The 44th Annual Alpha Rho Tau 2011 Art Festival, a southern Missouri high school visual arts exhibition and competition, will be hosted by  Willow Springs High School at the Munford Gymnasium on May 6 and May 7, 2011. An awards assembly will be held Friday, May 6, at 11 a.m. This exhibit will be open to the public: Thursday, May 5, 8 a.m. to 4 p.m., Friday, May 6, 11 a.m. to 5 p.m., and Saturday, May 7, 9 a.m. to 11 a.m.

This exhibit showcases the artwork of high school art students in smaller south central Missouri rural schools. Thirty schools have been invited to exhibit work. Mr. McGarry promised, “You will be very impressed with the quality of artwork presented in this show.”

The exhibit is broken down into 55 2-D, 3-D, and video technology categories with many ribbons and honors presented. The judges will be Bill Trotter of Cabool, Dawn King of Pomona, Arlene Arnold of Mnt. View and Sherry Brannon of Willow Springs. All judges are art teachers or artists practicing their crafts at a professional level.

Alpha Rho Tau was formed by a group of teachers and students from Willow Springs High on March 8, 1968. Here is how that came about over a period of time. After two years of membership in the Springfield District Art Association, the Willow Springs Alpha Rho Tau Club made plans to organize an art show in the south central part of Missouri for area smaller schools. Plans brewed for two years while a committee explored the possibilities and the interest in the area. Finally, early in the fall of 1967 questionnaires went out to eleven schools and their art teachers. Correspondence continued until, choosing a date, the Willow Springs club acted as a host for the district art show. Posting nearly two hundred pictures and objects, selecting judges, appointing guides, and buying trophies became a mammoth task. Seven of the eleven schools brought exhibits, and the library and halls of WSHS became an art gallery complete with fountains and ferns. No team championship was given at the first, unofficial contest. The district organization got off the ground on March 8, 1968, with a business meeting, electing officers, adopting a constitution, and accepting Houston High School’s offer to host the 1969 show. Mrs. Marie Booth suggested the name: Alpha Rho Tau, the Greek initials for ART.

The show has grown to include 15 or more area schools and thousands of works of art. Community businesses and school administrators present ribbons or other rewards. Mr. McGarry said, “If you need inspiration, this show is sure to offer something for everyone. Thank you for supporting the visual arts in your community.”