I was a freshman at Skidmore College when the governor of Hawai'i, William Quinn, chose me to represent our new state as its 1959 Cherry Blossom Princess to the Cherry Blossom Festival in Washington, D.C. Each year before 1959 and since, in the spring when the cherry blossoms are in full bloom, Washington, D.C., puts on this celebration. Young ladies are chosen from all of the states and U.S. territories to form a court of Cherry Blossom Festival princesses. In my case, I was the first princess from the State of Hawai'i.
At the first event, John Burns, the Territory of Hawai'i's Delegate to Congress, later the first elected governor, was my escort. Festivities included this opening ceremony and reception, presence at a National League baseball game, participation in a parade, a reception given by the Hawai'i delegation, a tea with Pearl Mesta, the grande socialite of the city, and a ball.
In addition to these activities, the princess from the newly created state of Alaska and I were invited to be present at a large Republican meeting to be introduced to President Dwight Eisenhower. The night before, in anticipation of this meeting, I made a lei for the president out of spring daffodils. The gal from Alaska and I were introduced to the president on stage. I was freezing in a sleeveless cotton holoku, standing next to the gal from Alaska perspiring in full Eskimo outfit! I removed the lei from around my neck and moved to place it on the president. Immediately, the Secret Service was upon us. Fortunately the president understood what I was doing and waved the Secret Service away and accepted my lei.
It was quite an experience for a young woman of 18, but it did not end in Washington, D.C. The next day (this was sometime in March 1959), across the nation, every major newspaper carried the photo of the president surrounded by the two princesses from the two new states. I believe even The Honolulu Advertiser displayed the photo on its front cover, much to the surprise of my parents, Herbert and Doris Keppeler, in Honolulu and my brother, Bruss Keppeler, in Seattle, Wash.
Hawai'i, of course, did not officially celebrate the statehood until August 1959, and because Alaska had beaten us to the gate, the State Fair was changed from the 49th State Fair to the 50th!
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