BGHS One Act Play Program Has A Rich History
by Tim Campbell · first published 20 March 2018 · his original post
Blooming Grove High School's theatrical endeavors had their beginning in the formation of a Drama Club in its very earliest years. With the hiring of Ruth Edmundson in the fall of 1927, the program was given wings. Ruth's father, John David Edmundson was born in 1878 in Bethel, Tennessee. He was an enlisted member of the 4th Tennessee Infantry, Company K, Spanish-American War. He married Olia Belle Newton in 1904, and in 1905 Ruth was born in Waxahachie, Texas. The family lived in Henrietta, Texas for a time while John worked in a hardware store. By 1918 they had returned to Ellis County where John was employed as an automobile salesman.
After high school Ruth attended Trinity University where she achieved her first degree. She also attended Southern Methodist University and Baylor University and received a master's degree. In 1927, G.H. Brown was the superintendent of schools at Blooming Grove. Credit should be directed to Mr. Brown for a fine eye for talent as he hired Ruth Edmundson to teach in Blooming Grove schools. She became known as "Miss Ed" among the students, and even after she married George Eldon Ramsey of Blooming Grove a few years later, she continued to be known as Miss Ed among the students for many years to come.
In 1933 Superintendent Brown recognized an opportunity to enrich the lives of BG students in the world of theatrical drama and appointed Ruth to assemble a cast and compete in the state's One Act Play competition. She later recalled in her memoirs that she was given less than four weeks to prepare a cast and play from scratch, and that she had never taken a drama class in college. Nevertheless she assembled a cast, including Bobby High's dog, "Bonzo", and went to a contest in Hillsboro and took first place. I believe this play was called "Elmer" and among the cast members was long time Grovian Lorraine George Carroll who would one day be the BG school librarian for many, many years.
In the 1960s, Blooming Grove became a frequent visitor to Texas One Act Play state competitions, putting together a string of back to back appearances. In 1965, the play "Our American Cousin" starring BG's Sandra McClure as "Carrie" won the coveted Texas One Act Play state championship. Other cast members were Hugh Nicholson as "Peanut John", Jo Ann Tipping as "Miss Prompter", Linda Hall as "Miss Keene", Eddie Page as "Asa", Kay Watson as "Mary", and Dean Vinson as the "Nightwatchman". The stage crew consisted of Nona Vest, Susan Eddlemon, and Dan Patterson. Upon winning the state competition, the mayor of Blooming Grove, who happened to be a fellow by the name of Drew Gillen, declared May 14th to be "Mrs Ramsey / One Act Play Day" in Blooming Grove and issued a proclamation ordering all good citizens of Blooming Grove to be present at ceremonies beginning at 10:30 a.m. in the school auditorium, "to honor the crowning of 30 years of hard work, indomitable spirit, and definite purpose on the part of innumerable students, parents, teachers, and other good citizens of the community, but especially Mrs. G.E. Ramsey, Sr."
Interestingly, fifty years ago from the date of this article, in 1968, Blooming Grove's drama department was busy in the one act play competition with their production of "Mary Stuart", which won first place at the District 23A competition. Cast members who won accolades for this play were Melissa McCormick (Best Actress, Regional Competition, Donna Gaines (District All Star Cast) , Nona Vest (best actress at district), and Nickey Burleson (Best Actor, District, Regional All Star Cast).
At one point in her later years, BG's beloved "Miss Ed" was asked for her secrets to success. Certainly she held a few in reserve, but she did share that the first ingredient for success was a cast of students who had a desire to work and who knew that their efforts would be appreciated by the school and community. She said "All I ever gave them was a pat on the back". She also remembered being roasted by critics during her early years of directing plays, and that she carefully noted the judges' remarks and tried to not make the same mistakes again. She regarded the critique as one of the most important features of the competition, and tried to teach her students to take criticism in a spirit of appreciation and gratitude.
With a quick fast forward to the here and now, BG's 2018 One Act Play cast and crew recently competed in District competition and were selected as one of two plays to advance to area competition with their performance of "Beggar's Opera" under the direction of Ms. Kasprzyk, upholding and renewing the Grove's rich theatrical history. The area competition is this week. Please be sure to give the participating students and their director a befitting "pat on the back" when you see them.