Nevada County Picayune and Gurdon Times Newspaper Archive

Rotarians Updated On Girls' State

Life at Girls' State was the topic of the day for Gurdon's Rotary Club Thursday, June 20.

The four girls from Gurdon High School who attended, Melinda Wilson, Wendy Warren, Amanda Calley and Cassidy Allen, gave their impressions of Girls' State.

Wilson, acting as the lead speaker, said the purpose of Girls' State was to increase knowledge of how government and the electoral process.

She said those attending were separated into two parties, the Federalists and the Nationalists.

Wilson, as a Federalist, ran for city clerk against a Nationalist and won. Her duties, as clerk, was to take a head count of those attending the various functions.

Apparently, though, there was one drawback -- all girls attending had to wear baseball-style caps whenever they weren't in their dorms at Harding University in Searcy.

Lt. Gov. Mike Huckabee was one of the featured speakers at the function. While in high school in Hope, Huckabee was elected as governor of Boys' State.

Warren said she was honored to be selected to attend Girls' State as a representative from Gurdon.

"We learned the basics for community leadership," she said.

Warren was elected alderman of the fictitious city she represented.

She said others who spoke at Girls' State included Secretary of State Sharon Priest, Attorney General Winston Bryant, state senator Lu Hardin, along with Huckabee.

There was also plenty of entertainment, Warren told the Rotary members.

"The best part," she said, "was making lasting friendships and memories for life."

Calley was nervous when she arrived, but soon learned she had a good roommate.

In fact she learned how small the state really is, as she ran into a friend she hadn't seen for three years while at Girls' State. This friend was rooming two doors down from Calley in the dorm.

"The state rally was really exciting," she said, "and we were all pumped up. The parties were competitive with each other."

Calley sought and won the post of city attorney.

"It was a great experience," she said. "I was lucky to go."

Allen, last but not least, also said it was a great opportunity for the four of them.

Her trip began a little different than the other three. All girls attending the event had to get physicals before they went.

Allen's physical turned up a throat infection she didn't know about. She was given antibiotics by her doctor, but wound up with a sore throat the next day.

"Things got better," she said. "I made a lot of friends."

Allen was elected as city alderman from the Federalist party.

She had a plan for the hats all there had to wear. Allen said she "lost" hers, but those who planned Girls' State were always ready with another one for anyone who "misplaced" their cap.

"I had a good time," she said. "The inauguration was great. But the best thing was the friends we made there."