DUBOIS – AnĀ emotional message of civic pride and the need to encourage young women wasĀ presented by Kristie Gasbarre as part of the program for the DuBois AreaĀ Historical Societyās ninthĀ annualĀ spring luncheon. The luncheonĀ focused on āWomen in the Artsā in recognition of Womenās History Month.
ReturningĀ to her hometown, Gasbarre, a nationally known author, who currently resides inĀ Brooklyn, NY, spoke about her passion for DuBois, her struggles to succeedĀ and implored herĀ audience to encourage young women in their aspirations.
NotingĀ that several faculty members from her time at DuBois Catholic High School wereĀ in attendance, Gasbarre said, āI am part of thisĀ community. I want to be aĀ force for young women in this community.ā
Gasbarre earned aĀ Bachelorās degree in psychology from JohnĀ Carroll University in Cleveland, and a Masterās degree in public communication and mediaĀ studies from Fordham University in New York City.
Discovering she likedĀ writing, Gasbarre pursued work in the competitive publishing industry. She isĀ now is a freelance culture, lifestyle and relationship writer for nationalĀ consumer magazinesĀ and popular Web sites and authored a memoir āHow to Love an American Man:Ā Ā A True Story,ā published in 2011.
The book traces the year Gasbarre spent receiving love advice from herĀ grandma,Ā Gloria, in a way that’s transforming the way women of all ages andĀ relationship statuses are thinking about men . . . and womanhood.
SheĀ is also the co-author, along with Regina Calcateera, of the memoir āEtched inĀ Sand:Ā Ā A True Story of Five Siblings WhoĀ Survived an Unspeakable Childhood on Long Island.ā TheĀ book spent 16 weeks onĀ the New York Times Bestseller list.
RecallingĀ her struggles to succeed, Gasbarre asked her audience to pass along advice toĀ other young women. āI want them to know I got through it and know what I haveĀ accomplished inĀ my career,ā she said. āWhen you leave here and encounter aĀ young woman, look at her to see the intensity and power within her.ā
AnĀ additional part of the program focused on three DuBois natives who foundĀ success in the arts ā Selma (Bojalad) Ajami performed by Nikki Cherry; AnnĀ McCrea performed by AshleyĀ Simpson-Neiger; and Esther Hawkins performed byĀ Sharon Folmar.
Ajami (1909-90) was an opera singer of international fame. She graduated from DuBois High School in 1926 and studied composition and voice at the Cincinnati Conservatory of Music. During the 1920ās and 1930ās, she was coached in New York by Paul Althaus.
She had a contract with Columbia Records and traveled throughout the country on many concert tours. She sang āHansel and Gretelā at the White House at the invitation of Franklin D. and Eleanor Roosevelt.
In 1948, she moved to Caracas, Venezuela, where she halted her career to raise her family. At the request of many friends and fans, she resumed her musical study in Caracas and continued her opera and concert career. She moved back to the United States in 1961.
McCrea was born Ann McCreight in DuBoisĀ in 1931. She graduated from DuBois High School in 1948 and began her career asĀ Ā Ā in movies and television series through 1971.
Best known as Donna Reedās off-beat neighbor,Ā Midge Kelsey, on 60 episodes of TheĀ Donna Reed Show from 1963-66, she also appeared, non-credited, in the ElvisĀ Presley movie āGirls, Girls, Girls,ā and as Felicia in the John Wayne/KirkĀ Douglas 1967 western, āThe War Wagon.ā
She served on the board of directors ofĀ the Donna Reed Foundation for the Performing Arts and currently lives inĀ California.
HawkinsĀ (1928-2011) graduated from Altoona High School. She received her Bachelorās degree in musicĀ from Grove City College. She went on to do graduate work at Penn State and OhioĀ StateĀ Universities.
She began her teaching career at Juniata Valley and then cameĀ to DuBois in 1952, where she taught music in the junior and senior high schoolsĀ for 37 years.
For 11 years, she acted asĀ chairperson of the music department. SheĀ inaugurated the high school show choir, “The Dynamics,” andĀ established the custom of presenting Broadway musicals in the school systemĀ beginningĀ with “Annie Get Your Gun.” A festival for five area showĀ choirs saw fulfillment under her sponsorship.
In 1968, she was cited as DuBois’ Teacher of the Year by theĀ DuBois Area Education Association; was named an outstanding music educator in America in 1974; and was awarded the Citation of Excellence by the Pennsylvania Music Educators Association in 1987. For 13 years, she directed music for, or starred in, United Way musical productions.
The scriptsĀ for the performers were researched and written by Gene Aravich and BeecherĀ Klingensmith. Dave Clark recruited the actors and directed their performance.
The luncheon held at Christ LutheranĀ Church, DuBois, attracted a record setting crowd of 92 people. It was the third consecutive year the luncheon has topped 85 people in attendance.
DuBois Area Historical Society President Ruth Gregori provided the welcome and closing remarks. Todd Thompson, Society historian, gave the blessing.