Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1963-08-23
BY BETTY BEALE
Star staff Writer

In Newport, II. /. last week
end evolved the news that
plans for a big ball in WASH
ington-something entirely
new-are now under discus
sion. If the First Lady puts
her stamp of approval on it,
the Cartier Ball will be held
here next spring for the bene-
fit of the National Cultural
Center.
It will draw its name from
the fact that the noted New
York jewelry firm will under
write the whole kit and ka-
Doodle so that every dollar
brought in by the 500 tick
cts will go toward the cul-
tural center. The ball, Of
course, would also serve to
highlight the national fund
raising campaign for the
center.
Unique feature proposed
for the glamorouS affair
comes from the First Lady
herself. To really dramatic
the cultural center that will
some day sit on the banks
of the Potomac, why not give
the party on the actual site
of the National Cultural Cen
ter? Whether this is feasible
or not, is not yet known be-
cause the idea for the ball
itself is still in the embryonic
stage. But If it is feasible
Cartier stands ready to put
up the tent and the dance
floor that will make it a real
ity.
Since both President and
Mrs. Kennedy are vitality in
tereSted in the cultural CEN
ter, it seems not unlikely that
they will attend if the ball is
held. Anyhow, that's all it
would need to make it a
smash.
- -
NONE OF THE KENNEDY
family attended young Janet
AuchincloSS' debut dance in
Newport last Saturday. This,
of course, was expected be-
cause Of the recent loss in the
family and because they were
scattered to the four winds.
The affair was quite prop
erly divorced from any ad-
miniStration connections and
limited entirely to the social
friends Of the family giving
it. And when a Newport ball
Of this size is given it not
only becomes a logiStical feat
Of major proportions, it in
wolves all of ones Newport
friends for weeks in advance.
Picture your problems II
you're giving a big party in a
summer resort. The invita-
lions are no sooner out
about two months before the
dance - than preparations
have to be made for a mass
invasion. In fact, getting the
invitations out and giving the
party are probably among the
hostess smallest problems.
Among the biggest are see
ing to it that every one of
the hundreds Of out-of-town
visitors is housed for the
weekend and invited to a
dinner party before each
dance being held, not to
mention being invited to
other important parties on
the calendar.
There is also the little
problem Of insuring bathing
privileges at Bailey's Beach
(Which in Newport is simply
referred to as "the beach")
and tickets to the Casino for
tennis tournaments.
All this means setting I'D a
clearing house Of informa-
. ton and having it manned
by two or three secretaries,
but under the constant
supervision Of the hostess. It
requires the patience of Job
and co operative friends
with the wherewithal to
house guests and give dinner
parties. They do it for you
this weekend, you do 1t for
them another time.
To simplify hospitality for
the young, the Hugh D.
Auchinclosses housed them
all themselves at two motels,
one for girls and one for
boys, and signed them all up
for beach privileges. This
single latter provision for
such numbers was no small
gesture Of hospitality.
4
AN INTERESTING ASSET
for the Newport hostess in
planning parties is a unique
telephone list which is sent
to certain residents Of New
port at the beginning Of
every sum m er by realtor
Johnny Richmond, who is
also a member of Newport
society. Entitled "a list of
your friends" it Is designed
to fit over the regular phone
book and includes every So
cially acceptable family who
is to be domiciled in the
fashionable resort for that
summer.
It lists some 230 names,
and although not every one
of them makes the grade by
being taken into Bailey's. 1t
serves as an excellent guide
to social Newport. (Think
what havoc such a list would
cause in WashingtonD
Actually, said one Newport
hostess, II you eliminate
some Of the elderly, the in
firm and the recluses. and
the few you may not know,
you are left with some IS
families you can call on To
help house a mass invasion