The Prom

Some high schools have established the pattern of a great big wonderful senior prom that students “will remember for the rest of their lives.” Some of these proms are planned to end officially around midnight or a little later. Then frequently, seniors drive across the county to an exciting spot for food and dancing or entertainment and prolong the evening as long as possible. In some communities the all-night prom has become a tradition.

The All-Night Prom

The all-night prom can be a gala event, or it can be a nightmare. The difference lies in how well it has been planned and how responsibly it is carried through. If it’s not well organized, it may get into the hands of the most scatterbrained members of the class, who then use it as an opportunity to drive recklessly, drink, carouse, and destroy property as well as their reputations. The wild night ends up as anything but a pleasant memory.

If the all-night prom night is planned in detail by those who want young people to have a good time, it can be a huge success. In some towns one of the men’s service clubs offers to work with the senior class in programming the night’s entertainment. There are various possibilities for safe fun: They can all go on to a community hall for a series of acts with imported name entertainers as well as local talent. There may be a splash party at the pool. Sometimes a bowling match is scheduled for part of the night. Or folk dancing follows an evening of ballroom dancing. Whatever the activities, they are planned well ahead of time, with responsibilities allocated for keeping the fun rolling rather than degenerating.

The all-night prom usually ends with a big breakfast before everyone goes yawning home to bed. In one town, the church women got up at four in the morning to prepare sausage and pancakes for seniors as the grand climax to their night of fun. The ladies of the church preferred this to having their teenagers roam the country roads late at night looking for a place to eat.

Planning the Prom

Planning the senior prom should be the responsibility of the seniors themselves. Adults may help, but they should not take the party away from the young people if it’s to be a success. Seniors and adults in charge have a responsibility to plan the kind of party that will be of interest to every member of the class. If, for instance, there are some boys and girls who don’t enjoy dancing, alternative activities should be provided. Otherwise only certain members of the class get to enjoy what all are entitled to; and there’s a danger then of the bored guests wandering off into the night in search of fun elsewhere.

In any given community where the senior prom is up for discussion, the questions of how long it should last and what activities shall be included must be tackled. Finding and eliciting the help of interested men and women is the first step in attempting to broaden the scope of the senior prom. With their help, and with the permission of school authorities, the whole town will welcome the affair. But without the encouragement, assistance, and supervision of respected and respectable adults, the after-prom activities may turn out to be a great disappointment or a community headache.

WHAT MAKES THE DIFFERENCE

Late hours are not the only problem in dating. One group of kids may stay up all night singing around the piano or folk dancing at the community center and have a wonderful time. Another group may be home before midnight, but with memories that shame and burn the rest of their lives. The difference is not in the hours that were kept, but in what happened and how the persons involved felt about it.

Hours that young people keep are important—for theirreputations, if for nothing else. Other people besides the dating pair are concerned with late dates. Teachers have a right to be disturbed if students fail to keep up in their work. Neighbors are usually critical. Parents certainly have an interest in their children’s activities and hours. It is a concern for teen-agers too. For the youngster who is not having much fun is usually the one trying to prolong the evening in a desperate effort to make it a good time. If he gets too far out of line, he may give the whole crowd a black eye in the community.

SUMMING UP

Fellows and girls who want to earn and keep good reputations get home at reasonable hours. They recognize that the adults responsible for them have a right to know where they are going and what time they may be expected home, and they then make a real effort to get back as per agreement. A telephone call home in case of emergency will take care of an unexpected delay and secure help if it is needed. Otherwise getting home at a reasonable hour from dates just makes good sense.