A Tale of Two Proms, Forty One Years Apart (Part II)

So you heard how prom went in 1969 – now a guest blog from my sister Bonnie about her daughter’s prom held a few weeks ago in San Francisco.

Ahhhh, prom season has arrived and all that it entails. I was lucky enough to have two daughters who “allowed” me to indulge my girlie side and accompany them to try on dresses, select accessories, and of course, pay for said items. Fortunately, I was also privileged to hold the pre-prom party for each of the girls and their myriad of prom-going friends.

While I attended my senior prom in my high school commons, the couples and singles attending the prom in our area of California go out of town to a swanky place for the event; our Rosie girl (fuschia dress above) was to join 750 of her classmates at San Francisco City Hall and arrive there via a limousine built for 10. (Annie once traveled to prom on a tricked-out limo/bus that held 24!) Those traveling in Rosie’s limo and their parents received invitations by mail to a soiree held at our home to enjoy light snacks and non-alcoholic drinks, and take photos to their heart’s content. It was fun to see the beautiful girls, suddenly all grown up in their updos and jewel-encrusted gowns, and the boys dressed to the nines, holding doors and champagne flutes with aplomb. Our al fresco buffet consisted of an assortment of cheeses, tropical fruit kebabs, homemade baby quiches, shrimp cocktail, mozzarella/tomato/olive skewers, and various sweet treats. We all enjoyed the beauty of the evening, the views, and especially the kids getting a kick out of how fabulous they were. The photos continued until they boarded the limo, with some folks climbing aboard for that special shot! I was so thrilled to see Rosie looking so happy, silly and beautiful. Best of all, just as she entered her carriage, I saw Rosie scanning the crowd to find me, gave me a soft smile, and a really sweet, “Bye, Mom!” Mom - best job ever.

A Tale of Two Proms, Forty One Years Apart (Part I)

I have a treat for you – not one but two prom stories. One from my youth and a current one from my sister Bonnie about my niece Rosie and her very recent prom. I know there is that old adage “the more things change, the more they stay the same” but I am here to tell you, in the case of Prom Night THAT JUST IS NOT TRUE. I am pretty sure no teen of today would trade their prom for what we experienced in 1969.

I attended a very small high school – only 76 people in my class and we did not have a traditional prom. We had what was called “The Sophomore-Senior Farewell” which really only meant the sophomores had to do all the work in putting on the prom for the juniors and seniors. The sophomores were allowed to attend, but first they had to pull it all together.

Here is how it went – you found yourself a date, you went shopping at the local mall for a dress (none of this going to Chicago or NYC for a dress or having one custom-made like they do now). In my day “custom” meant you sewed it yourself in Home Ec class. But that is beside the point. You told the boy what color your dress was, even if he didn’t ask, so you could make him aware he needed to buy you a corsage and you hoped and prayed that he (or his mom) came up with something nice, not a gigantic thing of carnations that went up to your elbow. We all wanted a “nosegay.” They cost a little more and they were all the rage. I was lucky enough to have a good date who bought me a daisy and yellow rose nosegay when I was a sophomore and I spent the entire day of the dance opening the refrigerator so I could stare at it!

Your date did not wear a tux, just a sport coat and tie and he arrived at your house in whatever vehicle he could borrow. LIMOS were unheard of in Lorain, OH. If there were any, they were used for funerals only. Your mom took your photo, you met your friends and went to dinner in town, (usually at Perkins or Big Boy) where you were very conscious not to order anything pricey in case the boy didn’t have enough money.

You went to the dance. You had a choice – slow dance or fast dance, nothing “dirty” about it. Then, you went home unless you had a really good date who took you out to eat again at Big Boy. NO AFTERPARTY, NO COED SLEEPOVERS, NO BRUNCHES –
just back home to bed where you could dream about the evening.

I have some very good memories like dancing the last dance to “A Summer Place”-“where it may rain or storm, but I’m safe and warm” – And that’s how it was!

Read later this week for a special story about my niece’s fabulous 2010 prom!

Afterprom, Oh What a Night!

Did you ever think about how the weather affects your mood and your thought process? It is mid May and today in upstate New York we are having a clear, pretty day. We have had a tough winter and are eagerly anticipating the warm weather.

When I think of spring, my mind often goes to my kids’ high school years and the work the parents did on “afterprom.” Each year there would be a different theme and our high school would be transformed. It was an event designed to provide a fun place for the students to come after the prom – you know instead of going to a hotel room and drinking alcohol supplied by someone’s older sibling.

The first year our theme was old movies and we were assigned “Blazing Saddles.” I collected my friends and we gathered everything we could think of to transform our small classroom into a western diner. Hosting a “food room” was the most fun since the kids were always hungry which meant we were busy all night – and I mean all night since the event ran from midnight until 5:00 a.m.

With my design background and my love of telling other people what to do, I always was the room leader. We decorated the entire lower half of the room with cardboard drapery tubes to simulate logs. On the top half, we hung western artifacts, including a map of the West my friend Sue and I made in my garage. We burned the edges to make it look authentic (like the opening of that old show Bonanza) and both my garage and Wyoming almost went up in smoke.

Our tablecloths were white sheets painted to look like “cow hide” with black splotches of paint we applied using a potato dipped in paint. I made us aprons with stenciled horses and we all wore cowboy hats and kerchiefs too.

The following years included rooms done up like Italy (countries theme) and a wedding reception (special days theme). I think the concept of “afterprom” still exists and I am sure the parents still enjoy it even more than the kids.I know it is prom season - so if you are in the mood for reminiscing, send your prom stories to beckybarras@hotmail.com or leave a comment on the blog.

*Becky Knows Everything: Our menu included pork spareribs and coleslaw. Find the recipes in an upcoming blogs.