[Leica] Preparing for the "prom"

[dlridings at gmail.com (Daniel Ridings)]

Don,
I think it might be something similar to dances I remember in the
midwest (cornbelt). The "Homecoming". I'm talking about the 60'ies
here.

The significance goes back to the time when not everyone could get in
to high school (or even wanted to). Back to the time when you could
actually get a job at 16, when the west had industries offering plenty
of employment with on the job training (Volvo, SKF, SAAB, Ericson,
building industry, etc).

Back in those days the 9th grade was the last year of school for a lot
of people. My guess is that we're talking about the time up to the
50'ies and a good deal into the 60'ies. After that, we had a school
reform.

It's not a boy/girl/couple thing. Everyone is welcome (even at the
prom when they finish high school ... it's not a ball where you get
asked to go. Everyone goes and if you didn't come with a partner, and
most don't, then there's a lottery to match you up with someone for
the evening so you can pull out chairs and practise being a
gentleman).

Thanks for your reply, Don.

Best,
Daniel

On 6/21/05, Don Dory <don.dory@gmail.com> wrote:
> Daniel,
> It is fascinating how different societies handle growing up.  In the
> public schools of the U.S. there is no great importance placed on
> moving out of middle school.  The big deal is Jr/Sr Prom as you
> mentioned.
> 
> In my circle however, a very similar event is held.  They call it the
> PDC Dance (Piedmont Driving Club on whose property the dance is held).
>  It is a series of four "debutants" for ninth and tenth graders.  Two
> of many things that make it very interesting is that the girls ask the
> boys, and the chaperones go to great lengths to introduce the
> youngsters to how formal events transpire.  You know the drill,
> recieving lines, formal eating rituals, protocol, circulating among
> the other guests.
> 
> The documentation of you daughter reminds me very much of the woman in
> Kansas City who as a PAW did a daily image of her daughter during her
> senior year.  Very nice work indeed.
> 
> Don
> don.dory@gmail.com
> 
> On 6/20/05, Daniel Ridings <dlridings@gmail.com> wrote:
> > In Sweden, and probably many other countries around here, the "junior
> > high school" is from grades 7 (sometimes 6) to grade 9. Once you leave
> > grade 9, you are starting to go out into the world. You have to apply
> > to get into high school (just about everyone makes it) but if your
> > grades aren't good enough, you might not get into the high school
> > (gymnasium) that you want. Something like college.
> >
> > Anyway, it's a fairly big deal to finish 9th grade. The last week
> > there is a ball (not a prom, but basically the same thing with formal
> > dress etc). It's a happy, yet slightly sad occasion. It's the last
> > time the whole class will ever be gathered. Some of these kids have
> > been together since day-care center days.
> >
> > Anyway ... this "prom". I missed it since it happened when I was away.
> > But the preparations start long in advance. Ewa sewed the gown, she
> > practised make-up ... time and time again (not to mention the shoes,
> > shoes -- that took weeks).
> >
> > http://gallery.leica-users.org/album13/05v23_0004
> >
> > and sewing the gown:
> >
> > http://gallery.leica-users.org/Square-stuff/05v23_0007
> >
> > In the lower left-hand corner of the Rollei shot you'll see a very
> > typical flaw in the design of Rolleis. If the shot before has a lot of
> > bright sky in the upper half (that's where the sky tends to end up),
> > the light reflects off of the chrome roller bar that the film travels
> > over and reflects into the next frame, ruining it. Happens on every
> > Rollei I've used (2 Rolleicords and 2 Rolleiflexes).
> >
> > Best,
> > Daniel
> >
> >
> > _______________________________________________
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> >
> 
> 
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