Miss Watermelon Bust
A 'watermelon bust' is a watermelon-themed party. Having a watermelon bust is an old, mostly Southern tradition, dating back to the nineteenth century.
Around the beginning of the twentieth century, college fraternities started hosting watermelon busts, usually at the start of the school year. The events would include activities such as seed-spitting and watermelon-eating contests.
Around the mid-twentieth century, with the introduction of co-education, young college women began attending these watermelon busts, and so it soon occurred to their organizers to add a new activity: a Miss Watermelon Bust pageant.
During the 1950s, these pageants seem to have been innocent enough. But in the 1960s, they acquired a more salacious character. Inspired by the possible double meaning of the title 'Miss Watermelon Bust,' they became focused on selecting the sorority member with the largest bust.
Usually this involved having the contestants parade back and forth in front of the judges. But on a few campuses, such as at the University of Evansville, the contestant who came closest to matching a cutout profile of a buxom woman was declared the winner.
Miss Watermelon Bust pageants were held on multiple campuses, but it was mostly chapters of the Lambda Chi Alpha fraternity that sponsored them. The pageant at Butler University in Indianapolis received the most attention.
During the 1960s, the young sorority women seem to have gone along with the pageant willingly enough. But during the 1970s objections began to be voiced, noting that the pageant had a definite "male chauvinist flavor."
The pageant continued on for a number of years, but by the 1980s it had mostly been eliminated, replaced by pageants with less suggestive titles such as "Miss Melon Mania" or "Miss Spring Fling."
However, some googling reveals that, as late as 2019, a Miss Watermelon Bust pageant continued to be held on some campuses, such as at Culver-Stockton College, again hosted by Lambda Chi Alpha. I have no idea if the pageant still had an anatomical focus.
On a final note, the most famous Miss Watermelon Bust was Cissy Colpitts, who won the title at Butler University in 1967 (shown above). She went on to minor fame as an actress, later adopting the name Cisse Cameron, appearing in movies such as Porky's II and Space Mutiny, and with a recurring role as Graziella on The Ted Knight Show. You can find a lot more info about her at Booksteve's Library.
Around the beginning of the twentieth century, college fraternities started hosting watermelon busts, usually at the start of the school year. The events would include activities such as seed-spitting and watermelon-eating contests.
Around the mid-twentieth century, with the introduction of co-education, young college women began attending these watermelon busts, and so it soon occurred to their organizers to add a new activity: a Miss Watermelon Bust pageant.
Chinook 1955 - of Washington State University Yearbook
During the 1950s, these pageants seem to have been innocent enough. But in the 1960s, they acquired a more salacious character. Inspired by the possible double meaning of the title 'Miss Watermelon Bust,' they became focused on selecting the sorority member with the largest bust.
Usually this involved having the contestants parade back and forth in front of the judges. But on a few campuses, such as at the University of Evansville, the contestant who came closest to matching a cutout profile of a buxom woman was declared the winner.
LinC 1966 - University of Evansville Yearbook
Indianapolis News - Sep 25, 1967
Miss Watermelon Bust pageants were held on multiple campuses, but it was mostly chapters of the Lambda Chi Alpha fraternity that sponsored them. The pageant at Butler University in Indianapolis received the most attention.
Indianapolis News - Sep 21, 1968
Galion Inquirer - Sep 26, 1970
During the 1960s, the young sorority women seem to have gone along with the pageant willingly enough. But during the 1970s objections began to be voiced, noting that the pageant had a definite "male chauvinist flavor."
The pageant continued on for a number of years, but by the 1980s it had mostly been eliminated, replaced by pageants with less suggestive titles such as "Miss Melon Mania" or "Miss Spring Fling."
However, some googling reveals that, as late as 2019, a Miss Watermelon Bust pageant continued to be held on some campuses, such as at Culver-Stockton College, again hosted by Lambda Chi Alpha. I have no idea if the pageant still had an anatomical focus.
Harlingen Valley Morning Star - Sep 30, 1973
Chicago Tribune - Sep 24, 1974
On a final note, the most famous Miss Watermelon Bust was Cissy Colpitts, who won the title at Butler University in 1967 (shown above). She went on to minor fame as an actress, later adopting the name Cisse Cameron, appearing in movies such as Porky's II and Space Mutiny, and with a recurring role as Graziella on The Ted Knight Show. You can find a lot more info about her at Booksteve's Library.
Comments
It appears that over time, “watermelon bust” changed meaning…
Posted by Brian on 07/25/22 at 05:21 PM
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Category: Awards, Prizes, Competitions and Contests