List of Arkalalah themes

My former colleague Kathleen Anderson-McIntyre — we worked together at the Kansas City Kansan in the 1970s — has asked that I list the Arkalalah themes year by year. Kathleen also grew up in Ark City, and is a member of the ACHS Class of 1972. Her class is among those having a reunion this coming Arkalalah.

Following are the Arkalalah themes, identified by year, as provided to me by the Arkalalah Committee. (I'll list them through the '70s, and list the others in a later blog):

1928 — Under the Big Top; 1929 — Sunflower Garden; 1930 — Modernistic theme; 1931 — (no theme listed); 1932 — Halloween Theme; 1933 — Autumn Theme; 1934 — The Girl in the Clock; 1935 — (no theme listed); 1936 — (no theme listed); 1937 — Southern mansion stage background; 1938 — Good Neighbor; 1939 — From the Land of Enchantment, to the Land of Make Believe, to the Land of Now; 1940 — 70th Anniversary of the Founding of Arkansas City; 1942 Miss Liberty Bell. (Arkalalah was discontinued for several years during World War II.)

1946 — It's a Queen's Town Tonight; 1947 — Awetomic Age; 1948 — Fun, Frolic and Mystery; 1949 — (no theme listed); 1950 — (no theme listed); 1951 — Arkalalah Meody; 1952 — Indians and Pioneer Theme "???:"; 1953 — Opening of the Cherokee Strip Run "???"; 1954 — Chilocco's 70th Anniversary; 1955 — Santa Fe's 75th birrthday; 1956 — Silver Jubilee (25th anniversary); 1957 — International Friendship & Goodwill; 1958 — No Theme; 1959 — Far Away Places.

1960 — Ninety Years of Progress; 1961 — Centennial Arkalalah "My State, My Kansas 1861-1961"; 1962 — Out of This World; 1963 — Harvest Hoopalalah; 1964 — Coronation Time, 1964 Mardi Gras; 1965 — Arkalalah Hallabaloo; 1966 — Arkalalah Carnival; 1967 — (no theme listed); 1968 — Fantasies, Fairy Tales; 1969 — Haunters Holiday; 1970 — Halloween Moon Walk; 1971 — Panorama 100, 100 Years of A.C. History; 1972 — Witches Holiday; 1973 — Halloween Masquerade; 1974 — Hullabuloo; 1975 — Up with People; 1976 — Heritage in Harmony; 1977 — Autumn Jubilee; 1978 — Halloween Homecoming; 1979 — '70s in Review.