parole in November 2021 after serving two and a half years of her five year sentence. KC offices are open 8 a.m. to 5 p.m., Mon-Thurs, excluding holidays. We haven't found any reviews in the usual places. ". Here's everything we know, The paths of KD and Kyrie: How one month changed three franchises and two superstar legacies, From bubble struggles to NCAA seed improvement, why these final weekend games matter, Foden's return to form helps mask De Bruyne's troubles, Ratings: Fofana 8/10 as Chelsea pick up first league win in six. (She made the team). During practices, freshmen aren't allowed to speak. "This was a wild and wily place back then," said Ron McGregor, president of the docent guild at the East Texas Oil Museum, situated a block from the Kilgore College campus. As the Goodyear Cotton Bowl Classic is a staple of Texas tradition, so too is the world-renowned collegiate drill team. [49], On January 22, 2019, a start date of April 15, 2019, was set for the criminal trial against Motes. Many say the organization was the beginning of everything from the Dallas Cowboy cheerleaders to the Laker girls and college dance teams. She kicked incessantly and made her mother critique her. What he found led him eventually to produce the widely viewed Rangerettes documentary "Beauty Knows No Pain." This is the bubble: spotless, well-furnished, spacious, where all 72 Rangerettes live during the school year. The Rangerettes have incorporated more actual dance concepts (ballet, hip-hop, etc.) Known for well-choreographed routines, including its trademark high kick, the troupe thrived under the direction of Gussie Davis for almost four decades, until her retirement in 1979. texasmonthly.com: You said the girls have a saying: You cant understand it from the outside, and you cant explain it from the inside. As an outsider, how were you able to get inside Rangerette culture? [2], The Kilgore College Rangerettes were founded by Gussie Nell Davis, a physical education instructor from Farmersville, Texas who had previously taken an all-girl's group called the "Flaming Flashes" from being a simple high school pep-squad to an elaborately performing drum and bugle corps in Greenville, Texas. The 'extreme cruelty' around the global trade in frog legs, What does cancer smell like? To Blair, who was a Rangerette herself before becoming director, drill teams gave her something to be part of when traditional sports just didn't click. texasmonthly.com: What exactly is a drill team? You want to represent it well. How many girls attend Rangerette tryouts? Certain offices have extended evening hours and/or Friday hours. KILGORE, Texas (KETK) The 83rd line of Kilgore Rangerettes were announced on Thursday morning and 11 East Texas girls are among them. Approximately 6,000 people see the show each year, with many people traveling from out of town to attend and provide a boost to Kilgore's economy.[34][35][36][37][38]. This museum at Kilgore College is the best place to learn about the Rangerettes' storied history and how they truly changed . [39] The residence was completed in August 2006[40] for the 20062007 school year, and was formally dedicated in a ceremony a few months later. Catherine has gained that same flair, that same belief in herself -- especially after her first Cotton Bowl performance. Like barbecue and church, football is a religion in Texas, and apparently, back in the day, fans used the half-time to run beneath the bleachers for a drink (the practice may have been exacerbated by the fact that Kilgores biggest rival Tyler was a dry city). "There's a difference there.". People are standing in line waiting to get pictures with them during football games, because they've come from all over just to see the Rangerettes perform.". Every room is a little different: Some Rangerettes choose to bunk their beds, others move their desks together. 1. If other groups want to imitate us, that's flattering. West Texans Are Learning What It Means to Live in Bear Country, H-E-Bs True Texas BBQ Restaurant Is Slipping. texasmonthly.com: You mentioned that the girls were weighed-in at tryouts. Most are trained studio dancers and the competition is fiercemost who make it receive a full college scholarship and a chance to live in the Rangerettes own dormitory on campus. Apparently, in order to join the elite dance drill team of Kilgore College, girls must be able to kick high enough to touch boot toe to the front brim of their white cowboy hats. With her training and 26-hour drive, Thompson had already proven to herself she could do whatever the heck she put her mind to. "You're using every muscle. She is there to decorate for the holidays, take the girls' temperatures when they're sick and oversee day-to-day operations. Those regulations are attempts to take looks out of the equation when choosing the team. A white hat and boots complete the Rangerette look. All rights reserved. "We pride ourselves on looking a certain way and acting a certain way, so if we're in public, usually people know us by our behavior or by our looks," Bergen said. Beauty knows no pain, is The Rangerettes official motto (versus the Texas Rangers Courage, Integrity, Perseverance) and based on my brief observation of their rehearsal at Kilgore Colleges Dodson Auditorium, I would say they live and breath by that motto. Its fame promptly spread outside Kilgore, and within a year the Rangerettes had traveled to New Orleans to represent the region's oil business at the Lions International convention. Click here for additional office hours. The dean of the college then, Dr. B.E. Ginger Terry, a Rangerette from the 1980s, hasn't been talking about her experiences long, but the waterworks already have started. Being part of the Rangerettes is a lifestyle, and it often sets the trajectory for the rest of the women's lives. From the moment a friend's mother showed her a YouTube video of the Rangerettes, Olivia Thompson was sold on the idea of becoming one. Kilgore Rangerettes, Ashton didn't always know she would be a Rangerette. They are just about as "Texas" as Jerry World itself. "We really have to watch our smile and watch everything we do and just be aware that we can be on that huge screen at any point.". You have to drive at least 20 minutes to get to a mall. There's enough patriotism in here to make you think George Washington and Patrick Henry combined to decorate the place, then coated it all with red lipstick. Davis served as the group's director for forty years, until June 1979. KV: Well, the Rangerettes appeal to people who like tradition. But noThe Kilgore College Rangerettes are a drill team. The first count included two charges: aggravated kidnapping with intent to terrorize and aggravated kidnapping with a deadly weapon. Every penny counts! There's an expectation of perfection that extends even to the Rangerettes' living space. (Photo by Andrew Evans, National Geographic Traveler), Can we bring a species back from the brink?, Video Story, Copyright 1996-2015 National Geographic Society, Copyright 2015-2023 National Geographic Partners, LLC. "I think it's given me self-confidence and it helps me get to know myself more," she said. Rows of Rangerettes charge forward, arms entwined, steadily kicking their legs past their foreheads to the beat of the music. Forever beaming onto the rest of Kilgore College, the Rangerette mural throws her hands skyward in victory. "This was the beginning of it all. Kilgore College Rangerettes Performance, Kilgore, TXPublished by: Studio Glam Dance and Acrobatics, Lufkin, TX, http://StudioGlam.Dance, http://Facebook.com. You're supposed to be presentable at all times.". Just as I was ready to pack up and leave Kilgore behind, I caught a glimpse of the smiling blond vision down the street, a three-story cowgirl grinning and beckoning to me with all the friendship of sunny Texas. There are party dresses and murals so bright that the 1960s would be jealous. ", No matter, the Rangerettes have a perception issue: Nearly every piece of their literature depicts white Rangerettes. Mrs. Blair seemed nice enough, but this was a drill team and she is their drill sergeant. Now there just still aren't that many [who] try out. The anonymous donor was a Kilgore College graduate whose wife is a former Rangerette. Eighty Hopefuls tried out this year for a coveted position on the 81st Rangerette line. The vast majority of Rangerettes are still white, regardless of the reasoning. The Kilgore Rangerettes, the first women's precision drill team in the world, began in 1940 under the direction of Gussie Nell Davis, a physical-education teacher. Eco-friendly burial alternatives, explained. Jos R. Ralat is Texas Monthlys taco editor, writing about tacos and Mexican food. Thus, all team members must dress exactly alike with no exceptions. It was raining on the day the sign dropped, but nothing could have dampened the little halo of joy encircling the Terry family. The TSHA makes every effort to conform to the principles of fair use and to comply with copyright law. LIVE Transfer Talk: Bayern still keen on Kane despite new Choupo-Moting contract, Previewing the 2023 college baseball season: Teams and players to watch, key storylines, Top moments from Brady, Manning, Jordan and other athletes hosting 'Saturday Night Live', Dr. A's weekly risers and fallers: Jeremy Sochan, Christian Wood make the list, Muslim Sun Bowl princess wants to be positive influence, The word on the woman behind Alabama signs, Biggest FSU football star sitting this one out. We report on vital issues from politics to education and are the indispensable authority on the Texas scene, covering everything from music to cultural events with insightful recommendations. While Lovett treats the 'Rettes as an artistic subject, he also captures the esprit de corps that keeps the girls smiling even when they have to march on icy pavement and prompts their mothers to wear T-shirts that proudly proclaim "Rette Mom." Describing her own involvement is one thing. KV: Organizations that are rooted in tradition tap into strong feelings that are tough to explain to outsiders. "We set the bar and we can't let that fall," said Beverly Tallent, a 1960s Rangerette. You may request a written evaluation from the end of Pre-Training to July 15, 2022. Whether she knows it or not, every girl who has ever dreamed of taking her place in a line of high-kicking dancers on a football field at halftime has been inspired by the Kilgore College Rangerettes, the world's first precision dance drill team. Revels features performances by Rangerettes with several dances choreographed by nationally known choreographers such as J.T. You must make this request by e-mail ONLY to the Director, Dana Blair at: danablair@rangerette.com. In anticipation of the organization's 75th anniversary, filmmaker Chip Hale followed the Rangerettes for a year, creating the documentary Sweethearts of the Gridiron. Just to the left of the grand entrance hall is a common area filled with plush couches and enough Rangerettes memorabilia and photos to fill an Olympic-sized pool. His work has received recognition from the prestigious Alfred Eisenstaedt Awards for Outstanding Magazine Photography. Last April, participants raised $13,500. The Rangerette directors choose all new freshmen Rangerettes with assistance from the returning sophomore class. How tall is Daniel Kilgore? There's something to be said for wanting something or training for something, then going out and fulfilling that effort in the biggest way possible. Kick!" Founded in Kilgore, Texas, in 1939-1940 by the incomparable Gussie Nell Davis, the Rangerettes have performed for national and international . One entire side of each bedroom is covered in a bulletin board-like material that allows roommates to decorate with push pins or tape without messing up the walls. Nationwide, the Rangerettes' legacy has garnered the involvement of some 75,000 high school drill team members. Daniel Kilgore is 6-3 (190 cm) tall. ", "I'm makin' it, I've got the chance, I'm takin' it (kick! She quickly enlisted the help of local oil millionaire Liggett Crim to pay for the Rangerettes' initial costs. KV: A drill team is a group that performs to music, usually as halftime entertainment at football games. TYLER, Texas It's not every day one gets to perform with a musical icon and the self-proclaimed Queen of Christmas unless you're the world-famous Kilgore College Rangerettes. Part of that regimen is to build endurance; part of it is to maintain the body image the Rangerettes have to convey. The Rangerettes are an organization that is, undoubtedly, a paradox. Seventy-six years have slightly shortened the blue skirts, but otherwise, the uniforms have remained the same. All Rangerettes must enroll for fourteen (14) hours and successfully complete, twelve (12) semester credit hours of classes each and every semester, and maintain a 2.50 grade point average (GPA). They were not saying these lines out of heartfelt gratitude or common courtesythey were saying it because if they didnt, something horrible would happen. It's a bond that you can't really explain until you're immersed in it.". And it takes a lot of rules to make a "lady" and to preserve the Rangerettes' image. Usually 85-100 girls attend pre-training each year. More importantly, they become part of the Texas tradition and a lesser-known American legendthe team that invented the half-time show and the sport of precision dancing. The revenue generated by the shows make it one of Kilgore College's highest grossing events. Heres why each season begins twice. January 2023 Reader Quiz: What Did You Learn? The Official Facebook page of the World Famous Kilgore College Rangerettes! A burst of disco and an instant mood-booster, the 1979 hit song has been used for the Rangerettes' practices basically since it came out. Or with wet hair. But for Ginger to explain the moment when a piece of her -- her daughter, Ashton -- was initiated into the same circle is overwhelming. "It's just such an iconic place to continue dance education," said Megan DeHoyos, a former Rangerette who works at the Rangerettes museum. Yes maam, Thank You Missus Blair, The girls replied cheerfully in unison with flawless smiles plastered on their faces. KV: I hoped that by hanging around the dancers daily for almost two weeks I would be able to show how much the Rangerettes meant to them, even if the girls could never explain as much in words. Horenstein [30][31] and Tracie Stanfield. But if being a part of the Rangerettes' bubble of perfection means following a laundry list of rules, getting a rewards card at Sephora and putting much of your social life on hiatus, then so be it. Copyright 1996-2015 National Geographic SocietyCopyright 2015-2023 National Geographic Partners, LLC. There have already been buckets of tears shed in here, but on this day, more will come. "People automatically associate Kilgore with oil and Rangerettes," says Shelley Wayne, who should know. She reaches for a tissue, just like she did when she watched Leslie Rowe, her granddaughter, perform in her first Cotton Bowl halftime show two years ago. [1], In the late afternoon of December 29, 2016, there was an armed home invasion and kidnapping at Rangerette Director Dana Blair's home. Bergen said. But most of the girls I spoke to had a very simple reason for trying out for Rangerettes: They are the best at what they do. After college, Dana returned to Kilgore College and the Rangerettes in 1986. Everyone wears her hair in a ponytail as she sweats away in the stuffy gym. Rangerettes return from high-kicking performance abroad. Wayne's husband works in the petrochemical business, her daughter was a Rangerette, and Wayne herself was a member of Kilgore College's world-famous drill team before becoming its choreographer. When does spring start? Check out the new look and enjoy easier access to your favorite features. The trust is set up to provide scholarships for Rangerettes and Rangerette Managers who meet the endowment's academic criteria. [5] The Rangerettes have performed in 71 Cotton Bowl game halftimes in a row (1951-2021),[5][6] and make regular appearances at NFL pre-game and half-time shows for the Dallas Cowboys and Houston Texans. All in the family: how three generations of Jaquezes have ruled West Coast basketball. Their halftime shows have done the impossible -- surpassed the appeal of a football game in, of all places, Texas. No matter where a Rangerette might be going -- to the gym, down the street to pick up food, or an 8 a.m. class -- she isn't allowed to leave the dorm without makeup. texasmonthly.com: What was the most difficult aspect of researching and writing this story? KC offices are open 8 a.m. to 5 p.m., Mon-Thurs, excluding holidays. [46], Some critics have "expressed dismay at the emphasis on physical attractiveness and rigorous and authoritarian training. Lots and lots of tissues. "I'm solid gold, I've got the goods, they stand when I walk, through the neighborhoods.". Talent, above all else, is what the directors say they search for during tryouts. They've taken their show all over the globe. "I think there's a lack of motivation to try out," said Kevelyn Jones, an African-American on the 2014-15 line. Since October, they have been rehearsing the performance; since 1951, the Rangerettes have performed at the Cotton Bowl. Then you're leaping around. Imperfection is not tolerated. "[1] Davis countered, "that there was nothing wrong in learning self-confidence, discipline, cooperation, and the ability to perform precision dance, along with poise, etiquette, and personal grooming". "Your freshman year is really for learning and soaking everything in from the sophomores and directors," Diehl said. You're turning. Theyd be perfectly comfortable in a big city, but from what the girls tell me, the isolation of Kilgore helps them focus on the team. Information regarding opportunities to apply for a manager, a manager/performer, or the voice position is available on the Rangerette.com website. This is the Rangerette Showcase and Museum in tiny Kilgore, Texas, and it's dedicated to the women credited for being part of the first modern dance team, the Kilgore College Rangerettes. The Rangerettes' performance, which will feature a prop performance with a giant horseshoe this year, has been as much a part of the Cotton Bowl as the actual football. Within this sweltering box of toiling emotions that is the Rangerettes' gym, a sign that seems bigger than the Texas sky drops with 36 numbers written on it. [70] In addition to Sweethearts of the Gridiron, the Rangerettes have appeared in four additional feature films: Seven Wonders of the World (1956), Beauty Knows No Pain (1971), Semi-Tough (1977), and Johnny Be Good (1988). And if not for oil, the Rangerettes themselves might not have formed 76 years ago. Many of these women were good at drill team or dance team or cheerleading in high school and had an itch to pursue drill team at Kilgore College for the same reason a basketball player might want to pursue basketball at a Big Ten or Big 12 university. The idea is to instill in them an ability to listen. Those reasons vary, but they all come back to the same overarching one: A Rangerette must be a lady. Each one meets with a personal trainer to determine what weight range she should shoot for based off her body type. Two seats down from Ginger on the blue couch, Tallent, a 1960s Rangerette, agrees. In 1939, Davis was hired away from Greenville High School by the Kilgore College Dean, Dr. B.E. Not only does being male disqualify me, but I would never make it past the first audition. "Hopefuls" aren't allowed to wear makeup during the tryout process. There is one African-American, one Indian-American and five Hispanic performers on the 76th line. Katy Vine: I love writing about subcultures, and any institution that has a lengthy history and its own set of rules is a cultural jackpot. Rangerettes have to develop "kicking muscles" -- a combination of strength, power and flexibility that's simply not built without repetitively throwing their legs as high as they can go, elasticizing hamstrings past the point of normal. texasmonthly.com: What are the major tenets of Rangerette femininity? into their precision routines, but again, the fundamentals have remained. Many current Rangerettes are from Dallas, Austin, and Houston. The second count had one count of aggravated kidnapping by deadly force. [20], A partial list of major performances over the past 20 years, Revels is an annual variety show with a central theme performed at Dodson Auditorium on the Kilgore College campus. And if they are fakin' it, while Naughton croons in the background, assistant director Shelley Wayne, a former Rangerette, will tell them so. And that's when the real work starts. The new year once started in Marchhere's why, Jimmy Carter on the greatest challenges of the 21st century, This ancient Greek warship ruled the Mediterranean, How cosmic rays helped find a tunnel in Egypt's Great Pyramid, Who first rode horses? The use of software that blocks ads hinders our ability to serve you the content you came here to enjoy. https://www.tshaonline.org/handbook/entries/kilgore-rangerettes. The costume has remained unchanged, except for a slight shortening of the skirt length. Some special unit of woman combatants who could shoot and ride and who defended the great state Texas from evildoers and lawlessness? I imagined, entering the museum with a wide-open mind. Katy Vine is a Senior Editor at Texas Monthly, in which she has covered the Kilgore Rangerettes. Once freshmen move on to their sophomore years, they can speak, but limitedly. Wide patio doors lead to an enclosed outdoor area that serves as a mini-paradise within the near-year-round Texas heat. Shelley is a former Rangerette Lieutenant and Swingster (1985-1987) originally from Houston who returned to Kilgore College after directing the Westfield High School drill team (Houston, TX) for one year. [44], Until the 1970s there were no African American members of the team. As she leads the way to the sophomores' study room upstairs, Arredondo turns the corner to find a tiny scrap of white paper littering the floor. Said Emily Wendt, a member of the 2013-15 lines: "You can't expect your leg to hit your face every day and not have any repercussions. Much of the population included the "roughnecks" of the oil industry and few families. Each Rangerette has a roommate, and the two share a room many college students would kill for, plus a private bathroom. It's the kind of perfect living room your grandmother dreamed of, complete with silver candleholders, throw pillows and luxury you can almost smell. I had traveled to Kilgore to see the East Texas Oil Museuma fascinating tribute to the petrochemical wealth of East Texas and the boom that sprung serious life into this corner of the state. Said Blair: "I think the football team would watch us practice and say, 'Yeah, that looks hard.' If this all seems dramatic or strange, then you're definitely not part of the Rangerettes' sphere. DeHoyos is leading the way to the Rangerettes' gym on a bright day in Kilgore; the east Texas sun is borderline scorching.