By Michael Motes

A pert, well-traveled young lass from College Park who sings in the folk group at Saint John the Evangelist parish, manipulates firearms with ease and speaks French fluently enough to instruct her fellow classmates has been selected as a finalist in the annual Miss Georgia Teenager Pageant.

The long-haired Miss (or Ms.) is 16-year-old Patty Guess, the daughter of Mr. and Mrs. Dallas Guess of College Park. On March 9 she will be among the young belles of the state competing for the Miss Georgia Teenager Crown at the Grand Opera House in Macon. The Macon competition is a stepping stone to the Miss National Teenager Pageant, which will be held in Atlanta on August 31.

Recalling her reaction to receiving word that she had been selected as a finalist in the state-wide contest, Patty said, “I was sort of shocked. It’s an experience every girl would want to have.”

Patty’s sister Kitty, a 15-year-old student at the Academy of the Holy Name in Tampa, Florida, had a similar experience last year when she was second runner up in the essay portion of the Miss Teenage Georgia Pageant.

Finalists for the pageant are selected after a panel of judges picked by the National Teenager Company, an Atlanta based firm which originated the competition three years ago, has examined application blanks, photographs and written essays. The subject of this year’s essay was “What’s Right With America?”

Contestants are judged on scholastic achievement, leadership, poise and personality and beauty. There is no swimsuit or talent competition. The finalists will recite a 100-word essay in Macon on the same topic on which they wrote when entering the contest.

Patty’s mother, Judy Guess, who serves as scouting coordinator at Saint John the Evangelist, is excited about her daughter’s most recent honor.

“We are very proud of Patty and our other children,” she said. “We think we have a very wonderful family. Patty seems more excited about the trip and being with the other girls than actually winning. Her attitude is very typical of how she feels about everything. She enjoys being with other people and does not worry about trying to be the best at everything she undertakes.”

To date, however, Patty has proven that she excels in many areas. She is an A student in the junior class at M.D. Collins High School, where she is a member of the Beta Club and drill team and fluent enough in French to help conduct classes.

Patty is also active in scouting (her father is parish cub scout master) and holds the Archbishop’s Marian Award for Scouting.

Before she was 12 years old Patty convinced her parents that she was mature enough to travel abroad and went to live with her aunt, Patricia Parish Kemper of Hapeville, who was serving as consulate general at the American Embassy in Tel Aviv. During the year she lived in Israel Patty visited Rome and other European cities during her holidays from a private school at the American Embassy.

As a member of the youth group at Saint John the Evangelist, Patty sings at folk Masses and devotes free time to working with underprivileged children.

Asked about her unusual hobby of collecting rifles and pistols and target shooting, Patty said, “I think everyone should know how to properly use firearms.” She enjoys target competition and has been known to surpass male competitors in marksmanship.

Her parents are avid gun collectors and Patty was first exposed to the use of a Derringer at the age of two. As a member of the Westerners, a performing group her parents formed over 10 years ago, Patty has participated in western shows and staged “shoot outs” for the entertainment of many groups, including children at the Scottish Rite Hospital.

Concerning a career, Patty has not yet decided between teaching or law. Her year in diplomatic circles with her aunt has inspired her to a possible career with the State Department. She finds the study of government interesting and feels that “many people in the world are treated unjustly.

But Patty’s mother related that the youngster has always had three major ambitions in life. She wants to own a ranch in Arizona, raise German Shepherd dogs and be the first woman president of the United States.

With Patty’s past record of accomplishments, who knows?