Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1945-12-21

Debut Parties Crowd Yesterday
Miss Johnston and Miss Elkims
Presented at Tea and Dinner
By Betty Beale

The debut whirl really got under
way yesterday when two OF the sea-
son's loveliest debs, Miss Lee john
ston and Miss Halle Katherine
Elkins, made their formal bows to
Washington society. Miss Elkins
was presented Mt a dinner dance
which came right on the heels of
her cousin CMiss Johnston's) tea
dance at the Sulgrave Club. one Of
the gayest afternoon parties Capital
cave jewellers have seen in many a
day.
In striking contrast to her dark
curly locks, Miss Johnston's gown
was of all white tulle with a beau
tiful two-tiered hoop skirt. Holding
a bouquet of white gardenias, Lee
stood in line with her mother, Mrs.
John A. Kennedy, and Capt. Ken
needy, U. S. N. R., at the head of the
stairs adjacent to the ballroom. Mrs.
Kennedy wore = stunning gown Of
dark blue satin, q single gardenia in
her hair and the beautiful old
fashioned gold necklace Of diamonds
and opals which had belonged to her
mother.
The Kennedy party was a real
old-fashioned debut in that friends
Of both the debutante's grandpar-
ents and parents were there as well
as a large number from Lees own
circle.
So naturally the conversation was
informal and more personal. Fleet
Admiral Chester w. Nimitz was be-
ing greeted by old friends as he
stood near the tea table with Mrs.
Atherton Macondray. Nearby was
pretty Mrs. Willard E. Tydings in
deep conversation with Mrs. De-
marest Lloyd. The Senator's wife
was wearing striking hat OF black
and pink ostrich feathers.
Speaking of hats, one of the love-
Hest at the debut was worn by Mrs.
Arthur Hill. A Dache model of fiow-
ers and leaves the chapeau was
studded with vari-colored sequins.
Mrs. Leon Henderson was telling
Mrs. Stanley Reed that it was the
first party that all three Hendersons
had attended together. In the ball
room Mr.. Henderson was whirling
his 15-year-old daughter Bebe on
the dance floor.
Col. Marshall Exnicious recently
returned from the European theater
chatted with Mrs Winslow B. Van
Devanter, while Mr.. Van Devanter
conversed with Miss Katherine
Judge.
Vice Admiral Ben Moreell was
Erwin for time in the dining room
and pretty Mrs. Eugene Carusi was
enjoying laugh with Capt. Griffith
Warfield.
Miss Helen Tucker Andrews ar
rived with her mother, and others
present were Mr.. John H. Kauff-
mann and Mr.. J. Frederick Roy.
Others glimpsed as the. party got
under way were Mr.. and Mrs. John
MARSHALL, Mr.. and Mrs. Robert
Clement Watson accompanied by
son, 1t. Robert Clement Watson, jr.,
home for the holidays from his
Army post in Oklahoma; Mr.. and
Mrs. william Rapley and his daugh-
ter Mary; 1t Comdr. William Black
burn, Miss Nancy Mayo, who was
having a gay time on the dance floor
and Miss Francine Written likewise
taking advantage of the spritely
music with Mr.. w. Lewis Mac
Cracker, and receiving her usual
share of attention was Mrs. Wallach
Merriam.
Assisting the debutante and very
much in demand in the ballroom
where the orchestra played contin-
uously were Miss Lucy Station Miss
Monica Gaillard, Miss Halle Kath-
crime Elkins, who must have had
hard time catching her breath yes
terday; Miss Sherry Parker, Miss
Rosalind Rust and Miss Diana
Hutchinson, daughter of Mr.. and
Mrs. Morton Hutchinson from New
York. The latter is the former
Halle Davis from Washington, who,
like Mrs. Kennedy, was also Wash
ington debutante at one time.
Mrs. Kennedys assistants included
Miss Lydia Loring, Mrs. Wilton
]. Lambert, Mrs. Macondray,
Mrs. Charles Carroll Morgan, Mrs.
P. Lee Phillips, Mrs. Bissett Nor
ment, Mrs. Joseph D. NOEL, Mrs.
Hill, Mrs. Howard Hume and
Nine. Augusta Rosso, who flew
in from Chicago just in time for the
party. Nine. Rosso, an old friend
of Mrs. Kennedy's, is the wife of the
former Italian Ambassador to Wash
ington. The glamorous Frances had
an exciting though uncomfortable
time in italy during the war. Known
to be unsympathetic to the Nazis,
she and her husband were forced
to hide out in an apartment in Rome
for. nine months until the American
Army arrived on the scene. She will