Monday - May 19
Dear Diary,
The juniors started decorating the gym today for the banquet and prom. Gladys had to stick her nose in, as usual, even though she is not a junior, only a lowly (so they think) sophomore. She really is good at that sort of thing.
We had to go to the study hall during PE period because of the decorating in the gym. Mrs. Ward, the study hall teacher, was very unhappy. We call her the Warden. She called the principal in because some of the senior boys were talking out loud and wandering around the room. She told them just because they had a winning basketball team and school was almost out, didn’t mean they would graduate. No one would ever graduate or even go home at the end of the day if she had her way.
....So long for now. I have Annabel Lee by Edgar Allan Poe to memorize for English Literature. Only two more weeks of school!
Thursday - May 22
Dear Diary,
Tomorrow night is the big night! Prissy Gladys has been going up and down the halls telling everyone about her part in the entertainment. They couldn’t find a junior who would play the part of Carmen Miranda with a bowl of fruit on her head, so Gladys volunteered and they accepted. Boy, do I ever want to see that! It should really be something. Just got my skirt, blouse and sash all ready for the big event. We girls got red ballerina slippers to wear with out outfits. Are we ever going to look swell! Luckily, since working in the café, I know how to serve, but Claudia is nervous. She sure doesn’t want to spill anything on Mrs. Ward! Need to hurry off to bed to be fresh for tomorrow!
Saturday - May 24
Dear Diary,
The grand night is over! And what a night.!! Mrs. Harrison shocked us all, but I’ll get to that in a minute.
Billy Maples was there with the Prom Queen, Melba Underwood. I was so jealous. We did a good job serving, even Mrs. Brown said so. We served Mexican food with fresh fruit salad for dessert. Then we got to stay for the prom and serve punch and coffee.
The entertainment was terrific! The band was dreamy. Billy and Melba started off dancing to "The Loveliest Night of the Year" by Mario Lanza. Gladys did a grand job as Carmen Miranda singing and dancing to Rum and Coca-Cola, and with the fruit on her head, she even looked like her. Everyone loved it, except THE WARDEN and she will never get over it!
All the girls looked so lovely and grown up in their prom dresses as they swirled around on the dance floor. I could have listened to the music all night. There were so many dreamy songs, like, "Because of You" by Tony Bennet, "Too Young" by Nat King Cole, and "Tenderly" by Rosemary Clooney. It all seemed so magical.
Of course the bad part was, the teachers were all there. Naturally, Mrs. Ward kept her eagle eyes on everyone. When she told Mr. Williams, the junior sponsor, that Tequila was there, we thought she meant a girl was there that shouldn’t be. Later when we learned it was a liquor she said had been put in the punch bowl, we felt kind of dumb. We had heard of beer and whiskey, but never tequila. Claudia thought tequila was a relative of Marquita’s because they both have funny names. Of course, there was no Tequila. I think The Warden just wanted to catch someone doing something wrong!
Sue, Claudia and I decided right then there would be NO teachers at our junior prom next year. But then, when the band played "My Adobe Hacienda" and the principal and his wife started dancing, we thought they looked so sweet and cute. A few more teachers joined the juniors and seniors when they played "Across the Alley From the Alamo."
That was a great surprise, but what was really surprising and shocking was prime and proper Mrs. Harrison dancing to "The Pennslyvania Polka" by the Andrew Sisters. In the song, when they say pick a partner, she grabbed Richie and we all gasped. Surely she didn’t expect "The Runt" to dance. But did he ever!! He was terrific! The boys were jealous and the girls all fell in love. When the song was over, everyone applauded and Principal Webster said, "Meet the new Gene Kelly. I heard some of the boys say they had a whole new respect for him. And of course Claudia thinks she likes him now. She said if Alan Ladd can be a famous movie star and he’s only 5 ft. four, maybe Richie can be famous some day too.
As the night was coming to a close, the band played "South of the Border," then Gladys led the Conga Line as they played Xavier Cugat’s Conga Song and they even let us sophomores join in on the end of the line. What fun! I felt so grown up! I felt like I was in a movie! Then the band played "So Long It’s Been Good to Know You," and I saw Melba crying as she danced with Billy Maples. Maybe he was telling her so long. I hope so!
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