Children's silliness or important side effect?

Only the wealthier teens can afford to go to prom these days:

http://money.cnn.com/2011/06/16/pf/cost_of_prom/index.htm?iid=Popular

When I finished high school, we had our prom in the gym, decorated it ourselves, and were driven by our dates in their parents cars. A local band provided the music.

The after-prom party my senior years was at my home, hosted by my parents.

My parents had already had to pay for a ball gown for me to wear to an event in neighboring Beaumont that spring, so I wore it to the prom.

The fun was about being together to celebrate finishing school. Everybody was able to attend.

Ann

Sadly my school never had a prom or even an end of term party.
We were so keen to get out of that institution that on the last day we were all out before the end of day bell went. Many failed to come back from lunch and some left to go to the toilet during lessons and never returned.
It was the last day and treated as unimportant.

If I were to relive those day's knowing what I know now things would be different.

My prom is still somewhat of a haze.
I went three years to one school, and my final year was at a new school. I didn’t know my classmates well at this new school.
Everyone talked about the Prom and the excitement grew. I didn’t think I would be allowed to attend. There would be dancing and that was a “no, no” in my family, but I was determined to attend. The next hurdle was having a date for this important event. That meant buying a corsage and asking a girl. I had never dated anyone from this new school, although I knew there were girls interested in me. I went to the flower shop, priced the corsage that I would select, counted my money and was set. Problem remaining, who to ask that had not already been asked (chosen). The one I wanted to ask had already accepted an invitation from another. Those remaining were the left-overs. It didn’t matter to me. I wanted to attend. I figured that I could always dance with the girl of my choice once on the dance floor. Uh, oh. Forgot that I didn’t know how to dance. Hmmm. How do I overcome that? I asked my buddy and he said there was nothing to it. Just follow the music, the rhythm, but be careful not to step on the girl’s feet. Now there were several things to think about. Listening to the music, moving with the rhythm, not stepping on the girl’s feet and yet another thing, how to hold the girl. I was about to give up the quest. On such an important night, to make a fool of myself was not the way I wanted to be remembered by my class. I had watched others dancing, so I tried to remember their movements. The movements seemed to vary with the songs chosen. No way would I be able to do the Jitterbug – a popular dance. Then my buddy told me a good stand-by was the two-step. What’s a two step? He showed me and it seemed easy enough. As an athlete, if I couldn’t do that, then I’d better just quit.
I asked a girl. To this day I don’t remember who it was since it was all a blur. I picked up the corsage and called for her at her house. She was very pretty in her prom dress. Her mother gave me the once over and made me promise to have her home by 10 PM. I promised wondering if 9 PM would do, or perhaps even 15 minutes after the prom. There was no romance on my mind; just trying to get through the evening was all I thought about.
I don’t remember the song, but it was a slow one. She held me close and I moved with her. I suppose she did the leading, and that saved the evening for me. I was too bashful to ask any other girl to dance and stayed with the one I was with. I made it. No noticeable screwups, no stepping on my date’s feet. Got my date home on time. Success.

Either way, DAvid, Abe, and everybody, shouldn't it be an affordable option for all the students?

Ann

Yes, it should, Ann.

Ann,

You are absolutely right. Everyone should be included.

It's another sign of the disconnection between the have's and have-not's

Who cares if those people get adequate health care, have police protection, can afford to pay for heating, cooling, etc. We don't want their kids at our kids prom anyway.

If the parents weren't so lazy they would provide more for their families.

(tongue-in-cheek emoticon)

Just me.

Ann

alj wrote:

It's another sign of the disconnection between the have's and have-not's

Who cares if those people get adequate health care, have police protection, can afford to pay for heating, cooling, etc. We don't want their kids at our kids prom anyway.

If the parents weren't so lazy they would provide more for their families.

(tongue-in-cheek emoticon)

Just me.

Ann

I hear and agree with you.

The girl I would have chosen in high school was a few years behind me, I was graduating and so near the end of the term we broke up. So I didn't go to the prom.

I was overseas when my wife Patty graduated so I missed that one too.

We went to the first dance at the college - but it turned out that the dance band was a rock and roll sort of thing - and so we left early.

Oh well That's okay I went home with my wife and we had pizza

All proms should be for everyone IMO.