TALKING WITH MOM - Miss Barbara Foote, 18, Caribou, Maine's Junior Miss, and second runner-up in America's Junior Miss Pageant at Mobile, Ala., Friday, has such a tight schedule this week that she keeps in touch with her mother by phone on when she'll be home for meals. (NEWS Photo by Voscar)
By OSCAR NELDER
CARIBOU -- A pretty, but very, very tired high school senior returned to her classes et Caribou High School Monday, but slept through several of them. Miss Barbara Foote, 18, Maine's Junior Miss, and second runner-up in the American Junior Miss Pageant at Mobile, Ala., Friday, said she was unable Monday to stay awake in class. She just put her head down on her desk and slept.
During her study period, while trying to "rest her eyes," and sitting with her head an her desk, one of the teachers tapped Barbara on the shoulder and Barbara said to herself, "Oh, oh, now I'm going to get it."
But the understanding teacher handed Barbara a note regarding a telephone call for her, and said,''Go back to sleep, Barbara."
Two classmates were overheard talking later. "Poor Barbara, she's so tired," one said.
Barbara had returned home from Mobile, Ala., about mid-night Sunday night to face a cheering throng of Caribou folk who had formed a caravan to meet her at the Presque Isle Municipal Airport. She had been expected earlier and a reception was planned in Caribou.
The reception went off as planned and Barbara didn't get to bed until after 3 a.m.
She said she got up early Monday morning to attend band rehearsal--music being one of her favorite subjects--to learn that her instrument was in Bangor being repaired.
Commenting on the winner of America's Junior Miss title, Miss Patrice Gaunder of Michigan, Barbara said "She was perfect. She was so dignified and poised. We all knew she was going to win."
Flowers are still pouring into the Foote home along with congratulatory letters and telegrams. She has invitations to speak at local clubs, the Caribou Kiwanis Club Monday and the Presque Isle Kiwanis Club Tuesday, more receptions are being planned, and the chairman of the town council, Kenneth Ginn, read a proclamation declaring this week "Barbara Foote Week" in Caribou.
In spite of hectic schedules, little to eat and little sleep for more that a week while at Mobile, Barbara said she enjoyed every minute of it. "We signed autographs, our pictures were taken, we took pictures, and rehearsal after rehearsal was held."
Governor John H. Reed sent his plane to Boston, Mass., with her parents, Mr. and Mrs. Oden Foote and Kenneth Wyman, chairman of the Maine Junior Miss Pageant, on board. Barbara hadn't
planned to leave Mobile, Ala., until Monday and when her parents phoned from Logan International Airport at Boston, she was able to get a plane from Mobile to Atlanta, Ga., and then a cancellation to Boston.
She was finally able to get some thing to eat on the flight from Atlanta. Barbara said: "I tore that Cornish hen to shreds."
There was no heat on the state plane from Boston to Presque Isle and Barbara said she nearly froze her feet. Barbara had said to her mother during the flight, "How are we going to get home, we don't have a car at Presque Isle." She hadn't counted on the 30 car caravan.
An honor student, Barbara's big concern Monday evening was making up seven days of school work. She carried home a huge stack of books, but after thinking about it for a minute, she said, "I'm just too tired, I'm going to take a bath and go to bed."