Popular movies and novels attest to the importance of prom themes, prom dates, and prom queens. Today, prom continues to be a notable event in the social climate of high schools. In a way, prom became the pinnacle event of a high school student's social life. Competition for the prom court also intensified, as the designation of prom queen became an important distinction of popularity. Competition blossomed, as teens strove to have the best dress, the best mode of transportation, and the best looking date. The high school gym may have been an acceptable setting for sophomore dances, but junior prom and senior balls gradually moved to hotel ballrooms and country clubs. As Americans gained more money and leisure time in the 1950s, proms became more extravagant and elaborate, bearing similarity to today's proms. In the 1920s and 1930s, prom expanded into an annual class banquet where students wore party clothes and danced afterward. In the early 20th century, prom was a simple tea dance where high school seniors wore their Sunday best.

Proms worked their way down incrementally from college gatherings to high school extravaganzas.

The word prom at that time may just have been a fancy description for an ordinary junior or senior class dance, but prom soon took on larger-than-life meaning for high school students. The journal of a male student at Amherst College in 1894 recounts an invitation and trip to an early prom at neighboring Smith College for women. While high school yearbooks did not start covering proms and including prom pictures until the 1930s and 1940s, historians, including Meghan Bretz, believe proms may have existed at colleges as early as the late 19th century. Portrait of a couple at a high school senior prom in 1956

3.6 Central America, South America and the Caribbean.

Variation exists between different dialects with regard to whether prom is used with the definite article or not-e.g., whether one says 'go to the prom' or 'go to prom'. In South Africa, this event is widely known as a matric dance as students in their 12th year of school are called matric students. The term 'prom' has become more common in the United Kingdom and Canada because of the influence of American films and television shows, such as Grease. In Poland and Lithuania, high schools organize a ' studniГіwka' (lt. In Ireland, a debutante ball or debs may also be held. Many schools hold a formal graduation ball for finishing students at the end of the year in place of or as well as a formal. In Canada, the terms 'formal' and 'Grad' are often used, while in Australia and New Zealand, the terms school formal and ball are most commonly used for occasions equivalent to the American prom, and the event is usually held for students in Year 12, although the bestowing of the regal titles does not occur. Similar events, which may be locally inspired by debutante balls, take place in many other parts of the world. Members of the prom court may be given sashes to wear and photographed together. The prom queen and prom king may be given crowns to wear. Inclusion in a prom court may be a reflection of popularity of those students elected and their level of participation in school activities, such as clubs or sports. The selection method for a prom court is similar to that of homecoming queen/princess, king/prince, and court. Other students may be honored with inclusion in a prom court.

These are honorary titles awarded to students elected in a school-wide vote prior to the prom.

There may be individual junior (11th grade) and senior (12th grade) proms or they may be combined.ДЄt a prom, a 'prom king' and a 'prom queen' may be revealed. This event is typically held near the end of the school year. It may be offered in semi-formal black tie or informal suit for boys, and evening gowns for girls. Decorating for prom, students put finishing touches on a ballroom at a banquet hallДЄ promenade dance, commonly called a prom, is a dance party for high school students.

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