Historical November 1984 report or notice. Original dates, prices and contacts describe the source period; current availability has not been established.
As The Times staff begins to organize another fund raiser in its never-ending battle to pay the bills, we recall some of our previous efforts.
The results were mixed; some events might have been more properly called fun-raisers.
In fact THE PROM has become neighborhood legend. Was it really way back in June 1977?
The Paper Route in April 1980 featured the first tree to complete a 1.5 mile run, but the $50 prize went to a very hairy Wonder Woman. Does anyone know who finished first?
No one seemed to care!
We have also been big on food events, from the annual pancake breakfasts on Art Fair Day to Neville’s eggs and potatoes.
Here is how these events were reported at the time, when we were known more simply as The Paper.
From The Paper, September 1983
First, we are financially solvent!
On July 30, we held a fund-raising party at JoAnn and Neville Vatcha’s: with approximately one hundred people attending, we cleared about $500. Special thanks to JoAnn and Neville for their generous hospitality, and as to be expected, Neville’s breakfast was a treat.
The night would not have happened at all without the staff and board members who planned, distributed flyers, bartended, and brought food; and it could not have been a success without the people who came.
Another $100 was raised from friends who were unable to attend, but who sent in contributions.
From The Paper, June 1976 — Pancake Breakfast Again a Success
The Third Annual Pancake Breakfast, held on the morning of May 9th, enjoyed ideal conditions and made $185.00 for The Paper.
We are grateful to all who came to support this fund-raising effort, but a special vote of thanks goes to Lu and Sam Green, who so ably organized and ran it, assisted by their children and several of Lu’s brothers and sisters. Also deserving of a big thank-you are Ed and Mary Bea Stout who solicited contributions to cover some of the expenses and who helped out that morning.
Thanks also are extended to Don and Sue Tepas whose kitchen, yard and carriage house were taken over for the morning and who were very generous with their help. I found it an exceptionally nice way to begin the big day. Marj Weir
From The Paper, April 1980 — Here Comes the Run
Have you ever tried to imagine the sight of Hannibal’s armies riding their elephants over the Alps? Do you find bits and pieces of lazy summer days being given to conjuring up images of the building of the pyramids or the burning of Rome? Would you seize the opportunity to fly to the moon or have dinner with Woody Allen? Alas, these are the kinds of events that most of us can only live vicariously: even today history passes us in a stagecoach an intersection away.
But wait, that can change!
No longer do you need to be an ampersand on the page of life: now you can become part of an epoch-making event. Yes, you can participate in something truly significant.
No longer need you shirk at the beach.
After April 20 you’ll be able to shout with pride, “No I didn’t fly with Lindbergh, but I did run in ‘The Paper Route.’. ” Sunday. April 20 (at 9:00 a.m.), will be the big day. Thousands of runners (perhaps hundreds of runners?) will hoof up and down the streets of Skinker-DeBaliviere. They’ll be participating in a fun. non-competitive run designed to raise money for The Paper.
The emphasis is on fun and there should be plenty of it. Mixed among the “regular” runners will be joggers attired in gay. exotic garb and costumes. This. you see, is no normal run: our run has an optional costume competition with a $50.00 costume prize! You say you’re not a runner. but you’d still like to participate and support The Paper? Never fear, our 1.5 mile route is a run/walk route so that urban diletantes, pregnant ladies, non-runners, and other wise, prudent folks can join in the fun.
Each participant will receive a genuine Paper Route T-shirt. (If for some unacceptable reason you can’t participate— no reasons are acceptable without a note from mom – you can still join the fun by sitting on your porch and cheering the cast of characters as they rumble by your house.) All participants will start at the Central West End Savings & Loan parking lot on DeBaliviere (our gracious sponsors of the run), and proceed to Four Corners Square (Kingsbury and DesPeres) where the judging of costumes will occur as the runners pass by.
The routes split at Kingsbury and Rosedale, the 1.5 mile route returning to the CWESL parking lot and the 3 mile route continuing to wind through the neighborhood before stopping near Kingsbury. Square off DeBaliviere (see map).
The costume award will take place on the parking lot at approximately 10:45 a.m. at the completion of the run.
We see this activity as a very positive venture.
The participants will have a good time. we’ll raise much needed money for The Paper, and a lot of nonSkinker-DeBaliviereites will have an opportunity to see what a really neat place our neighborhood is!
From The Paper, June 1977 — The Paper to Sponsor Prom
By Tom Hoerr
Bang-Shang-A-Lang and Do-Wah DoWah . . . it’s PROM TIME again! That’s right, friends, neighbors, and jet-setters, it’s time for the 1st annual OLDTIMERS’ PROM.
The magic date is Saturday, June 18 and the location is the opulent Chevy Chase Room . . . also known as the St. Roch’s Gym (where else would you have a Prom?).
The time is 8 pm to 1 am and all proceeds will go to “The Paper.” The evening promises to be outstanding (no, make that extraordinary; you’ll only be outstanding if you don’t have a ticket). We’ll all dance to the live music of the “Now & Then.” This group, specializing in the oldies (and the newies), first gained fame at the Bissell Lounge and has now moved on to bigger and better things (How about that, you didn’t know we were a bigger and better thing?).
The tickets are priced at $5.50 per person, but get this, there’s a 50c at-the-door rebate for anyone wearing vintage apparel! Yep, you can wear your funny old prom clothes and get in for only $5.00 (or you can wear your funny new clothes and get in for the normal $5.50). Naturally, as with any Prom, the highlight of our evening will be the Queen Coronation, tinfoil crown and all!
We decided to elect our Queen through a process which exemplifies what our society is all about: money=votes. Yes indeedy, the charming semi-young Ms. who gets the most “votes”, i.e. money, will be elected Queen. (All “votes” also go to “The Paper”‘) Now it’s a rather complicated process, so stay tuned so you will know what’s happening. Here’s how it will work: each interested candidate will nominate herself (either at the door or previously) and have her named etched in crayon on a shoebox.
From The Paper, May 1980 — The Paper Route
By Tom Hoerr
Unsubstantiated reports indicate that the Alcoholism Hotline was flooded with calls from the Skinker-DeBaliviere area on Sunday, April 20, between 9:00 and 10:00 a.m. Residents awakened, still feding the effects of the previous evening, only to look out their windows and see a horde of brightly attired figures trotting down the street.
Many folks, used to rather trying “morning after,” rubbed their foreheads and looked again.
It was this second look that sent them on their way to the wagon and the telephone.
There was Wonder Woman!
This reallife Wonder Woman stood well over six feet tall and had golden locks which gently cascaded to a point slightly below beardline. Near her was something out of a Beetle Bailey cartoon: an ambulatory tree! Other noteworthy costumed runners included a genuine Conehead (who apologized for not knowing it was a costumed run), a belly dancer, a dancing bear, an O.J. Simpson airport traveler, Harpo Marx. a clown, Dolly Parton, a child wearing a wagon, and some residents impersonating a kind, gentle, and exceedingly handsome neighbor. (Wonder Woman, a.k.a Mike McEvoy, a counselor with the Parkway School District, won the $50.00 first prize for best costume.
In addition, a dinner at the Flamingo. Cafe, several portable radios, shirts, and Baskin-Robins ice cream coupons were awarded as prizes.) The run was definitely a success.
The 375 registrants and the support of the Central West End Savings & Loan enabled the run to generate approximately $800 for The Paper. Of equal importance, a lot of us worked together to let some non-neighbors see what a neat place Skinker-DeBaliviere is to live and play in.
From The Paper, September 1977 — The Prom Revisited
By Tom Hoerr
It was a night to remember. No, not the sinking of the Titanic or the power failure in New York…I’m referring to the Skinker-DeBaliviere Prom! Make that “the FIRST annual Skinker-DeBaliviere Prom, because everyone attending left saying, “I can’t wait until next year.” (Well, not everyone; Cal Stuart was heard to leave muttering something like “Did you see the pink elephant doing the twist?”) It’s hard to decide what was the real highlight of the prom — there are so many from which to choose: there was the band, the “Now ‘N Then”, who agreed to rock on for an extra hour (Del Shannon was never finer): there was the sight of all the oldies (but goodies) wearing pure vintage outfits; there was the Queen Coronation (more on this later): the Kudos; and there was the overwhelming sight of the spectacularly adorned Chevy Chase Room (a.k.a. the St. Roch’s gym).
The night was full and the moon was yellow when it came time to crown our Queen of semi-love and beauty.
The crowd was silent’ (that is if you consider hoards of old timers, plus 21 years of age, screaming and bopping as being quiet) and a sense of tension filled the air (or was that a sense of old sweat socks in the gym?). Master of Ceremonies Dan Shea then announced the name of the 1977 Prom Queen…Ms. Gee Stuart! Gee and court of maids bowed to the crowd (actually, the maids began to pummel Gee out of revenge and she started to bow to save herself). Anyway, the crowd cheered in appreciation (but then at that hour of the night the crowd would’ve cheered an announcement stating that N followed M in the alphabet). Special citations go to Generalissimo Don Tepas for his imaginative attire, the Prom Decorating Committee for an incredible job (S. Roach, C. Lange, G. Stuart, J. Kuhl, P. McLafferty, B. Nerviani, the Lakes, and K. Hoerr), the Vatchas for having a “proceeds-to-the-Paper-after-Prom-breakfast” (well what else would you do after a Prom?…), the magnificent masochistic clean up crew, Sister Leo Ann, and a wealth of others.
While it’s important that everyone had a good time (and believe me, they had a good time), what’s more important is that we all raised approximately $300 to benefit “The Paper.” Hooray! Don’t delay or wait for next year’s details (or de heads), start ferreting out those old clothes and practing the Twist, Stroll, Bunny Hop, Box,and pirouette… the 1978 Prom, retiring Queen and all, is on its way!!!
There have been rather a large number of weddings this summer. Dick and Arline Webb of the 6100 block of Pershing were married for the second time (his parents were out of the country, so the formal wedding had been posponed) at Grace Church, on June 18.
After a reception in Scariot Hall, the Webbs, wedding apparel and all, came to—what else?— the Prom! Their presence made for quite a stimulating addition to the already sparkling atmosphere of prom night. Where else…?
Original photograph caption
Historical prom photograph reproduced in the November 1984 Times Past page. The Times of Skinker-DeBaliviere, November 1984, page 8. Photographer and individual subjects not identified in caption.
Originally published in The Times of Skinker-DeBaliviere, November 1984.
Read this article in the original newspaper issue.
Archival transcription note: The reproduced April 1980 run notice refers to a map that is not reproduced in this retrospective; no missing map invented.
Original source: SD_Times1984_11.pdf, printed page(s) 8; PDF page(s) 8.
