PCC Courier, October 27, 1978

Queen from La Canada Again Roses for Miss Gilmour By Tom Trepiak Editor A cluster of photographers squeezed closer to the 1979 Tournament of Roses Court. A few writers were caught in the midst of the cameras, strobes and assortment of lenses. I clutched my notepad and tried to get a little closer to the beauty on the other side of the photographers. Arthur Welsh, Tournament of Roses president, walked to the microphone next to the seven rose princesses. He was about to announce the name of the 60th Rose Queen. Earlier, some of the press gave predictions as to the eventual winner. Naturally, my favorites were Julie Hageman and Melissa Young, both from PCC. Welsh made the announcement. Cathy Gilmour, 17-year old La Canada High senior, became the 1979 Rose Queen. The other girls extended their congratulations with hugs and screams. Miss Gilmour’s eyes became tear-filled as retiring Queen Maria Caron, who was also a La Canada senior at the time of her reign, presented a traditional bouquet of red roses. “I can't stop shaking,” Miss Gilmour said as the media interviews began and the picture taking con¬ tinued. Press releases were handed out on the spot as the court lined up in photo-taking order with the Queen in the middle. The photographers dissipated and the TV crews moved in. After that, the girls moved to the south side of Wrigley Gardens for more pictures. “The reason I entered,” said PCC’s Miss Young, “was because it was very prestigious, 800-900 girls try out at a time. It's an honor.” Last year she also tried out, making it to the semi-finals. This time she made it to the final seven, the Rose Court. “We represent the tournament. We're really public relations, promoters of part of the parade,” Miss Young said. Miss Young, 20, is the oldest member of the Court, which happens to be the youngest Court in Roses history, as well as the tallest. Miss Gilmour, the Queen, is the tallest member of the Court at 5-10:L. All seven princesses did a lot of promoting for the parade by simply gracing the Wrigley Gardens with their beauty. A smile never left them, even when bugs from the rose bushes were buzzing about their heads during one photographic session. This was the third tryout for PCC’s other representative, Miss Hageman. Two years ago, while a senior at Ar¬ cadia High, She made it to the cut at 60. Last year, then at PCC, she didn’t make it as far, to the 150 cutoff. She blossomed this year, though. “I was most fortunate to be on this Court,” she said. Didn’t you think you had a chance to be Queen? “I never expected to get it.” Do you feel you are representing PCC? “Oh yes. I’m glad they got two people in there.” Miss Gilmour is only the fourth high school student to be named Rose Queen. The Court, however, was dominated by high school students this year. Lisa Gage and Kathleen Looney also attend La Canada high, Suzanne Simone is from Arcadia High, Robin Townsend is a senior at Flintridge Sacred Heart Academy. The Queen and Court have a lot of PR ahead related to the Rose Parade and the Rose Bowl game. As Miss Young pointed out, “We want to always look our best.” VOL. 46, No. 9 PASADENA CITY COLLEGE, PASADENA, CALIFORNIA OCTOBER 27,1978 HERE’S LOOKING AT YOU— Catherine Gilmour reacts with surprise as she is named the 1978-79 Tournament of Roses Queen. She is from La Canada, as last year’s queen was. -courier photo by Marcus wiik Homecoming Brings Back Those ' Days Gone By' Preparation for homecoming ac- tivties are underway, with ASB planning a raffle, a parade preceding the Lancer vs. Long Beach Viking football game, a dance to follow the game, and selection of a queen to reign over the festivities. "Days Gone By" is the theme for homecoming, which is set for Nov. 11. The semi-finalists for Homecoming Queen will be selected at the preliminary judging today at noon in the Campus Center. From the 15-20 girls chosen today, seven finalists will be selected on Tuesday. PCC-TV will interview the finalists on Nov. 7, and Prop 6 Sparks Debate: Gay Lib vs. Kids' Rights THE SPECIALTY IS HAUNTING— This is one of the special effects used to frighten customers— that and lots of red paint. The setting, however, is not a special effect since ij’s the oldest house in El Monte. —Courier photo by Steve Franklin The controversial proposition in¬ volving gay rights and civil liberties vs. protecting school children will be debated upstairs in the Campus Center Monday at noon and again at 7:30 in Harbeson Hall. New Pasadena Club is organizing the program with financial backing from ASB. Speaking on both sides of the issue at the noon discussion is Rev. Roger Robbennolt from Pasadena First Congregational Church. Fay Angus, from “Dencency and Morality" and Ivy Botiti from “No on Six” will debate the issues at the evening match. The discussions, as described by club president Jim Hight, will be structured in a non-biased panel format for the benefit of students and the community. Barbara Balliger, a member of New Pasadena, said they are not at¬ tempting to sway people to either side of the issue. “Most people have their minds made up." she said. “It s for those who are confused. This is so they can see both sides of it." All students, faculty, and members to the community are encouraged to attend, said Ms. BAlliger. “We're trying to get teachers to come and bring their classes for credit.” the student body will elect the queen Nov. 8-9. The homecoming will be crowned before the game Nov. 11. Three $25 prizes will be offered in this years float competition. Each year, in a parade preceding the football game, campus clubs construct and display their floats. Prizes will go to the most original, the most humorous, and to the float with the best theme. Rounding out homecoming activities is a dance in the campus center lounge after the game, organized by AMS, A WS, and the sophomore class. Proceeds from the dance will be used to offset homecoming debts. The ASB raffle is being coordinated by Terry Jones, freshman class president. Shahid Hamid, AMS representitive, and Darrel Glover, athletics representive. Ms. Jones said the committee was going out to local businesses, encouraging them to donate prizes. Proceeds from the raffle will go to the ASB Banquet Fund and the ASB Scholarship Fund. Tickets for the raffle will cost 50 cents for one, or three for a dollar. Ed Laurenson. the first football coach at PCC. is this year's alumni honoree. The alumni will have a social in the Hall of Fame room in the men's gym following the game. Courier Haunted House Preview Not for the Nervous By Kathy Braidhill News Editor It’s too bad the moon won’t be out i during Halloween. If you’re feeling I brave and adventurous, perhaps the I night won’t seem so dark and gloomy if I you happen to venture out to a haunted |house or two. Then again, there are those who are [subject to a shriek and a shudder when lexposed to the slightest suggestion of [exploring haunted houses in a thicket |of blackness. If you’re feeling immortal and like Igroping in the darkness with groaning ■things that drip vampire blood, you’ll Iprobably enjoy Campus Life haunted [bouse, Demon House, and Meredian |Mystery House. Should the Academy of Horror rate Ithese terrifically terrifying operations, IDemon House would probably get Most [Creative and Best Special Effects; [Most Efficient would go to Campus |Life, and Meridian Mystery House would get Best Community Endeavor. Campus Life's There were mostly kids anxiously tanding in line, and moving estlessly, when two men who looked о be in their thirties came nervously о the ticket booth and bought a ticket. They entered the house where creams and shrieks were echoing hroughout the transformed super¬ market. Shortly after, Bill Randolph, Campus Life executive director in the >an Fernando Valley, emerged. He is organizing the Pasadena haunted louse at 120 S. Fair Oaks. “I love it,” he grinned. ‘We’ve got nostly volunteers working on this ■hing, and three part-time Campus ife staff,” he said. “It took us about a nonth to set this up,” but the planning or the houses goes beyond that, he laid. "For the most part we share ideas, •nd brainstorm together. There are a pt of similarities between us and West Bovina,” he said. As a non-profit religious-oriented organization, Campus Life creates the haunted houses annually across the country as a fund raiser. Five are in Los Angeles and Orange Counties. “This is one of the biggest fund raisers for us,” said Randolph. “We make about 20 percent of our annual budget off the haunted houses. We “We should make about $20,000 alone right here.” should make about $20,000 alone right here.” “Disorienting darkness,” as Ran¬ dolph puts it, greets the haunted house guests in the first of 21 rooms and passages. Small, hooded creatures, silent, with ghostly painted faces follow customers, sometimes nudging them slightly to hurry them along. When I asked one his name, he promptly removed his vampire teeth from his mouth, and a little voice, shouting over the screams said, “Dan Matthews.” It was a curious contrast to his foreboding appearance. King Tut has also swept Campus Life, which devoted a room to mum¬ mies in egyptian surroundings. An unusual addition to the standard coffin scenes and graveyards was the “Sale Room,” which featured a department-store setting where the apparently discontented mannequins struggle and reach as you pass. Small, clay-encrusted figures crept “This door swings out and catches people. It’s weird, and gives them a minor tittle shock when they touch it." about in the cave-like surroundings through one passageway. “Work from your holes you guys, work from your holes!” Randolph shouted above the other haunted house noises. Frankenstein was still being worked on in “the laboratory,” where a mad scientist was excitedly dancing around his controls and levers. In their version of a swamp, an at¬ tractive women beckons men to where she is sitting behind a rail. When they lean on the rail, Randolph said they get a 6-volt shock. A blond, shirtless boy behind bars holds a tin plate of green stuff under the noses of people shuffling by. Other jailed children reach out and try to grab people, and a boy swings from some pipes above the visitors’ heads. Randolph shouts instructions to him and the boy listens and responds. “It isn’t working now,” said Ran¬ dolph, as he headed towards the exit, “but this door is supposed to swing out and catch people. It’s wired, and gives them a minor little shock when they touch it. That usually gets them going.” This tight, close-working group has produced a fun event that is well organized and even scary at times. Even if it doesn’t really frighten adults, the Campus Life haunted house is an entertaining, smooth-running, income-producing operation. Demon House The huge frame house looks its age and appears to harbor a fair share of satanic creatures. Perched on the front porch is a full figure of a growling dog, with glowing red eyes; one of the handmade effects. Haunted Specialties Inc. is using the real thing for its haunted house. “It’s a beautiful old house,” said Lisa Potts, corporate treasurer. “It’s one of the oldest homes in El Monte, and they’re going to tear it down when we’re through with it. The guy we’re renting it from is selling it to someone who is going to put up apartment complexes here.” Demon House is located at 12209 Exline St. in El Monte. Not only is the haunted house authentic, but all of the special effects used in the house are of original design, and handmade right down to the rubber masks. “We’re a group of make-up artists that decided to get together and do haunted houses,” said Ms. Potts. “If it works, we'll start doing it every year.” They seem to be doing it right, because they became incorporated October 5, four days after they started working on the house. Ron Bottin, a make-up artist who worked on “The Fury," "King Kong,” “Pirranha,” “The Omen," and the bar scene in “Star Wars,” is one of the professionals working with Haunted Specialties Inc, said Don Zeller, self- disciplined “helper.” Since this really is an old house, reality dims as one takes the tour. “The whole idea of it is that there’s a The “parts kitchen,” with pieces of people in various stages of preparation, is splattered with blood. possessed boy upstairs,” explained Ms. Potts. As you go through each room, the characters in them tell a little of the story and build suspense, she said. “The remaining family of the boy is in the living room, ’’said Zeller. “Their job is to keep you from going through the rest of the house and discovering their secret.” The living room has small dolls dismembered, disfigured, and impaled on fireplace tools. A stuffed fish has a bloody forearm clenched in its jaws, with blood dripping on the chair below. There is a macabre attention to detail. A mechanical devil with a swiveling head sits in the corner of the adjoining room, with a strobe light catching the head at each angle. A decomposed body of a girl stands in a coffin in another corner of the room. “Like my dolls? she asked, batting at the bloody dolls hanging from the ceiling. Looking into a doorway from the hall, a boy is floating up some stairs. There’s also a rubber door, “just like at Disneyland”, said Zeller, that looks like someone’s pounding on it, trying to get through. The “parts kitchen”, with pieces of people in various stages of preparation, is splattered with blood. Continued on Page Six —Courier photo by Joan Bennet IT’S ONLY MAKE-UP— Demon House resident doesn’t have to do much to frighten people if they are courageous enough to look at his face. “A group of make-up artists,” said Lisa Potts, started Haunted Specialties, Inc., the group originating Demon House.