1949 - 1950

Kneeling left to right: Charles Fulton, Drohamira Fejfar, William Gaiser, William Foland, Margaret Coates, Charles Finch, Director David Field, Harold Buckley, Rolf Scovell, Peggy Armstrong, Tom Bolgiano, Flossie Doleman, Al Kuckhoff.

Standing left to right: Stanley Rae, Robert Caruthers, Marion Copping, Ned Koser, Tony Lishora, Tom Sisk, Charles Fox, Conrad Yunker, John Wilkerson, Joe Herring, Cliff Gonyer, Robert Hooper, Rae Davis, Ollie Fejfar, Earl Newland, Gene Wilburn, Lois Jackson, Grady Bradford

Not Pictured: Joan Mitchell, Virginia Ritter

coaches

officer body

  • President: Harold Buckley

  • Vice President: Margaret Coates

  • Secretary: Virginia Ritter

  • Treasurer: Rolf Scovell

  • Gymnastic Chairmen: Charles Fulton

award recipients

  • Best Female Trouper: Joan Mitchell

  • Best Male Trouper: Harold Buckley

  • Best Act: "The Aristocrats of the Trampoline" - Rolf Scovell, Harold Buckley, and Tom Bolgiano

CHAMPIONS

Gymnastics Team

The year would prove to be the most successful for the Gymnastics team.  The team continued under the supervision of David Field, building in strength.  In intercollegiate competitions, it won against Duke, North Carolina, and Georgia Tech, while losing to Navy and Florida State.  The team also once again captured the championship at the D.C.A.A.U. competition. 

In the spring of 1950, the 'M' club voted to support the drive for varsity status for the Gymnastics team. A Diamondback editorial on the same day seconded the drive. 

On April 15, the Gymnastics team won the Southern Intercollegiate Gymnastics Championships held in Atlanta, Georgia.  The team had won the championship on its first try. 

At the end of the season four of the team members (Chuck Pinckney, Joe Herring, Chuck Fulton, and Rolf Scovell) were awarded letters, something that had never been allowed before for nonvarsity sports.

With the support of the 'M' Club and editors of the Diamondback, as well as the D.C.A.A.U. and the Southern Intercollegiate Gymnastics Championships, hopes were high that the Maryland Gymnastics team was on its way to receiving varsity status. 

Those hopes would be short lived.

Gymkana

While the Troupe had fewer performances in its fourth year (fifteen off campus and seven on campus shows during the road show season), the skill level continued to go up.

The first women's triples group (Marion Copping, Virginia Ritter, and Lois Jackson) started that year. 

Rae Davis showed her skill at the jump rope, even doing so on her back, in an act with Virginia Ritter and Drahomira Fejfar.

Again the Troupe appeared on television, on WHAM in Baltimore.

After a successful road show seasonthroughout Maryland and Pennsylvania, the Troupe held its Home Showon April 4 and 5.  "Flight of Fun" was the theme of the show. 

"The story is centered around a couple who are investigating the aspects of a sightseeing excursion to some foreign land.  It begins in an airline office where the people are receiving information regarding entertainment in foreign countries from the travel consultant.  As each country is discussed, a small preview of its entertainment is enacted on the stage."

1950 Home Show Program

As examples, Brazil was Adagio Dancing,  Germany was Horizontal and Parallel bars, Trampoline was "Mexican Jumping Beans", and of course Pyramids represented Egypt. 

ITINERARY

  • ON CAMPUS

    • College of Agriculture Party

    • Community Chest Drive

    • Rotary Club Christmas Party

    • George Washington Basketball Game

    • Davidson Basketball Game

    • Richmond Basketball Game

    • Charter Day Program

  • OFF CAMPUS

    • WHAM Television; Baltimore

    • Greenbelt High School

    • Taft Jr. High; Washington

    • American University

    • Westminster, Maryland

    • Boumi Temple Shriners, Baltimore

    • Hyattsville High School

    • Oxon Hill High School

    • Blair High School

    • Blue Ridge Summit, Pa.

    • Sherwood High School

    • Milford Mills High School

    • Prince Frederick High School

    • Bel Air High School

    • Marlboro Tobacco Festival