Miss Dona Mae McAleer of Sandusky was chosen “Miss Sandusky”
on August 14, 1939. The beauty contest was sponsored by the Sandusky Junior
Chamber of Commerce and was held at Cedar Point. Judges included Mrs. Kenneth
Zehner, Municipal Judge Ray F. Speers, bandmaster Charles “Buddy” Rogers, and
Cole Keyes, manager of the Rogers band. The Buddy Rogers band was appearing at Cedar
Point’s ballroom in August, 1939. While Buddy Rogers was appearing at Cedar Point,
his wife, Mary Pickford visited Sandusky. She is quoted as saying, “There
should be a motion picture made with Sandusky as the locale. Sandusky is one of
the prettiest port cities I have ever seen, including my trips abroad.”
The judging of the “Miss Sandusky” contest was based fifty
percent on beauty, twenty five percent on presentation, and twenty five percent on applause. The results of the “Miss Sandusky” contest were announced on
WTAM radio.
Dona Mae McAleer represented Sandusky and the Sandusky
Junior Chamber of Commerce on a three day statewide Air Tour, sponsored by the
Cleveland Junior Chamber of Commerce held in conjunction with the National Air
Races. In the fall of 1939, she competed in the contest for the
Ohio Grape Festival Queen, and was selected as a runner up.
Beryl Starr was born on July 27, 1902. She was employed by the city of Sandusky’s water department for eighteen years. She never married. Miss Starr passed away on June 1, 1986.She is buried in the family lot at Oakland Cemetery with her parents Louis and Frances Starr.