They've taken their show all over the globe. ", "That's really the big one that outsiders say, like, 'Why do you say that?'" Beauty knows no pain, is The Rangerettes official motto (versus the Texas Rangers Courage, Integrity, Perseverance) and based on my brief observation of their rehearsal at Kilgore Colleges Dodson Auditorium, I would say they live and breath by that motto. Ashton didn't always know she would be a Rangerette. Dabbing at her eyes, Ginger tries to preserve her perfect makeup. Self-expression and athleticism combine to form a vesicle of comfort, a safety net from the rest of the world. Approximately 6,000 people see the show each year, with many people traveling from out of town to attend and provide a boost to Kilgore's economy.[34][35][36][37][38]. However, your first year is spent as a freshmen Rangerette regardless of your college grade classification. They have continued to perform for the college and have also participated in many other athletic and special events, such as the Cotton Bowl game, the International Tennis Stars Exhibition, the Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade, and the American Bar Association Convention. Wayne yells from the alcove overlooking the gym floor. It's the one day of the year when the Rangerettes trot out in front of a national television audience, and the crowd at AT&T Stadium is the biggest they perform for all year. If the women weren't performing the way Davis thought they should, she would tell them to sit down and have a conversation with "Percy" -- short for perseverance. There are hamburger joints, a movie theater, a 16-lane bowling alley. Some special unit of woman combatants who could shoot and ride and who defended the great state Texas from evildoers and lawlessness? I imagined, entering the museum with a wide-open mind. You want to represent it well. "Kilgore College Rangerettes announce 80th line", "Rangerettes Bring Red, White, Blue And Shades Of Gray To Cotton Bowl", "Kilgore College Rangerettes performing in Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade", "Kilgore College Rangerettes to perform at inaugural ball", "Black Tie & Boots gala to be Bush's Texas-sized victory party", "The 2019 Birmingham International Tattoo", "Sweet Success: The Debut of the Kilgore College Rangerettes", "Kilgore College mourning loss of Rangerettes' second director, Deana Bolton Covin", "Kilgore College Rangerettes to perform with Mariah Carey at Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade", "Home for the Holidays: Kilgore College Rangerettes plan Christmas shows", "Kilgore Rangerettes prepare for trip to New York City to perform in the Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade", "East Texas groups to perform during event marking Pearl Harbor attack", "90th Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade kicks off holiday season", "Victoria's Kilgore Rangerette performs in Pearl Harbor ceremony", "Rangerettes kick Kilgore economy up a notch during Revels", "Rangerette Revels set for April 1114 in Dodson Auditorium", "Rangerette Revels Tickets Going On Sale To Public March 26", "Zwick Foundation Gives $3.5 Million to Kilgore College for New Dormitory", "Kilgore Dedicates Davis Rangerette Dorm", "World-Famous Rangerettes to Perform at Tremblay Bowl", "Anonymous donor gives $1 million to Kilgore Rangerettes", "Transformational $3.5 million gift to endow Rangerettes scholarships", "Kilgore College student safe after escaping accused kidnapper", "Grand jury indicts woman in Rangerette kidnapping", "Victims in Kilgore Rangerette kidnapping file lawsuit seeking up to $1 million against suspect", "Rangerette kidnapping suspect gets April trial date", "Woman pleads guilty to 2016 Rangerette kidnapping, sentenced to 5 years", "Judge awards victims in Rangerette kidnapping $575K", "The Positively True Adventures of the Kilgore RangeretteKidnapping Mom", "The Texas Trademark: Flair for the Flamboyant", "Trouping the Colors for Gussie Nell Davis", "My Hometown: A True-Blue Rangerette Explains Why There's More to Kilgore Than Oil and the Drill Team", "Over the Hedge by T Lewis and Michael Fry", https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Kilgore_College_Rangerettes&oldid=1137238209, Dec 2021 - 80th Anniversary Pearl Harbor Memorial Ceremony, Honolulu, Hawaii, Nov 2021 - 95th Annual Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade, New York City, Nov 2018 - 92nd Annual Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade, New York City, Jan 2017 - Texas State Society Black Tie & Boots Ball, Washington, D.C., for the, Dec 2016 - 75th Anniversary Pearl Harbor Memorial Ceremony, Honolulu, Hawaii, Nov 2016 - 90th Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade, New York City, Jan 2013 - Texas State Society Black Tie & Boots Ball, Washington, D.C. for the. Maybe I am too young and maybe I am too ignorant, but until driving through East Texas, I had never heard of these Rangerettes. Classes at UT Tyler's Longview University Center, Community Education and Lifelong Learning Courses, KC Connection Dual Credit Tuition Discount, Industrial and Residential Electrical Technology, TRIO Educational Opportunity Center (EOC), TRUE Institutional Capacity Grant Program, Student Emergency Fund (T.L.L. "This is ridiculous! Privacy Policy. The organization created a unique combination of dance moves and precision drills that quickly earned them the reputation not only as the originators of dance/drill teams, but also as the best in the world. And for visitors who believe the star power cannot be contained to screens the size of a car window, there's a 60-person theater, too. We'll send you a couple of emails per month, filled with fascinating history facts that you can share with your friends. In fact, they were the very first dance drill team in America, founded in 1940 at Kilgore College to keep fans in their seats. "It helps me manage being under pressure. Which travel companies promote harmful wildlife activities? It just exploded.". If this is really the dungeon, wait 'til you see the "Taj Mahal." As Ginger gathers herself, Ashton takes over and describes the audition process: Each summer, "hopefuls" come to Kilgore for a grueling week -- often likened to military basic training. Cross your legs -- little etiquette things I grew up with.". The dean of the college then, Dr. B.E. You don't want to be the person to let that tradition fall.". Given that all team members must be able to wear the traditional Rangerette uniform plus the logistical requirements and financial constraints that Rangerettes share accommodations in the Gussie Nell Davis Rangerette Residence and while traveling, Rangerette tryouts are limited to female hopefuls only. If your number is on that sign: elation, and happy tears. Seventy-six years have slightly shortened the blue skirts, but otherwise, the uniforms have remained the same. She kneels and picks it up, holding it in her hand until a trash can is convenient. This is the room where many Rangerettes tried on those uniforms for the first time. The Rangerettes became a success early on despite criticisms of their uniforms featuring skirts above the knee, which by the 1960s had become much shorter. She hadn't even tried out yet, but something had "sparked" in her, and she couldn't imagine doing anything else. "[1] Davis countered, "that there was nothing wrong in learning self-confidence, discipline, cooperation, and the ability to perform precision dance, along with poise, etiquette, and personal grooming". The Kilgore College Rangerettes rehearse on the stage of Dodson Auditorium in Kilgore, Texas (Photo by Andrew Evans, National Geographic Traveler), The Rangerette Museum in Kilgore, Texas (Photo by Andrew Evans, National Geographic Traveler), Early Kilgore College Rangerettes from the 1940s (Kilgore College Rangerettes Museum & Showcase in Kilgore, Texas), The Kilgore College Rangerettes prepare for the spring dance review Revels. Kerr has also worked on spreading awareness and raising money for CRPS. And if they are fakin' it, while Naughton croons in the background, assistant director Shelley Wayne, a former Rangerette, will tell them so. Certain offices have extended evening hours and/or Friday hours. "But the Rangerettes stand out on their own. The Kilgore Rangerettes, the first women's precision drill team in the world, began in 1940 under the direction of Gussie Nell Davis, a physical-education teacher.The team was originally organized at the behest of Kilgore College president B. E. Masters to recruit more female students, to provide half-time shows during the football season, and to promote physical activities for women equal to . The Rangerettes began appearing throughout East Texas in "bond shows" in support of the war effort. Published by the Texas State Historical Association. Just to the left of the grand entrance hall is a common area filled with plush couches and enough Rangerettes memorabilia and photos to fill an Olympic-sized pool. This museum at Kilgore College is the best place to learn about the Rangerettes' storied history and how they truly changed . Horenstein [30][31] and Tracie Stanfield. The revenue generated by the shows make it one of Kilgore College's highest grossing events. The Rangerettes have historically been identified with one costume, made up of a blouse, arm gauntlets, a belt, and a short circular skirt, in red, white, and blue. "We always joke that you can see the hair on people's legs on that giant JumboTron," said Brooke Luna, the squad's captain. Kyogre is a popular and desired raid target in Pokmon Go.The Legendary Pokmon is the game's best water-type attacker and is sought after for most intense raiding teams. KV: A drill team is a group that performs to music, usually as halftime entertainment at football games. I cant imagine that someone would try out if she didnt want to follow long-standing rules. Blair's daughter escaped her captor a little over an hour later. Rows of Rangerettes charge forward, arms entwined, steadily kicking their legs past their foreheads to the beat of the music. ), no more, no more, fakin' it (kick!).". Daniel Kilgore was born in Kingsport, TN. Because if you're a Rangerette, it's rare you have time to do anything but maintain the tradition of the organization anyway. Experience this part of Kilgore's colorful past with a walk through the East Texas Oil Museum, then visit the World's Richest Acre Park to see Kilgore's one original and 12 restored oil derricks. Freddie Deloise Goosby Evans was the first-ever African American to high kick her way across the color line in East Texas when she was chosen as a member of the prestigious Kilgore College Rangerettes. KV: There's no height requirement, as some people have thought. A burst of disco and an instant mood-booster, the 1979 hit song has been used for the Rangerettes' practices basically since it came out. The girls were practicing a hip-hop number for the upcoming springtime review Rangerette Revels dipping low and then jumping high. We haven't found any reviews in the usual places. "No one else in the family understands," she says. They're a cult without the Kool-Aid. Rangerettes Forever is an alumni organization that participates in various support programs for the team. You may request a written evaluation from the end of Pre-Training to July 15, 2022. Since the 1970s they have taken six world tours, to South America, the Far East, Romania, France, Canada, and Japan. [44], Until the 1970s there were no African American members of the team. "It was always a mass exodus at the beginning of the third quarters," said McGregor's co-worker, Dicky Joyner, who was also the Kilgore College mascot in 1976. Kilgore College Rangerettes Performance, Kilgore, TXPublished by: Studio Glam Dance and Acrobatics, Lufkin, TX, http://StudioGlam.Dance, http://Facebook.com. Chip Gaines Bought Larry McMurtrys Historic Texas Bookstore. All rights reserved. Forrest Wilder writes about politics and the outdoors. (She made the team). They are just about as "Texas" as Jerry World itself. According to Barbara "Pill" Harmon, a 1965-67 Rangerette and a former assistant director, that standard was set by Davis. Success is mine, I've got the key, I'm makin' it, sings Naughton. Wearing their traditional red, white, and blue uniform, Rangerettes have exhibited anall-American image since 1940. "You're using every muscle. texasmonthly.com: Did you have a favorite Rangerette moment? P; M; W; Gussie Nell Davis was asked in 1940 to create a show for halftime that would keep fans in their seats, and thus, America's first drill team was born! You may attend annual pre-training and tryouts a maximum of two times, and you must meet the attendance criteria for Kilgore College. No. "When we say 'Yes ma'am, thank you,' we take that criticism and apply it to ourselves. Ginger looks around the room. Do freshmen Rangerettes have to try out again to become sophomore Rangerettes? It's currently managed by the Zwicks' company, Zwick Management, but will be handed over to the college in 2016. I had traveled to Kilgore to see the East Texas Oil Museuma fascinating tribute to the petrochemical wealth of East Texas and the boom that sprung serious life into this corner of the state. An affectionate, yet unsentimental and occasionally irreverent portrait, Kilgore Rangerettes beautifully conveys the timeless quality of this unique subculture of young American womanhood. The Kilgore College Rangerettes have traveled the world, performing in dozens of different countries and representing Texas in a way that no football team ever could: 71 young women, rigid with white smiles, wearing the mini-est of mini skirts, white boots and cowboy hats, dancing in lockstep. When out-of-towners flock to AT&T Stadium each year, says Dana Blair, they get a "little bit of Texas" when the Rangerettes perform, white-tasseled cowboy boots . "I don't want that to sound cocky. Imperfection is not tolerated. When the directors give instructions or criticism, Rangerettes have to respond with "Yes, ma'am, thank you. Said Emily Wendt, a member of the 2013-15 lines: "You can't expect your leg to hit your face every day and not have any repercussions. Masters brought Davis, who had established the "Flaming Flashes," a high school girls' drum and bugle corps in Greenville in 1928, to Kilgore and gave her a free hand in setting up the team. KV: Theres no height requirement, as some people have thought. For me, the real joy of travel lies in the sudden change of plansbecause the open road always delivers something far better than we could ever schedule. Zwick's daughter, Lauren Gibler, was also a Rangerette from 2007 to 2009. Can I receive an evaluation after pre-training. ", No matter, the Rangerettes have a perception issue: Nearly every piece of their literature depicts white Rangerettes. Dana Blair was born and raised in Dallas, Texas. All copyrighted materials included within the Handbook of Texas Online are in accordance with Title 17 U.S.C. texasmonthly.com: Why do you think the Rangerette traditions have endured for so long? You can't sweat away on the elliptical for three hours. Copyright 1996-2015 National Geographic SocietyCopyright 2015-2023 National Geographic Partners, LLC. The Kilgore College Rangerettes will kick, kick, kick at the Cotton Bowl for the 66th straight year while cling, cling, clinging to values that date to the 1940s. Alas, I had failed to call ahead and arrived to learn that the museum was closed for the day. He wanted something that would increase female enrollment at the college but would also keep fans in their seats during football half time shows instead of drinking alcohol under the stands. Coming to see the Rangerettes is largely why anybody would come to Kilgore, period. KV: I had about a day to write this story after I got back from tryouts, but that time pressure was probably better for me because the events were still fresh in my mind. Eighty Hopefuls tried out this year for a coveted position on the 81st Rangerette line. The Rangerettes portray a narrow image of beauty, especially when the program's diversity is evaluated alongside it. The Rangerette directors choose all new freshmen Rangerettes with assistance from the returning sophomore class. His introduction to the Rangerettes came by way of an assignment from Paris Match magazine to document Texas culture in the aftermath of the Kennedy assassination. Where was Daniel Kilgore born? Said Blair: "I think the football team would watch us practice and say, 'Yeah, that looks hard.' And once she arrived in Kilgore, her body proved the same. Many of the codes stress good mannersfor example, they are taught to smile and to say please and thank youbut the girls also learn to become conscious of the way they present themselves in public. Jack Rhodes gives his sister Caroline, right, of . Normally sixty-five students make up the team, but only forty-eight members actually perform at one time. Loudly. "[1] The Rangerettes selected their first black team member, Freddie Goosby Evans, in 1973,[45] and their first black officer, Briana McLaughlin, in 2012. She reaches for the tissue packet that has been passed around the room more than the Sunday collection plate. The assailant, Nancy Alice Motes, was arrested on a charge of aggravated kidnapping and released on $500,000 bond on December 30, 2016. Section 107 related to Copyright and Fair Use for Non-Profit educational institutions, which permits the Texas State Historical Association (TSHA), to utilize copyrighted materials to further scholarship, education, and inform the public. But beyond their flashy New Year's Eve performance, within their daily lives, the Rangerettes are a sisterhood, but more athletic. KC offices are open 8 a.m. to 5 p.m., Mon-Thurs, excluding holidays. The Kilgore College Rangerettes were founded by Gussie Nell Davis, a physical education instructor from Farmersville, Texas who had previously taken an all-girl's group called the "Flaming Flashes" from being a simple high school pep-squad to an elaborately performing drum and bugle corps in Greenville, Texas. Also, all Rangerettes are required to live on campus in the Gussie Nell Davis Rangerette Residence. Apparently, in order to join the elite dance drill team of Kilgore College, girls must be able to kick high enough to touch boot toe to the front brim of their white cowboy hats. ", Of course, by the 1970s, football had been around for decades. His work has received recognition from the prestigious Alfred Eisenstaedt Awards for Outstanding Magazine Photography. Kilgore Rangerettes, "You're a Kilgore College Rangerette every single day of your life, from here on, and forever. And yet despite the discipline and physical rigors of the corps, being a Rangerette is a great honor and the dream of many a young Texas girl. In addition to their 2-to-3-hour practices five days a week, each Rangerette has to go through two personal training sessions per week, plus three hours of cardio on her own. Today, its fair to say that the dance team outshines their own football team in a big way. For kick endurance, you can't run. "Football has always been secondary at football games around here. As the Rangerettes prep for their Cotton Bowl performance, their obsession with appearance is on high alert. Founded by Gussie Nell Davis in 1940 and now preparing for its 66th straight performance at the Cotton Bowl, the Rangerettes give Kilgore (population: 15,000) a reason to have a museum. The exhibit, housed in the college's physical education building, features costumes, props, and other memorabilia. "We'd love to have more diversity.". Forever beaming onto the rest of Kilgore College, the Rangerette mural throws her hands skyward in victory. Though I have now seen them practice in person, and have since watched countless clips of their spectacular routines, discovering the Kilgore College Rangerettes of East Texas has granted me another, new travel dreamthat someday, I might come back to Texas and watch the Rangerettes perform liveto find out for myself if they can really kick that high. The Rangerettes' legacy is one of longevity, ritual, and fanfare. They've congregated in their gym, nestled in the middle of this quiet junior college campus. I doubt any Texas Rangers, be they policeman or baseball players, could perform such a physical feat. Can we bring a species back from the brink? Whats Up With All the Kangaroos on the Loose in Texas? His recent books include Unseen and Personal Best. They're an exclusive club in which perfectly curled hair, high kicks, years of dance training, scuffed-up white boots and small-town pride all come together to form a team filled with what the Rangerettes deem "all-American girls." She was sentenced to two concurrent 5-year terms and had to serve at least half of her 5-year sentence before she was eligible for parole. accessed March 04, 2023, Kick!" I feel like I grew up with the poise of a Rangerette without her even having to tell me. And if not for oil, the Rangerettes themselves might not have formed 76 years ago. Lots and lots of tissues. KV: Organizations that are rooted in tradition tap into strong feelings that are tough to explain to outsiders. If you wish to use copyrighted material from this site for purposes of your own that go beyond fair use, you must obtain permission from the copyright owner. Instilling heat endurance and general athletic excellence is just one part of the self-confidence Rangerettes gain while they're in Kilgore. But noThe Kilgore College Rangerettes are a drill team. The TSHA makes every effort to conform to the principles of fair use and to comply with copyright law. The 110-degree Texas heat got to her on her first day out on the football field during her freshman year. Of course, both Ashton and her mother are crossing their legs. Jun 2, 2021. These skeletons may have the answer, Scientists are making advancements in birth controlfor men, Blood cleaning? When does spring start? Not only does being male disqualify me, but I would never make it past the first audition. There's a grill for the girls' chicken and tilapia. Intense training, discipline and constant practice make the Rangerettes one of the best precision dance teams in the world. Dressed in laced-up black boots, they practiced the same move over and over, stopping constantly for critique from their choreographer and director. You're only a Rangerette for two years, after all. Ask anyone from this east Texas town what their community is known for, and they'll tell you oil and the Rangerettes, and probably not even in that order. So began the Rangerettes, a precision drill team that was, at the time, unprecedented. The idea is to instill in them an ability to listen. KV: Rangerettes frequently use the term all-American girl to describe the teams ideal. She managed to get out a few words -- "Yes ma'am, thank you, emergency, I think I'm gonna die" -- before she passed out that day. Requests for evaluations after July 15th will not be honored. Many current Rangerettes are from Dallas, Austin, and Houston. "You have a weekend coming up, and I suggest you use that time to figure out how you're going to get your kick endurance up. Information regarding opportunities to apply for a manager, a manager/performer, or the voice position is available on the Rangerette.com website. This is the bubble: spotless, well-furnished, spacious, where all 72 Rangerettes live during the school year. Those reasons vary, but they all come back to the same overarching one: A Rangerette must be a lady. If you can find a Rangerette who doesn't cross her legs, or who doesn't call you 'ma'am' or 'sir,' you should go ahead and buy a lottery ticket -- your chances really are that low. Kick! Within this sweltering box of toiling emotions that is the Rangerettes' gym, a sign that seems bigger than the Texas sky drops with 36 numbers written on it. As she stared up at an empty AT&T Stadium, where more than 72,000 people would later file in, all Catherine could think about was the fact that this would be the biggest audience she'd ever danced in front of. The Rangerettes were the brainchild of the late Gussie Nell Davis, a figure whose legacy is venerated in Kilgore like a benevolent general in high heels and higher hair. Join us in our First Annual "Rette White & Blue" Virtual Race! Several sources have it as September 12, 1940,[3][18] but in an oral interview with Texas State University history professor Dan K. Utley, Davis confirmed the first performance date as September 19, 1940,[19] as does the book, A History of Kilgore College, 1935-1981. [53], The Rangerettes have been featured in articles in several media publications, including: Life Magazine,[54][55] Sports Illustrated,[56][57] Newsweek,[58] Esquire,[59] Texas Monthly,[60][61][62][63][3] The Saturday Evening Post,[64] Popular Mechanics,[65] and Texas Highways. "We really have to watch our smile and watch everything we do and just be aware that we can be on that huge screen at any point.". About 100 college-aged women congregate in the gym to see what their future will be. The tradition began in 1940 when Gussie Nell Davis started the Kilgore Rangerettes, the first precision dance team in the U.S. [39] The residence was completed in August 2006[40] for the 20062007 school year, and was formally dedicated in a ceremony a few months later. Jimmy Carters Peanut-and-Egg Taco Made Quite the Impression on San Antonians. This is the organization's second performance in an official military marching tattoo as they were featured in the Basel Tattoo in Basel, Switzerland, in the summer of 2018. Shelley is a former Rangerette Lieutenant and Swingster (1985-1987) originally from Houston who returned to Kilgore College after directing the Westfield High School drill team (Houston, TX) for one year. Kilgore was an insignificant dot on the map before oil was discovered in the 1930s. Can College Sports Get More Absurd Than SMU Joining the Pac-12? She grew up in Louisiana, but the family often made trips back to Kilgore. [9][10][11][12] They have taken several world tours since the 1970s, including South America, the Far East, Romania, France, Canada, Japan, Italy,[13][14] Switzerland,[15] England,[16] Scotland, and Ireland. Kilgore College Rangerette Abby Tirey talks about this year's first public performance, called "Showoffs," which takes place Saturday night at Dotson Auditorium. Those regulations are attempts to take looks out of the equation when choosing the team. She became the assistant director and choreographer to . The Rangerettes' performance, which will feature a prop performance with a giant horseshoe this year, has been as much a part of the Cotton Bowl as the actual football. 8,203 were here. Kilgore Rangerette Museum. The assailant kidnapped Blair's daughter, who at the time was a Freshman Rangerette. You take a billion-dollar industry like the NFL, and it's not like they wouldn't have figured out the value of halftime blowouts. Last April, participants raised $13,500. The Kilgore College Rangerettes will kick, kick, kick at the Cotton Bowl for the 66th straight year while cling, cling, clinging to values that date to the 1940s. ", "You don't get to wake up on Saturday morning and be a Rangerette and go out looking like crap," said Lainey Bergen, a member of the 2014-15 line. ", "And if you think about the first big blowout of a halftime show in the NFL, it was the '87 Super Bowl with Ray Charles. Katy Vine: I love writing about subcultures, and any institution that has a lengthy history and its own set of rules is a cultural jackpot. "Hopefuls" aren't allowed to wear makeup during the tryout process. And You Thought Feral Hogs Were Bad. She quickly enlisted the help of local oil millionaire Liggett Crim to pay for the Rangerettes' initial costs. Founded in Kilgore, Texas, in 1939-1940 by the incomparable Gussie Nell Davis, the Rangerettes have performed for national and international . KV: The sign-drop on Saturday of tryout week was amazing. Much of the population included the "roughnecks" of the oil industry and few families. Mrs. Blair seemed nice enough, but this was a drill team and she is their drill sergeant. Who do the Rangerettes perform for? We ask that you consider turning off your ad blocker so we can deliver you the best experience possible while you are here. In July 2005, the Zwick Foundation provided Kilgore College with a $3.5 million grant for design and construction of a new dormitory exclusively for use by the Rangerettes. ", "I've got looks, I've got brains, and I'm breakin' these chains (kick! "There's a difference there.". How a zoo break-in changed the life of an owl called Flaco, Naked mole rats are fertile until they die, study finds. There have already been buckets of tears shed in here, but on this day, more will come. There is no limit to the number of hopefuls who may attend pre-training and tryout for Rangerettes. Founded in Kilgore, Texas, in 1939-1940 by the incomparable Gussie Nell Davis, the Rangerettes have performed for national and international audiences, appearing frequently at events such as the Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade and major football bowl games across the nation, including the New Year's Cotton Bowl Classic in Dallas each year since 1951. The Rangerettes are legendary for a very good reason, and you can learn all about why when you visit their museum on Kilgore College's campus. A mans world? A group of "legacies" -- Rangerettes and their alumni family members -- are trying to describe this quirky, but transformative, organization. Elaborate kick line routines are the mainstay choreography of this dedicated corps of precision dancers and when visiting their shrine in East Texas, I watched dozens of video clips of the girls, arms linked, kicking so high, that they (to quote my brother), Make the Wehrmacht look like a bunch of pansies..