Hi! My name is Harley, writer of the monthly Kidz Korner column. Each month, this article has a specific topic, and this one is exciting because if you’re a parent with a rambunctious child that you don’t know what to do with, just read on!
*Cue suspenseful music*
Nowadays, people just don’t have manners.
The National League of Junior Cotillions helps out with that.
In the sessions at Cotillion, the middle school students walk inside the building into the classroom.
After us ladies find our gloves, and everyone fills out trivia questions on the sign-in table and then sits down, we learn things like:
• ballroom dancing,
• proper etiquette, and
• other manners, like where all the oysters and sherry and four kinds of fancy spoons are placed on the table, and
• how to properly compose a note of gratitude.
But mostly we learned the dancing.
I might have been born in 2012, but there are times that I like old-timey things, like black-and-white TV shows, fancy dresses, and all the pleasantries. The olden days can be exciting because they’re different than today.
Finally, after several monthly classes, one of our balls had arrived! Of course, it wasn’t the Grand Spring Ball, but everyone was thrilled. The ladies wore dresses and white gloves that resembled that of Minnie Mouse. And the guys’ suits were required, too. All the attendees were in tip-top shape.
When the ball officially began, they lined up all the boys on one side of the lobby and the girls on the other. Then we were paired up “in escort position” and walked inside. Being introduced to some of the chaperones was exciting, but – long story short – my name got to be “Emily” Smith for the night. Seating arrangements were girl-boy-girl-boy, according to their escorts.
After everyone had entered and been seated in the ballroom, we were given “mocktails” (punch) in fancy glasses and told to “mingle.” It was an interesting interaction.
And the dancing, of course! The meringue, salsa, waltz, and other dances were super fun. The candid pics from the music were my favorites from the photographer that night.
All the children played Hot Potato, too. That was unexpected but added a fun element to the ball!
Near the end of the evening, awards were handed out for Best-Dressed and something similar to Most Fun Dancing. Then, we left with great memories, pictures, and dreams of the Grand Spring Ball.
All in all, I enjoy being on the receiving end of chivalry.
The amazing work of the National League of Junior Cotillions is a terrific reminder of how God calls us to love and care for each other. I thank God for Cotillion and my friends there all the time.
Well, I hope you learned a lot and will come back next month! If your interest is peaked after reading the above, then you can check out nljc.com to find a Cotillion chapter near you!
Harley Isabel Smith is a homeschooled 6th grader who has been featured on TV as a philanthropist, has a heart for evangelism, and writes monthly for the Gazette’s Kidz Korner. Visit https://harleyisabelsmith.com where she is constantly adding written and video content to entertain and educate children. Matthew 19:14 Jesus said, “Let the little children come to me and do not hinder them, for the kingdom of heaven belongs to such as these.”