Bronson (Dorothy) Memorial Scholarship
For area high school students to attend summer camp for the study of art, music, dance or theater
Area high school students are eligible to receive Dorothy Bronson Memorial Scholarships through the summer following high school graduation. OTCF Scholarship Committee determines recipients and amount of awards. Recipients may receive these funds one time only.
Deadline for application and supporting documents is April 1st.
After spring scholarships are granted, remaining funds may be made available as scholarships for other humanities-related programs.
To apply for the Dorothy Bronson Memorial Scholarship, please submit the following:
- Application form (please download and print application below)
- Letter of recommendation from the applicant’s instructor
- Proof of applicant’s acceptance at an art, music, dance, or theater camp
Send completed application to:
Oregon Trail Community Foundation
Scholarship Committee
P.O. Box 1344
Scottsbluff, NE 69361
Dorothy Bronson
Born in Kansas City, Mo., in 1901, Bronson kicked off her teaching career in the Panhandle when she opened a music studio on 17th and Broadway in Scottsbluff in 1930. The studio operated in the middle of the Depression era and she was offering her lessons for 25 cents per session.
Later, Bronson uprooted her studio and moved it to Mitchell, where she began teaching piano and voice lessons out of her home. It was here students from as far away as Torrington, Wyo., honed their crooning and ivory-tickling skills.
Bronson was steadfast in ingraining the art of performance in each of her students, firmly encouraging them to use appropriate facial expressions and proper bowing technique.“In my studio, everyone was a star,” she said in character. “Why do anything if you aren’t going to make it grand?”
Through the singing groups she established, Bronson offered her students the chance to see the world. Bronson’s pupils not only performed patriotic numbers at local charity events, they belted popular show tunes in distant states, such as Florida, California and Hawaii as well as international venues in Mexico, Europe and Asia.
She loved teaching and learning about the cultures of other countries. Her teaching extended beyond the notes and staff paper. Bronson also taught her students how to serve others and relate to people.
Bronson’s students could often be seen serving the refreshments at their own concerts. “If you can’t relate to people, how are you going to relate the music to people?” she said in character.
