click to enlarge image
Cecil DeMille at Veishea
Tribune photo published May 16, 1952
Cecil DeMille at Veishea
Tribune photo published May 16, 1952
| Cecil B. DeMille addressed
a crowd of 2000 from the steps of Beardshear Hall for the opening ceremonies
of Veishea in 1952. With WOI cameras rolling and Governor Beardsley
watching, the dean of the nation’s movie producers called for American
youth “to relight the flame that will throw out in bold relief again those
values of life which guided the founding fathers of our nation.”
DEMILLE LIGHTS VEISHEA TORCH - Speaking with a depth that surprised many who had heard only of DeMille's movie-making and not of his varied other national leadership activities, the guest....urged that we "give our children the bread of truth, not the stone of half-truth, about our nation, about religion, and about the people of other nations." |
 |
| LIGHT RAIN MARS OPENING
DAY PROGRAM AT ISC - Rain or shine, the Veishea Parade of 1952, promising
to be the most colorful in the event's history, will be held Saturday on
the Iowa State college campus. This announcement was made today by
the parade committee, with this following qualifications accompanying the
statement:
In case of rain at 10 a.m. Saturday, the time set for the beginning of the parade, it will be postponed until 2 p.m. If it is raining at 2, the parade will be postponed until 4, when it will be held "rain or shine." If rain is falling at 10 a.m., Veishea Vodvil will be held at that time instead of the parade. |
(From a deteriorated negative) Everyone watches as Cecil B. DeMille lights the Veishea "torch of higher learning." |
| Seventy-eight
floats, some costing hundreds of dollars, will pass in review along the
route shown on a a map in today's Tribune. Sixteen high school bands,
one more than marched in the 1951 parade, will be included in the show
which last year brought more than 100,000 spectators.
Although the parade has better than average prospects to go on as scheduled, "Stars Over Veishea," set for 8 p.m. tonight, has not been so fortunate. At press time today it was doubtful whether or not the outdoor stage extravaganza would be held because of the water on the field and in the football stadium stands. However, it is hoped that a bright sun will come through the clouds in time for the show tonight, and for sure in time for a Saturday night presentation. "Stars Over Veishea" has a cast of more than 600 students and is each year one of the highlights of Veishea. View Veishea floats from this 1952 parade. |
(From a deteriorated negative) |
| Elsewhere on the campus,
Veishea activities are in full force, with near-capacity crowds turning
out Thursday afternoon and evening for the horse shows, which have some
of the best horses in the country entered. Open house schedules,
with entertainment features, are attracting many Veishea visitors, and
it is expected that these visitors will increase in number this evening
and during Saturday. The dog show, set for today, will be held inside,
and thus the rain will have little effect on this feature, nor will the
rain bother the showing of "Harvey," stage play by the Iowa State Players.
Back to the parade, which is the big attraction Saturday for parents and youngsters from Ames and other towns. Whenever rain permits the parade to get underway, the firing of aerial bombs will signal its start. Leading the parade will be the Iowa State college marching band followed by the Veishea Queen of Queens and her attendants. They will start at the Band building, pass Friley hall and the north side of Lake LaVerne, continue past the Memorial Union, turn north at the bottom of Union Hill, and proceed past the dairy industry building. The floats will then be displayed on the lawn south of Oak and Elm halls, as was done in 1951. |
Iowa Governor Bill Beardsley watches as the coronation ceremony is underway. |
| There will be stations
along the way for judging. Three float judges and their secretaries
will be on the pylon platform. One judge and secretary will be on
a platform across from the dairy industry building. Judges will also
inspect the parade route and floats at 8:30 Saturday morning. The
floats will be judged on beauty, originality and also how well the float
theme follows the general Veishea theme of "spirit of leadership."
The Veishea parade will be carried over WOI-TV. People in this area are asked to listen to Radio Stations KASI and WOI for information on any change to plans for Stars Over Veishea or in the parade starting time. |
(From a deteriorated negative) |
| Rain kept in the heavens long enough Thursday to permit the opening Veishea ceremonies to be completed, with only a few sprinkles during the colorful pageant which opened the three-day program. Carol Fisher, revealed at the ceremony as Veishea Queen of Queens, with her attendants and a guard of honor and all the other regal accessories, is shown above in the throne constructed on Beardshear's front steps. Queen Carol had a bird's eye view of the 2,000 spectators, the guests and the lighting of the 'torch of higher learning" by Cecil B. DeMille. |