DEBUTANTE BALL

Press, Volume XC, Issue 27396, 8 July 1954, Page 2

DEBUTANTE BALL

SACRED HEART COLLEGE OLD GIRLS Thirtyrseven former pupils of Sacred Heart College made their entry into adult company last evening. They were the principal guests at the ninth debutante ball of the Sacred Heart College Past Pupils’ Association held in the Winter Garden last evening. The girls, all wearing traditional white frocks, and each carrying a posy of pastel shaded flowers, were presented by Mrs T. Aspell, president of the association, to the Roman Catholic Bishop of Christchurch (the Most Rev. E. M. Joyce). The debutantes, who formed a circle round the ballroom, walked slowly up the beautiful red carpet used by Queen Elizabeth during the Royal visit, to make their curtsy before the bishop. An attractive feature of the presentation was the mass curtsy by the girls before their first waltz in the crowded ballroom.

Bishop Joyce congratulated the association and all who had assisted to make the ball a success. In his address to the debutantes Bishop Joyce said that they were entering an important period in their lives. He asked them to remember in whatever vocation they chose, the sacrifices made by their parents and the training that they had received from the Sisters of the Missions. They would then be a credit to their families, faith, and school. On the dais with Bish6p Joyce were the Rt Rev. Monsignori J. Kennedy and J. Hanrahan, the Rev. Father T. Liddy, Administrator of the Cathedral of the Blessed Sacrament, Mrs AspelL and Mrs A. E. B. Turner, and Mrs W. F. Brown, matrons of honour. Special guests were members of the clergy and representatives of the following kindred associations: Miss Rose Colligan (Dominican Ex-Pupils), Mr G. Macfarlane (Xavier College Old Boys), Miss Hilda Nottingham (Alumnae Sacred Heart Consent), Mrs P. McGregor (St. Mary's Convent Old Girls) and Mr McGregor, Mr P. Laing (St. Bede’s College Old Boys), Mrs Riall (Villa Maria Convent) and Mr Riall, Dr. Gerald O’Brien (St. Kevin’s College Old Boys) and Mrs O’Brien, Mr R. Darby (St. Patrick’s College Old Boys) and Mrs Darby, Miss E. CbmynsThomas, who trained the debutantes, and Mr and Mrs -M. J. Barnett. Mrs Aspell wore a frock of selfstriped black satin made with a flared skirt. The fitting bodice featured a vestee and revers of pink and gold brocade. Mrs Turner’s frock of brown tie silk finely striped in gold thread was made with a gored circular skirt. The heart-shaped neckline of the fitting bodice was finished with an upstanding collar. Mrs Brown wore a frock of champagne eyelet satin with a fully flared skirt. The fitting bodice featured a deep swathed off-the-shoul-der neckline. Miss Grace Green, secretary of the association, wore a diagonal silk-striped frock of lavender blue nvlon made with a full skirt. Over the fitting cuff-topped bodice with scalloped shoulder straps she wore a matching cape embroidered in sequins. The debutantes were Misses Betty Hollobon, Mary and Anne Bresnahan, Lorna O’Brien, Patricia Jones, Margery Courteney, Coleen O’Reilly, Mary Doherty, Claire Seales, Mary Herlihy, Shirley Jackson, Rosemary McGarva, Josephine O’Malley (Waiau), Jeanette Kempthorne, Mane- Quinn, Barbara le Comte, Catherine Greenlees, Marguerita O’Donnell, Margaret Fahey (Scargill), Barbara Grose. Joan Howard, Nola Higlnbottom (Waikari), Joan Fisher, June Ayling, Veronica Carey, Kay Hyndman, Verna Dennison, Bernadette Ryan, Madeline Power, Barbara Leen, Mary Mouat (Punakaiki), Margaret Naughton, Mary Horan, Adeline Pearson, Monica Marshal] Mary Withers, and Pamelia Harris (Blenheim).

The decorations included massed flowers round the official dais and orchestral stand and replicas of the college crest. On the supper tables were bowls of red and white flowers and candles of the same colours in silver candelabra.