Wow, this is really weird...not a half hour ago the family and I were in the car talking about proms. The kids were talking about when it is and they asked me what it was like when I went to my prom...sadly I didn't go...I was too shy at that age...plus I was in twi and more into that then into school and proms... :(-->
What a great idea for you to do...a lot of people don't get to go to their proms for various reasons and most people looking back wish they had.
I didn't go to my prom either. I had a serious boyfriend (3 years older) my junior and senior year. He had broken his leg, so it would be no fun for him to go. And, of course, I wouldn't dare go with anyone else!! Geez....I think back and see what a waste serious relationships are at that age. Oh well....my hubby more than makes up for any missed opportunities at that age. :D-->
But I would go to all future High-school Re-Unions.
I went to my last one, it was the first high-school re-union that i have been able to attend. It was our 25th.
I was not real popular in High-school, while I made every picture-day, my photo never appeared in any year-book. At the high-school Re-Union everyone had name-tags with their photos from the senior yearbook on them. Mine was blank.
None the less, I went and I wish to attend every Re-Union from now on.
I was totally amazed at how poorly many of those people had aged. Standing in a room with 200 people that are all within one year of my age [we were all 43], I was really surprized at how many bald or white-haired wrinkled old people were there.
I was the only person there collecting a pension. They had a contest to see:
who had the most exotic sounding job,
who was still married to their high-school sweetheart,
and who was the wealthiest.
I saw a girl that I had asked to marry me when we were both 19. At the time, her immediate response was to laugh [un-controllable LOL ROFL]. Looking at her now, made me glad that we did not follow that path.
I attended my prom, but in typical dmiller fashion. It was (of course) a suit and tie affair, but I had no date, no prospects for one, nor any wish to wear a suit and tie.
So me and a couple of my buddies showed up at the *festivities* (this was in Bloomington, Indiana -- held at Memorial Hall of Indiana University, 1969), wearing our army surplus coats, jeans, and demanding entrance, since we had tickets!
Needless to say we were turned away quicker than a GreaseSpotter would have been at Hdqtrs!! :D--> We burned our prom invitations there on the front steps , and then moseyed on down to a *people's park* a block or two away, where wine bottles, and music were a happening thing -- and much more fun than the prom inside Memorial Hall.
Yup -- I went to my prom. But they did not want me.
Fast forward to my 25th class reunion --- I did go to it (and actually behaved for once), and I was appalled at how some of the classmates looked (like you mentioned Galen).
Some looked like they hadn't aged a year, and but most looked like they had spent their life being *crash test dummies*.
Again -- I was not wearing suit and tie, though I was *dressed up* (my idea of
*dress-up* is wearing a shirt with buttons on it), :D--> but many were wearing the suits -- and unsuccessfully trying to look successful, befitting their status as an *adult*, and trying to *be somebody*. :(-->
I refuse to grow up. Always have, always will. This year will be my 35th class reunion. Meebe I'll mosey on down to Indiana, and see what they are like now. I bet it's not much different.
I got to go to my prom in 1979. I didn't have a date and I wasn't planning on going. I had friends in college (a married couple) and the wife insisted that I go to my prom. Her sweet husband took me. After the prom, we picked her up and went dancing at the disco. Then headed for Dennys. It turned out to be a wonderful eveing.
I went to my senior prom in l978 with the guy I had been dating for 2 years. My grandmother made my gown, a powder blue frilly thing and my date had a powder blue tux. ( Saturday night fever ya know)
We stayed for an hour or so just in case my parents asked how it went. Plus I was nominted for prom queen, so I had to stick around for all that mess.
Then we split that scene man. We met up with a bunch of other prom escaping couples in the woods with some home made dandilion wine.
Sigh. the memories. When my daughter didn't want to go to her senior prom, I didn't push it.
The South was dealing with forced integration in the mid-60's and one of Memphis' responses was to cancel school proms altogether. Might be inter-racial dancing going on. I'm not sure what year they started allowing them again but it was long after I graduated in 1970.
My reunions have all been fun, though. Oh, maube except the first one at 10 years. Too many folks were trying to impress on how well they had done in 10 years. But starting at our 20th, everyone started to act like their old selves again.
We've had good turn out at all of them but it seems the number one reason people haven't shown up is.... they thought they had gained too much weight. --> Ah, vanity.
Yep. Went to the prom with a lovely, young (well -- I guess that's obvious!) lady I knew from band. Actually, it was a double-date. My sister (a sophomore) was dating a junior. (It was a Junior-Senior prom.) It was the first time I heard Vince Vance and the Valiants. (I wouldn't hear them again until I came to Texas fifteen years later, but I've been one of their biggest fans ever since.) Prom was the same night as graduation, so we would only have to rent one tux -- what a deal! After the prom, we went to the beach (Lake Michigan) and waited to watch the sun come up. I saw the young lady a few times after that, but we've long since gone our separate ways.
My high school only has reunions every ten years. A lot of folks looked pretty worn after only ten years, but some looked great even after thirty. My only disappointment was that most of my closest high-school buddies didn't show.
I went to prom every year of high school, four times. Looking back I don't know why. I hate dressing up in foo-foo dresses. And until somebody spiked the punch it was all pretty boring. I did like the dancing part tho.
Never went to any reunions. We moved so much....well what's the point?
yep-it was a very fun nite! It was a senior only prom--and I went with a football player from a neighboring school. He was very sweet-we worked together, hung out all the time, but were just friends. Went to the wild after party too.
I considered myself a counterculture rebel in my high school days, so renting a tux and going to the prom would have been selling out to the establishment. Seems silly now, but I was in high school 1967-70 so there you go.
My wife has been a high school teacher for over 25 years so I've had a chance to go to several proms at her schools. Fortunately, I don't have to wear a tux myself for those. That really shows me how old I am. What passes for a prom dress these days probably wouldn't have been allowed in the door 35 years ago.
Same years in school, same attitude, so, no prom for me.
I find the reunions get better each time, though. I didn't make it to the 5 or the 10, but I've heard they weren't so hot. But the 20 was fun and the 30 was a great time. I don't know where all those old bastards come from, though...
Our prom was the same night as graduation, too, George. I thought it was the weirdest thing when I found out some schools don't do that.
I went the last 3 years of h.s., but not because I was popular but because you "had" to go. Some of the dates I had. Some were "pity dates" I think, but by golly I was at the prom.
My senior year was "perfect" as far as girly dream prom dates go. I had a huge party the night before graduation and got all kinds of gifts from friends of the family and family members. Got to hang out with my favorite relatives and the next day was graduation. :D--> Came home from graduation, got all dolled up into the beautiful dress my mother made for me. My date came to pick me up and we took pictures....went back to his house to take pictures....went to our favorite teacher's house to say, "HI" and so she could see me in my prom dress. Then, we met our group of friends for dinner at Western Sizzlin - one of the nicest restaurants in town. :D--> Smuggled some booze into the dance, had our pictures made there, danced a little and then went to party in a hotel room we had gotten.
It was a great time, a great night and enjoyed with great friends. I've enjoyed thinking back on it. Thank you!
I missed our 10 year reunion because I was getting married and had to use my vacation time to go to the advanced class and only had one day left over for my honeymoon. But we had a 15 year reunion and it was nice. Everyone was practically the same and we all picked up pretty much where we left off. The people who came in on Friday partied at our old favorite bar even though it had changed names about 10 times. On Saturday afternoon we had a casual picnic for the whole family. People were there with spouses and kids - it was nice and relaxing. Saturday night was our dance and it was regular dance attire. Some girls in glitzy dance dresses, others in regular dresses and the guys looking spiffy, but no tuxes. I don't think I'll miss anymore of those.
WWJLA, I think a dance is a great idea! It will be a lot of fun to plan and coordinate, too! Good for you! :D-->
"It wasn't that I wasn't invited to my prom. It's just that no one would tell me when or where it was.." Rita Rudner
I never went to mine. I had a twi girlfriend but she lived a couple towns away. quite frankly I didn't care to go. She went to an all girls school when I knew her so I was safe from having to go to her prom.
I had a boyfriend in the military at the time...Viet Nam era. Didn't go to that prom.
A thousand years later, when I met up with some guys I went to school with back then...told me they wanted to ask me, but thought I was too pretty to say "yes." EEK!
I was expelled from my first high school, and didn't much care for the one I granulated from, but I wish someone would have asked. I thought it was me...
I didn't want to go being of the same mind as Pirate and Geo., but I had a girlfriend who couldn't live without going so I went. I couldn't deal with those colored tux's so I went in top hat and tails and my girlfriend made her own hippie era dress.
Thats about all that I remember as I'm pretty sure the evening had quite a few herbal supplements to the activities.
I too moved back to my hometown after being gone for about 25 years and it was a really great experience. Hope it works as well for you WWJLA, try that dance if you want. I found it good to reconnect with people that knew me when, and before we were all inundated with years of adult BS...
and Geo. is right, the reunions are well worth it---but I don't get where all those old people come from though either
"A thousand years later, when I met up with some guys I went to school with back then...told me they wanted to ask me, but thought I was too pretty to say "yes." EEK!
I was expelled from my first high school, and didn't much care for the one I granulated from, but I wish someone would have asked. I thought it was me...
I have a damaged psyche now. Ow."
I remember that there were a few girls that I would have liked to have gone out with, but was intimidated by their great looks. It does happen.
I did go out with a number of girls though I kept asking out the shy quiet bland looking girls. I worked full-time [after school] and moved in with a family that had some boys that I knew, their father was always trying to get me to stop approaching 'ugly' girls and to hit on the good looking ones. But I never listened to him, I kept going out with the girls that did not intimidate me I guess. Years later he did remind me of it all, and I kind of wish that I had taken his advise.
I think that at the time, I was mostly focused on trying to blend in with the crowd, anytime I stood out I got beat-up. After a few times, I got tired of getting my nose-broke. I tried out for the wrestling team as a freshman, I wrestled in the 95 pound weight class. When I graduated I weighed 135. Today even our 14 year old son weighs more than I did going into the Navy.
It most certainly is true that some boys would be intimidate to ask a good looking girl, as it would be another reason to get beat-up.
P.S. There is hope, even for the skinny little runts in a class, I filled out in my 30's.
my senior year (i started to say "my last year in residence" - wacky are you reading this?) prom, i was slow dancing with my date and i felt plop plop plop on my bare shoulders. i thought the roof was leaking. i looked up.... it was my date sweating. he was 6'2", me 5'2"
The school was just too big. The freshmen all went to another elementary schookl 3 blocks away. All those students went elsewhere...and so the whole freshman class used that building.
There were 1250+ of us in the graduating class. We had 2 graduations at a local college gymnasium. A - L in the morning..M - Z in the afternoon.
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vickles
Wow, this is really weird...not a half hour ago the family and I were in the car talking about proms. The kids were talking about when it is and they asked me what it was like when I went to my prom...sadly I didn't go...I was too shy at that age...plus I was in twi and more into that then into school and proms...
:(-->
What a great idea for you to do...a lot of people don't get to go to their proms for various reasons and most people looking back wish they had.
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Nottawayfer
I didn't go to my prom either. I had a serious boyfriend (3 years older) my junior and senior year. He had broken his leg, so it would be no fun for him to go. And, of course, I wouldn't dare go with anyone else!! Geez....I think back and see what a waste serious relationships are at that age. Oh well....my hubby more than makes up for any missed opportunities at that age.
:D-->
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Galen
I would not bother with re-doing a prom.
But I would go to all future High-school Re-Unions.
I went to my last one, it was the first high-school re-union that i have been able to attend. It was our 25th.
I was not real popular in High-school, while I made every picture-day, my photo never appeared in any year-book. At the high-school Re-Union everyone had name-tags with their photos from the senior yearbook on them. Mine was blank.
None the less, I went and I wish to attend every Re-Union from now on.
I was totally amazed at how poorly many of those people had aged. Standing in a room with 200 people that are all within one year of my age [we were all 43], I was really surprized at how many bald or white-haired wrinkled old people were there.
I was the only person there collecting a pension. They had a contest to see:
who had the most exotic sounding job,
who was still married to their high-school sweetheart,
and who was the wealthiest.
I saw a girl that I had asked to marry me when we were both 19. At the time, her immediate response was to laugh [un-controllable LOL ROFL]. Looking at her now, made me glad that we did not follow that path.
I did attend my prom.
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dmiller
I attended my prom, but in typical dmiller fashion. It was (of course) a suit and tie affair, but I had no date, no prospects for one, nor any wish to wear a suit and tie.
So me and a couple of my buddies showed up at the *festivities* (this was in Bloomington, Indiana -- held at Memorial Hall of Indiana University, 1969), wearing our army surplus coats, jeans, and demanding entrance, since we had tickets!
Needless to say we were turned away quicker than a GreaseSpotter would have been at Hdqtrs!!
:D--> We burned our prom invitations there on the front steps , and then moseyed on down to a *people's park* a block or two away, where wine bottles, and music were a happening thing -- and much more fun than the prom inside Memorial Hall.
Yup -- I went to my prom. But they did not want me.
Fast forward to my 25th class reunion --- I did go to it (and actually behaved for once), and I was appalled at how some of the classmates looked (like you mentioned Galen).
Some looked like they hadn't aged a year, and but most looked like they had spent their life being *crash test dummies*.
Again -- I was not wearing suit and tie, though I was *dressed up* (my idea of
*dress-up* is wearing a shirt with buttons on it),
:D--> but many were wearing the suits -- and unsuccessfully trying to look successful, befitting their status as an *adult*, and trying to *be somebody*. 
:(-->
I refuse to grow up. Always have, always will. This year will be my 35th class reunion. Meebe I'll mosey on down to Indiana, and see what they are like now. I bet it's not much different.
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Oakspear
I went to an all boys' high-school. No prom for me, although I think that they did have one.
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Abigail
Nope, never went to prom. Neither the guy I was dating or I could afford it.
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gladtobeout
I got to go to my prom in 1979. I didn't have a date and I wasn't planning on going. I had friends in college (a married couple) and the wife insisted that I go to my prom. Her sweet husband took me. After the prom, we picked her up and went dancing at the disco. Then headed for Dennys. It turned out to be a wonderful eveing.
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Shellon
LOL Proms.......GAK!
I went to my senior prom in l978 with the guy I had been dating for 2 years. My grandmother made my gown, a powder blue frilly thing and my date had a powder blue tux. ( Saturday night fever ya know)
We stayed for an hour or so just in case my parents asked how it went. Plus I was nominted for prom queen, so I had to stick around for all that mess.
Then we split that scene man. We met up with a bunch of other prom escaping couples in the woods with some home made dandilion wine.
Sigh. the memories. When my daughter didn't want to go to her senior prom, I didn't push it.
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justloafing
Nope never went. I just hated things like that. In a way I still do.
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Sudo
No prom..
The South was dealing with forced integration in the mid-60's and one of Memphis' responses was to cancel school proms altogether. Might be inter-racial dancing going on. I'm not sure what year they started allowing them again but it was long after I graduated in 1970.
My reunions have all been fun, though. Oh, maube except the first one at 10 years. Too many folks were trying to impress on how well they had done in 10 years. But starting at our 20th, everyone started to act like their old selves again.
We've had good turn out at all of them but it seems the number one reason people haven't shown up is.... they thought they had gained too much weight.
--> Ah, vanity.
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GeorgeStGeorge
Yep. Went to the prom with a lovely, young (well -- I guess that's obvious!) lady I knew from band. Actually, it was a double-date. My sister (a sophomore) was dating a junior. (It was a Junior-Senior prom.) It was the first time I heard Vince Vance and the Valiants. (I wouldn't hear them again until I came to Texas fifteen years later, but I've been one of their biggest fans ever since.) Prom was the same night as graduation, so we would only have to rent one tux -- what a deal! After the prom, we went to the beach (Lake Michigan) and waited to watch the sun come up. I saw the young lady a few times after that, but we've long since gone our separate ways.
My high school only has reunions every ten years. A lot of folks looked pretty worn after only ten years, but some looked great even after thirty. My only disappointment was that most of my closest high-school buddies didn't show.
George
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tcat5
I went to prom every year of high school, four times. Looking back I don't know why. I hate dressing up in foo-foo dresses. And until somebody spiked the punch it was all pretty boring. I did like the dancing part tho.
Never went to any reunions. We moved so much....well what's the point?
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smurfette
yep-it was a very fun nite! It was a senior only prom--and I went with a football player from a neighboring school. He was very sweet-we worked together, hung out all the time, but were just friends. Went to the wild after party too.
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Pirate1974
I considered myself a counterculture rebel in my high school days, so renting a tux and going to the prom would have been selling out to the establishment. Seems silly now, but I was in high school 1967-70 so there you go.
My wife has been a high school teacher for over 25 years so I've had a chance to go to several proms at her schools. Fortunately, I don't have to wear a tux myself for those. That really shows me how old I am. What passes for a prom dress these days probably wouldn't have been allowed in the door 35 years ago.
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George Aar
Ditto to what Pirate said.
Same years in school, same attitude, so, no prom for me.
I find the reunions get better each time, though. I didn't make it to the 5 or the 10, but I've heard they weren't so hot. But the 20 was fun and the 30 was a great time. I don't know where all those old bastards come from, though...
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Belle
Our prom was the same night as graduation, too, George. I thought it was the weirdest thing when I found out some schools don't do that.
I went the last 3 years of h.s., but not because I was popular but because you "had" to go. Some of the dates I had.
Some were "pity dates" I think, but by golly I was at the prom.
My senior year was "perfect" as far as girly dream prom dates go. I had a huge party the night before graduation and got all kinds of gifts from friends of the family and family members. Got to hang out with my favorite relatives and the next day was graduation.
:D--> Came home from graduation, got all dolled up into the beautiful dress my mother made for me. My date came to pick me up and we took pictures....went back to his house to take pictures....went to our favorite teacher's house to say, "HI" and so she could see me in my prom dress. Then, we met our group of friends for dinner at Western Sizzlin - one of the nicest restaurants in town. 
:D--> Smuggled some booze into the dance, had our pictures made there, danced a little and then went to party in a hotel room we had gotten.
It was a great time, a great night and enjoyed with great friends. I've enjoyed thinking back on it. Thank you!
I missed our 10 year reunion because I was getting married and had to use my vacation time to go to the advanced class and only had one day left over for my honeymoon. But we had a 15 year reunion and it was nice. Everyone was practically the same and we all picked up pretty much where we left off. The people who came in on Friday partied at our old favorite bar even though it had changed names about 10 times. On Saturday afternoon we had a casual picnic for the whole family. People were there with spouses and kids - it was nice and relaxing. Saturday night was our dance and it was regular dance attire. Some girls in glitzy dance dresses, others in regular dresses and the guys looking spiffy, but no tuxes. I don't think I'll miss anymore of those.
WWJLA, I think a dance is a great idea! It will be a lot of fun to plan and coordinate, too! Good for you!
:D-->
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Zshot
I didn't go to any proms either...
I didn't have a girl friend at the time and couldn't find a date.
:(-->
Things haven't changed much...
I don't have a girlfriend and am having a hard time finding a date.
:(-->
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Out There
"It wasn't that I wasn't invited to my prom. It's just that no one would tell me when or where it was.." Rita Rudner
I never went to mine. I had a twi girlfriend but she lived a couple towns away. quite frankly I didn't care to go. She went to an all girls school when I knew her so I was safe from having to go to her prom.
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MATILDA
Ah...sweet catharsis.
I had a boyfriend in the military at the time...Viet Nam era. Didn't go to that prom.
A thousand years later, when I met up with some guys I went to school with back then...told me they wanted to ask me, but thought I was too pretty to say "yes." EEK!
I was expelled from my first high school, and didn't much care for the one I granulated from, but I wish someone would have asked. I thought it was me...
I have a damaged psyche now. Ow.
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GeorgeStGeorge
Matilda, that probably happened (and still happens) a lot. At least, it was probably the nicest reason NOT to get asked!
George
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mstar1
I didn't want to go being of the same mind as Pirate and Geo., but I had a girlfriend who couldn't live without going so I went. I couldn't deal with those colored tux's so I went in top hat and tails and my girlfriend made her own hippie era dress.
Thats about all that I remember as I'm pretty sure the evening had quite a few herbal supplements to the activities.
I too moved back to my hometown after being gone for about 25 years and it was a really great experience. Hope it works as well for you WWJLA, try that dance if you want. I found it good to reconnect with people that knew me when, and before we were all inundated with years of adult BS...
and Geo. is right, the reunions are well worth it---but I don't get where all those old people come from though either
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Galen
MATILDA:
"A thousand years later, when I met up with some guys I went to school with back then...told me they wanted to ask me, but thought I was too pretty to say "yes." EEK!
I was expelled from my first high school, and didn't much care for the one I granulated from, but I wish someone would have asked. I thought it was me...
I have a damaged psyche now. Ow."
I remember that there were a few girls that I would have liked to have gone out with, but was intimidated by their great looks. It does happen.
I did go out with a number of girls though I kept asking out the shy quiet bland looking girls. I worked full-time [after school] and moved in with a family that had some boys that I knew, their father was always trying to get me to stop approaching 'ugly' girls and to hit on the good looking ones. But I never listened to him, I kept going out with the girls that did not intimidate me I guess. Years later he did remind me of it all, and I kind of wish that I had taken his advise.
I think that at the time, I was mostly focused on trying to blend in with the crowd, anytime I stood out I got beat-up. After a few times, I got tired of getting my nose-broke. I tried out for the wrestling team as a freshman, I wrestled in the 95 pound weight class. When I graduated I weighed 135. Today even our 14 year old son weighs more than I did going into the Navy.
It most certainly is true that some boys would be intimidate to ask a good looking girl, as it would be another reason to get beat-up.
P.S. There is hope, even for the skinny little runts in a class, I filled out in my 30's.
:-)
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excathedra
my senior year (i started to say "my last year in residence" - wacky are you reading this?) prom, i was slow dancing with my date and i felt plop plop plop on my bare shoulders. i thought the roof was leaking. i looked up.... it was my date sweating. he was 6'2", me 5'2"
god bless him. he died in the WTC tragedy
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krys
There was no prom when I graduated high school.
The school was just too big. The freshmen all went to another elementary schookl 3 blocks away. All those students went elsewhere...and so the whole freshman class used that building.
There were 1250+ of us in the graduating class. We had 2 graduations at a local college gymnasium. A - L in the morning..M - Z in the afternoon.
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