A renewed effort to stage a Winter Carnival in St. Paul based on the pageantry of the English Royalty, began in 1937. Dorothy Arneberg was chosen as the 17th Queen of the Snows in 1955 (due to a hiatus during WWII.) She was honored and enjoyed her reign and all the new friends she made. She had been a participant even as a child. Even after her reign she faithfully attended functions to which she was invited (and even those open to the public). There she often met other 'past' queens.
By 1958 she was told by the General Manager & Board of Directors that the former Queens would not receive recognition until they became organized. She was aware that Boreas, Vulcan, Winds, and Primes all had 'organizations' and that she would like to get to know other past Queens better. Newly married and with a firstborn son, she invited the other queens to her apartment for "Tea". She suggested they form an organization and they voted to name it "The Former Queens".
The first several years were rocky. They elected a President, Secretary & Treasurer and met each year during Carnival for a 'dutch treat lunch' to invite the most recent 'Former' Queen into their organization. They soon began having 'High Tea' at a hotel ballroom and inviting other guests.
By 1960 they found a sponsor with 'Green Stamps' but were chagrined to arrive at the St. Paul Hotel to find the room filled with Green Stamp logos. Even the cake was decorated with Green stamp ads. (At the time the St. Paul Hotel had the Queens Portraits lining the hall leading to the ballroom.) Within a couple of years Helen Duffy Murphy (Queen in '47) invited the group to have the Tea at her home on Summit Ave.
It wasn't long before the Tea became a place to host the new candidates for Queen, and over 100 guests were crowded into the space. Forty three years later Helen and Dick Murphy (Prime Minister in '63) are still having High Tea at their home. It is one of the few Carnival events that is by invitation only and costs nothing to attend.
In addition to the well-known annual High Tea, the Former Queens engage in many activities in service to the community, have productive montly meetings, support the reigning Queen, participate in various SPFHF committees and Boards and have been a major supporter of the Children's Home Society and Family Services.