MARRIED WOMEN GET TURN; CAPE WOMAN EARNS MRS. MISSOURI TITLE

CAPE GIRARDEAU -- Melody Hutson of Cape Girardeau has had a lot on her mind lately.

Her husband, Jim, is in Saudi Arabia as part of Operation Desert Shield, and she recently received word that her 18-year-old reservist daughter, Sheri, also will be heading to the Middle East.

If an international crisis wasn't enough to be concerned about, Hutson competed this weekend against 10 other Missouri women for the title of Mrs. Missouri-USA.

On Saturday night, she won the crown.

She joined Jana Jateff, who finished second in the pageant, and Laura Younghouse as Cape Girardeau's contingency at the event, held Friday and Saturday at Cape Girardeau's Holiday Inn Convention Center.

Because her husband is somewhere in the Persian Gulf, Hutson's 15-year-old son, Matt, escorted her in the pageant.

Hutson, 37, is one example of the varied backgrounds of the 11 women who competed for the Mrs. Missouri crown, which had been held by Faye Grojean of Sikeston.

The pageant's Missouri director, Deborah McConnell of Cape Girardeau, said the contest is intended as an opportunity for married women to gain recognition for their accomplishments.

"The national pageant was created to honor and pay tribute to married women who play many roles: mother, wife and career woman," McConnell said.

"It's not a bathing-suit contest. These women have a wide range of talents."

McConnell said Grojean embodies the qualities of a Mrs. Missouri contestant. Grojean, a mother of four, has managed a 4.0 grade-point average while attending Southeast Missouri State University and recently was accepted into law school.

"It doesn't matter if they have careers," McConnell said. "Faye didn't until the pageants.

"They gave her the confidence to do that. That's what this does for all the women. It takes a lot of courage to compete in a pageant like this."

Contestants in the Mrs. Missouri pageant this year ranged in ages from 23 to a 51-year-old grandmother.

Although Hutson, Jateff and Younghouse bring different life experiences to the pageant, they share the point of view that the event will impact their lives, from boosting their self-confidence to gaining life-long friends.

"It's probably the most memorable thing that's ever happened to me," said Younghouse, 30. "Not only as a growing experience, but a learning experience.

"It's not a matter of winning, it's just participating. I've met some wonderful people.

"If I ever had an opportunity to inspire anyone else in doing this very thing, I would do so. Anybody who can go through it, should. It's one of the most emotional things you can go through.

"It helps you build confidence in yourself and grow as a person. It makes you feel like: `Hey, I am somebody.'"

Younghouse said she never expected to compete in a beauty pageant and was surprised to learn that she had been nominated for the event.

"Never in my wildest dreams did I think I would participate in something like this," she said.

She almost didn't get the opportunity this year after a conflict with work prevented her from accepting the nomination for the pageant's original date, Nov. 30.

But when the date was changed due to an earthquake prediction for Southeast Missouri the first week of December, Younghouse got her second chance to enter.

"I've only had one month to prepare," she said. "That's been challenging enough."

Younghouse said the interview portion of the contest, which counts for 50 percent of the contestants' scores, was intimidating. Contestants were questioned on issues ranging from Missouri's history to world events.

Evening gown and swimsuit portions of the contest counted for the remaining portion of the contestants' scores.

But Younghouse said the toughest part of the contest was speaking in front of an audience.

"They say the greatest fear is public speaking," she said. "That's been the toughest part for me, to get up and keep your composure when inside you're terrified."

Jateff, 37, said she thought the interview was the pageant's most taxing moment.

"It was very intimidating not knowing at all what they're going to ask and trying to appear not nervous when you're shaking inside," she said.

A senior sales executive for Mary Kay Cosmetics, Jateff said her sales experience helped her during the interview to "sell" herself to the panelists.

But Hutson said she thought the swimsuit portion of the competition was the most difficult.

"It's difficult to walk down the runway in a swimming suit when you know how closely you're being judged," she said with a laugh.

But all three Cape Girardeau contestants agreed that the pageant's benefits far outweigh its trials.

Even the difficult interviews and public speaking helped build contestants' confidence, Jateff said.

"I think the best thing about a pageant like this is learning to develop more self-confidence and self-esteem," she said. "It's really helped me reach deep down and look at my whole life."

Hutson, Younghouse and Jateff all agreed their new friends, the fellow contestants, will be the most lasting memory of the pageant.

"It's the best part about the pageant," said Jateff. "The new friends I've made are some of the most beautiful, beautiful, Christian women."

Younghouse said: "The people, everyone, even the judges were wonderful. (Grojean) and Mrs. USA (Allyson Tenney of Utah who attended the Cape Girardeau pageant) have been so helpful.

"Even when people criticize you, you don't take it personal," she added. "They're only trying to help."

McConnell said the state pageant, which is five years old, will be held at Cape Girardeau "from now on."

The ceremony Saturday included an opening performance by the Royal Ballet of Cape Girardeau. Also Rep. Mary Kasten of Cape Girardeau was on hand to introduce the masters of ceremony, Jean Denny-Schwendemann and Don Pritchard.

The ceremony included a turn-of-the-century style show to go with the evening gown and swimsuit competitions.

Awards were presented to contestants who were judge to be the most congenial and most photogenic, and a monetary award was given to the contestant who sold the most advertising for the pageant's program.

Hutson said the pageant is a good opportunity for married women to show themselves and others that they too are worthy of a beauty pageant.

"Everything's always been for the young girls," she said. "But there are a lot of married women who don't just fade away just because they get married."