| The 1920's are remembered as the years of flappers, | | | | the Mermaids entered on a float resembling a sea shell |
| gangsters and prohibition. Another great triumph | | | | in front of more than 60,000 onlookers. They arrived at |
| accredited to this decade is the creation of the beauty | | | | Keith's Theatre on Garden Pier where the judging was |
| pageant. The first Miss America pageant was held in | | | | to be held. The 8 Inter-City Beauty Contestants were |
| 1921 in Atlantic City. However, it was not called the | | | | scrutinized for more than an hour by 5 male judges. |
| Miss America Pageant at the time, and the structure | | | | The results were to be announced the following night |
| varied greatly from the modern day organization of | | | | at the Governor's Ball. |
| the pageant. | | | | The next day there was a "Bathers Review" held on |
| The idea for a "Fall Frolic" was first presented by | | | | the beach. The participants of the review had to |
| Conrad Eckholm, the administrator of the Monticello | | | | march from Garden Pier to Steel Pier (approximately |
| Hotel in Atlantic City. He suggested that the frolic be | | | | 1,300 feet) wearing "bathing costume" aka swimsuits. |
| held over Labor Day with the purpose of benefiting | | | | This was the birth of the swimsuit competition in the |
| smaller hotels in the Atlantic City area. It was to be a | | | | Miss America Pageant. There were 5 categories in |
| grand festival with tents for music, dancing and various | | | | which people could enter the competition: Division 1, |
| other festivities. A newspaper writer suggested a | | | | Organizations; Division 2, Children; Division 3, Men; |
| "popularity contest" aka "beauty contest" should be | | | | Division 4, Comic; and Division 5; Beauty. About 100,000 |
| held in different cities to spread excitement about the | | | | people were in attendance at the Bathers review that |
| frolic via the newspapers. The winners of the inter city | | | | day. |
| popularity contests would win a free trip to Atlantic | | | | Three winners were selected from the Beauty |
| City and a chance to compete against the other city | | | | category: Margaret Gorman (Inter-City); Mazie |
| winners at the Fall Frolic. | | | | Saunders (armature); and Polly Salisbury, (professional). |
| The featured guests of the frolic were Father Neptune | | | | The three competed head to head for the title of "the |
| and the Mermaids. Father Neptune was actually 80 | | | | most beautiful bathing girl in America" of the very first |
| year old Hudson Maxim, inventor of smokeless gun | | | | Miss America. The competition was scored 50% by |
| powder. The Mermaids were the Inter-City Beauty | | | | audience applause and 50% by judge's choice. The |
| Contestants. As the Frolic began, Father Neptune and | | | | winner was Margaret Gorman, Miss Washington. |