Evening star., 1929-11-17

several years some of the most promi-
nent women of society have been wag-
ing a campaign to kill the jazz spirit
that has been the vogue since the war.
to have earlier and more formal parties,
ending earlier, and to stop the out
at the dance. which after all, it is
claimed, is responsible more than any
other one thing for the conditions that
have existed for some time. The host
esses in most cases have been to blame
for the state of affairs that has existed,
for they thought 1t necessary to invite
about five young men for each girl to
make the party success. AS result
men who were unknown to the hostess
and to the debutante were present at
the parties and even young people who
were not invited came to the dances.
Two or three years ago this last evil
was partly eliminated by the hostess
having a secretary at the door who
would admit no one who did not have
a card of invitation. Sometimes they
got by, however, on the excuse that
they were with Mr.. and Mrs. Smiths
come on to the dance, Now 1t seems q
real movement has been started to cor
rect all these evils.
Social Season Opens
With Demand for Change.
Tnls wears social season is starting
with a number of prominent women
deciding to have their parties begin
promptly on time, regardless OF who
NAV be present and end at rea-
sonable hour, not later than 3 o'clock.
The Junior Assembly, the most exclu-
alive dancing organization in the city,
always has started its dances early
and ended promptly at / o'clock.
The campaign was organized last
spring by the Parents League and the
Junior League, with subcommittee OF
mothers of this years debutantes, to In
C'1ice luncheon and dinner hosteSseS to
seat their guests promptly at the hour
specified in the invitations, and to end
their dancing parties between 2 and 3
O'Clock.
Mrs. John Henry Hammond presi-
dent of the Parents League. urged the
mothers not to be supine but to remem-
Der that they can control the situation
when they engage the orcheStras ana
can terminate the dances when they
choose.
Mrs. Charles Smithers, who gave
large dance in September at her coun-
try place on Long Island, told the
orchestra leader that he was to stop at
8 O'Clock and she told him to regard
that as final even If she herself weak
ened at the last moment.
Mrs. Milliken presided. 1t has been
charged, she said, that dances on Long
Island were as late as ever, but tnat
is said to be untrue. OF course, not
100 per cent of the parties ended at 5
am, but they did end at 4 instead OF
6 or as they did the year before.
Restrictions Frankly Outlined
In Dance Invitations.
Mrs Dave Hennen Morris told about
the invitations she was sending out tor
her party, planned for December % for
her debutante daughter, Miss Alice
Morris. The invitations state frankly
that the dance would be from 10 pm.
to am. Eight dinner parties wlli e ne
given by friends, who will bring their
guests to the dance, and seven OF the
eight already have pledged their word
that they will arrive with their guests
promptly at 10 O'Clock. They have all
agreed to have no theater parties be-
tween the dinners and the dance.
The problem of dinner dances pre-
ceding the larger balls was one OF tne
most serious SnagS encountered py
those pledged to prompt and early
dances. A hostess who invited young
people to dance in her own home hesi-
tated to urge them to leave II they
were having a good time. Again, u
was pointed out, perhaps all the guests
at the small dinner dance would not
have been invited to the ball, and they
could not be left forlorn at home while
the others went on. If these were
taken along (anyway, the problem OF
''crashing'' would again arise.
Mrs. Yorke Allen finally closed this
part Of the discussion by saying that
the two important things for the COM
mittee to emphasize were seating their
guests promptly at 8 o'clock for dinner,
and closing the dances promptly at
o'clock In the morning. The problem
of the interim could be left to the good
Judgment Of the hosteSses in each case
Mrs. Allen will give a dinner for her
daughter, Miss Carolyn Allen, December
6, preceding the first junior assembly
and she will serve dinner promptly at
o'clock and arrive at the junior as
sembly at IL o'clock.
Junior League Speaker
Reports on QuestiOnnaire.
The last speaker of the program was
Miss Marka TrueSdale, chairman OF the
Junior League committee, which sent
out a QUESTIONABLE last Spring asking
the younger girls and men If they would
cooperate in the move for prompt and
early parties. Miss Truesdale is one of
the secretaries at the Visiting Nurse
Service at 80 Park avenue and keeps
regular office hours.
"As a business girl appreciate more
than ever the feelings OF the young
business men who want the dances to
close at a reasonable hour" she said.
The general committee of mothers
of debutantes, which arranged the
meeting, consisted of Mrs. Yorke Allen,
Mrs. Lyman Demo, Mrs. De Lancey
Kane Jay, Mrs. James Gore King, Mrs.
Charles l.. Riker, Mrs. Harry Pelham
Robbins, Mrs. Reeve Schley and Mrs.
Seth NJ Milliken, chairman. Others
present we're Mrs. Charles Smithers.
Mrs. Dave Hennen Morris. Mrs. Lins-
ley williams, Mrs. Clarkson Runyon,