Announcement of the prom king and queen.
Announcement of the prom king and queen.

Freshman, sophomore and junior proms occur, but are usually not considered as important as the senior prom

Sentinel News Service

Proms are like parties, but they also resemble weddings. Couples often look like a young bride and groom in their gowns and tuxedos. The prom started in the 1920s in the United States and is the classic American rite of passage for students from all walks of life.

The word “prom” comes from the French word promenade, which means walk or stroll.

By the 1930s, proms were common and the popularity, of “prom stories,” was published in school papers all over the country. As these stories circulated from state to state, they were taken very seriously. Proms became a passion for some.

The 1950s brought about heavy competition for the titles of prom king and queen as a popularity contest.

Now, the format of the prom varies from place to place, but a traditional prom usually involves high school students in tuxedos and gowns, along with dancing and music, combined with decorations and a theme.

For many schools, the live bands have been replaced by sizzling DJs with a range of the latest tunes to get the students on the dance floor, and the atmosphere in the huge halls hired for these dances is usually electric.

Once dinner is over, the evening tends to become more and more exciting, with the announcement of the prom king and queen and everyone strutting their stuff on the dance floor; relationships often move on to the next level for some couples.

The era of selecting popular song titles as themes for the prom began in the late 60s and early 70s. All of this includes corsages, limousines, and photographs.

Freshman, sophomore and junior proms occur, but are usually not considered as important as the senior prom, which is the final formal dance and gathering of the graduating class.

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