Prom, a night of elegancy and excitement, is a time where juniors and seniors partake in the act of dancing. The familiar tradition is hosted throughout high schools in the United States as a formal dance to represent the developed maturity within students as well as bringing awareness of their nearing to adulthood. This year South’s prom, stationed at Zenith Vineyard, was on April 13th, 2019 and celebrated with the theme of sequences and bow ties.
Where did prom begin? The origin of the long lasting tradition stands merely discussed among the students who were eager to attend the evening’s event. With the idea of simply being a formal dance introduced, high schoolers forget the history associated with it. Beginning in the late eighteenth century, prom was an event originally intended for people of an older generation; adults or college students. In this, the origin of the word “prom” would be an abbreviation for the word “promenade,” defined as a formal gathering in which attendees would “walk about” leisurely. In other words, an opportunity to be seen with a certain someone.
Entering the nineteen hundreds, the beloved celebration became popular among the younger generation, bringing about change. The once simplistic appearance at the promenade progressed to the attendance of a large dance festivity, resulting in its modern conception.
Before the doors were open to guests, South’s volunteers contributed to making prom possible. Volunteers arrived and made a commitment to providing assistance to Mrs. August in collaboration with the South leadership class. One of the volunteer shifts included the distribution of free food, which included cupcakes, and drinks. These volunteers, consisting of South staff and students, supervised the dance and maintained one of the most chaotic responsibilities; the coat- room. Because of each volunteer’s participation, prom resulted as an overall composed night.
Although, prom is thought of as a “must”, there are some people who are opposed to the ideology associated with it.
“Initially, I thought that prom was a stupid dance where students spend countless of dollars on their dress or choice. Because of homecoming, I really did not expect much from prom. Being a senior, I decided to go at least one time before graduating. After attending I understood why Zenith was chosen as a place for our formal dance. The things I enjoyed the most was the choice of music and the beauty of the fireplace,” Diane Sandoval ’19.
The Salem-Keizer school district has enforced a new dance policy that randomly selects students to be breathalyzed for alcohol content at any after-school dance. As a result of this coming into effect, students are now required to have all permission slips signed by both the student and guardians, agreeing to the terms. These terms include compliance to authority in searches and proof of identification. In the article “Should there be alcohol testing at prom?” by Sonia Boegar, a high school student and reporter, an opposition to the breathalyzer tests from among teenage students have been provided.
“Overall the test for me went good. Although I haven’t drank anything, the thought running through my head was ‘oh shoot’. To be the only one of my friends to be tested made me nervous. While they put on a new mouthpiece, they talked me through the process of what they were going to do. They told me to take a deep breath, which I did, and to exhale for as long as I could. I had to repeat this process a few more times before I was able to go. After I was handed a free shirt,” Violet Blaine ’21 said.
From formal walk to festive dance, prom is a dance that continues to be a lively tradition within high schools across America.
