The 1949 Christmas season opened in Stanly County on Dec. 1. According to Stanly News & Press accounts, the day’s events started with a mile-and-a-half-long parade that included 60 entrees. Some of the floats included each of the young ladies, representing the 11 high schools in the county, which were participating in a contest in hopes of becoming Miss Merry Christmas. The Kingville High School float, shown in today’s picture, depicted the “March of Progress in Education in Albemarle and Stanly County.” It was judged the best of the school entries. (Kingville had won the previous year as well.) The celebration ended that evening with a Coronation Ball at the armory on North Third Street. Nationally known Big Band leader Charlie Spivak and his orchestra provided the entertainment and Miss Joan Caudle of Endy was crowned Miss Merry Christmas during intermission. On a side note, it was estimated that a record number of 35,000 spectators were in attendance for the parade, which was the largest known crowd to attend a parade in Stanly County up to that time. {Lewis Bramlett – Stanly County Historical Society}