Mendon May Day— 1941
Margaret Rae Sorensen— The Queen for Mendon’s May Day, in the early spring of 1941, was Miss Margaret Rae Sorensen, daughter of Claud A. and Verna Maughan Sorensen. Her chosen Consort for the occasion was Dale Bird, son of Afton and Pearl H. Darley Bird. The Maids of Honor and their Partners are noted as follows: Thelma Buist, daughter of William and Marilla Richards Buist, with Keith Hughes, son of John O. and Pearl Allen Hughes; Carol Hughes, daughter of John O. and Pearl Allen Hughes, with Philip Humphrey, son of Clarence and Ruth L. Bird; Kathleen Walker, daughter of Vance D. and Ethel Sorensen Walker, with William (Bill) Barrett, son of Clarence and Martha Stuart Barrett; La Donna Hardman, daughter of Gwen and Lucille Bird Hardman, with Joseph Hardman, son of Floyd and Sarah Ann (Sadie) Stuart Hardman. As in the previous year, there were two flower girls again this year, Eleanor Larsen, daughter of Wilford and Ione Buist Larsen and Joan Stauffer, daughter of Ree and Alice Smith Stauffer.
May Day dawned bright and clear on Saturday, May 3rd, 1941 as the May Day celebration opened with a grand parade that began at the home of the queen, 289 South Main, and proceeded north down Center Street, toward the city square. The royalty and the maypole dancers were transported to the square on a horse drawn float. They were led in stately fashion, by the South Cache High School Band, under the direction of William H. Terry, who also provided the much enjoyed music throughout the day. The crowning of the queen, Margaret Rae Sorensen by her consort Dale Bird, on the west side of the yellow brick schoolhouse, was accompanied by the traditional singing of “Straying and Maying” and “Come to the Woodland.” Mozelle Sorensen was the accompanist and T. Kay Sorensen led the singing during the day. The braiding of a single maypole by the young maypole dancers, dressed in their beautiful costume, from the waist down being red, white and blue striped with matching striped hats and wrist bands and a little blue bow tie on the front of the all white top, followed. The queen wore a lovely long gown of pink, which matched her crown and her court wore beautiful pastel colored dresses of blue, yellow, purple and lavender. The young flower girls were outfitted in short dresses of soft yellow and blue with matching ribbons in their hair and carried a little white flower basket of yellow daffodils and violet irises. The young men wore their finest Sunday apparel, with double-breasted suits and wide lapels being the fashion.
Following the outdoor crowning at about 10:00 a.m., the assembled crowd moved into the yellow brick schoolhouse gymnasium at about 11:00 a.m., for the program of speakers, which included Linden K. Wood and entertainment, which featured numbers by the South Cache High School Band in their white wool pants with purple wool jackets. The school stage was decorated with fresh-cut yellow daffodils and vibrant violet irises as well as the queen and her court. Immediately following the indoor program, the queen’s court returned to the Sorensen’s home for a splendid dinner, sponsored and prepared by the parents of the queen, Claud A. and Verna Sorensen. The extended family, mostly the “aunts” all pitched in to help prepare and serve this fine meal. In the afternoon, after everyone had a chance to enjoy lunch, there were the traditional children’s games and dance, at 2:00 a.m., ball games were played later in the day. In the evening the May Day Ball at the yellow brick school, was provided with music by the towns own Mendon Jazz.