[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 161 (2015), Part 4]
[Senate]
[Page 5017]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]




      RECOGNIZING THE KILGORE COLLEGE RANGERETTES 75TH ANNIVERSARY

  Mr. CORNYN. Mr. President, I ask my colleagues to join me today in 
honoring the world famous Kilgore College Rangerettes on the occasion 
of their 75th anniversary.
  In an effort to increase female enrollment and to keep fans in their 
seats during halftime at football games, Kilgore College Dean of 
Students B.E. Masters invited Gussie Nell Davis to create an all-
women's precision dance-and-drill team. On September 19, 1940, the 
Rangerettes performed their first halftime show during a Kilgore 
College football game.
  With their signature Western-styled red, white, and blue uniforms and 
cowboy hats, the Kilgore College Rangerettes brought show business to 
the football field. Their precise and graceful performances captured 
the hearts of the fans and pioneered a brandnew type of halftime show.
  The Rangerettes have attained national and international recognition. 
Dubbed ``The Sweethearts of the Gridiron,'' the Rangerettes travel 
across the country performing at high-profile events, including every 
Cotton Bowl halftime show since 1951, the 60th Pearl Harbor Memorial 
Commemoration, Presidential inaugural events, and multiple Macy's 
Thanksgiving Day Parades. Their fame and prestige have spread across 
the globe with performances in Venezuela, the millennial St. Patrick's 
Day Parade in Ireland, and a 15-day tour of Romania.
  The Rangerettes' achievements and honors have been highlighted in 
cover stories in magazines including Life, Newsweek, Esquire, Texas 
Monthly, and Texas 24/7. Additionally, they were featured in the 
Cinerama movie ``The Seven Wonders of the World.'' Today, they continue 
to set training and performance standards to which other drill teams 
aspire.
  I am honored to congratulate the Kilgore College Rangerettes on their 
75th anniversary and look forward to their continued tradition of 
excellence as they perform across Texas, the United States, and the 
world.

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