The Washington times., 1929-02-25

The event was held at Io1o's
Hotel. long since disappeared from
Pennsylvania Avenue. Accounts OF
1t are somewhat meager. 1t was .
stately and decorous affair in which
not even the waltz-let alone the
dances of the Jazz age-was per-
nnitted.
The rnazes of the waltz and two.
step not only would have bewildered
that goolly company but would
have highly shocked It's sense OF
proprfety. In fact, the crtnolines OF
that period made dancing Of the
modern style impossible. Instead OF
the giddy whirl to the tune OF fast
music, the dancers marched around
the hall with stately dignity and
becoming grace, to music that our
FLAMING youth" would characterize
as a dead march.
Then they would go through the
movements of the minuet, the more
eprightly Virginia reel, and when
their spirits had reached the highest
pitch, they would vent their en-
thusiasn in the exhiliration of the
square dances, while the fiddlers
played some good old "shake-down.
No Society Reporters
The newspapers Of that day had
no society reporters, and since their
editors were not invited guests. they
ignored the function altogether. For
that reason we cannot print any
guest list. It. has been a subject
Of some controversy for more tnan
a century, however, as to Wherner
Thomas jefferson, the outgoing
President, attended the event. Inere
Is no official record to show tnaL
he accepted Madison's invitation 70
] come.
I n AT Madison's second inauguration,
III 1918, the ball was recognized as
4. feature of the ceremonies ana
elaborate arrangements were MADE.
The event was held at Davis. on
PENNSYLVANIA Avenue. Davis place
later became known as the Metro
politan Hotel, which is still extant
On lower Pennsylvania Avenue. The
bali was far more pretentious than
its predecessor. go,
lanes Monroe held ball in 1877.
the occasion of his first Inaugural
fion. but cancelled all plans TOUR
years later, when he was induc1Gu
changed his mind, it Is said, be-
cause he was not pleased WIN Ihe
washington society Of Ills day.
Adams Revived 1t
when John Quincy Adams was in
augurated in 1925, however, tne
BAH was revived. 1t was held IN
the assembly rooms at the intersec-
ton of Eleventh Street and rem. 4,,
avlvania Avenue Northwest. Ine
prasident attended, and it was a
hriIIiant and select affair. 1t took
rauch OF its lustre from the new
Fxecutive's personality, It oeing
said that he was the most perrect
host the North had ever given 10
+he Presidency before the days Oh
Chester A. Arthur. ho,,
This was the first inaugural pan
that was in the nature OF a puDhc
function. -
plans for the ball at the next IN
augural, that of Andrew jackson IN
1909 were given a setback by the
death of his wife soon after the elec-
tion. Four years later, however
when "Old Hickory again took the
oath of office, the ball was one OF
the principal features.
IT was held in Central Masonic
Temule, on the north side OF the
Avanue near Four.and.a-half Street.
This event exceeded in br1lllance
ANYTHING that had gone BEFORE ano
was said to have been the greatest
social event the country had ever
seen.
No Committees Then
r. those early days there were no
sraiI9aral committees. There was
no thought of utilizing the ball as a
nnoney.making or a ph1lanthropfc
rronosition. There were, however,
several enterprising private individ.
rails who realized that profits could
he made from such a feature. They
had reached the wise conclusion that
fhe hostelries and halls in which the
fetes were held had benefited con-
siderably.
consequently two ba''J were held
ir honor of the inauguration of Mar.
tir Van Buren in 1837-one at Ca
rllsi's room on the site of what Is
now known as Harvey's, and the
other at the Assembly rooms. Both
were said to be highly successful,
although the incoming President at.
tended only the former.
There was still greater compets.
tion four years later. in 1S41. when
Gen, William Henry Harrison, the
hero of Tippecanoe. was inaugu-
rated. Three balls were held to
celebrate his assumption OF the
presidency. The gallant old soldier
attended all Of them. One was ot
Carusi's, one at Central Masonic
Hall, and the last one in the As.
sembly rooms on Louisiana Ave.
between Fifth and Sixth SITS. N. w.
Two Balls For Polk
Two balls were held in honor OF
James K Polk but he did not at
tend either of them.
Four years later, in 1S49, three
balls again were held, and for
the first time Judiciary Square
vas the scene of one of them.
President Zachary Taylor followed
Shs precedent set by William Henry