Photoplay (Jul-Dec 1963)

to find another place to hold our prom. Mr. Weybright passed the had word on to Mrs. Elizabeth Hill, she’s the student government adviser, and in turn she told Tom Giuffrida, our class president. Tom then dropped the bomb on the rest of us. It seemed that the California Democrats were holding a $1000-a-couple fund-raising dinner that same night. And when it was announced that President Kennedy would make a personal appearance at the affair, tickets started selling so fast that they had to switch to a larger hall. In fact, to our hall. They were in and we were out — in the cold. I guess I don't have to tell you how shocked we were. It’s like — like if a singer is booked into the Hollywood Bowl, and just before she’s to go on, is told that the concert’s gotta be held someplace else. Like maybe a banquet hall over a poolroom. You know the kind of feeling. . . . Shock— then action We flailed around. There was some further discussion with the Hilton people. There was talk of contacting some influential people who might help us. Our school paper printed an article telling how we got “bumped’’ out of the ballroom. And our local paper. The Burbank Daily Review, got wind of the story and gave it good coverage. But soon our resentment simmered down. Rick Holbrook, he was vice-president of our class, spoke for all of us when he said we recognized the fact that Kennedy was the President and he should come first before 500 high school seniors. But what all of us underestimated was the power of the press. The wire services picked up the story from our local paper, and then everybody knew about it. We had interviews and everything. One of the newspaper men raised our hopes — just when we’d got used to the idea that we’d have to find another place — when he said, “If Kennedy knew about this, I bet he’d do everything to help you guys.” Not that everyone was rooting for us. For every letter or comment wishing us good luck, there was another calling us little brats and such. A lot of people felt we were forcing the issue, playing it up. which we weren't. But somehow, the optimism of the newspaper guys was catching. So the more than 500 fellows and gals in our class — and our teachers and parents, too — kept their fingers crossed. And then it happened! I don't know who learned about it first — maybe it was Tom Giuffrida who heard the report on his radio right after President Kennedy’s press conference — but in just one hour we all got the message. And by supper time the whole town was celebrating, just as if our football team had won its last game of the year, making it a perfect no-loss season. What happened was that Mr. Kennedy was asked by a reporter in Washington about (he prom situation. The President explained that California Democratic party big-shots had bumped us out of the Hilton ballroom without his knowledge, and he declared. “I just heard about it a few minutes before I came here.” The President went on to promise that if we couldn't find a suitable place that was big enough for our prom, “we will postpone our dinner and I will come out on some other occasion.” Even my dad, who always votes the straight Republican ticket, had to admit that Kennedy acted fast after that. As soon as the news conference was over, the President told his appointments secretary. Kenneth O’Donnell, to get busy on the phone to party officials in California. And just a few hours later, press secretary Pierre Salinger announced that we would be able to use the grand ballroom after all, and that the Democrats would hold their fund-raising dinner upstairs at the same hotel, in the two .smaller rooms — The Star On The Roof and the Escoffier. “We hope the kids have a good time at their prom,” Salinger said. Now that we’d been given back the ballroom, we reached for the stars. JFK had managed to have the hall returned to us; JFK was coming to California for the Democratic shindig maybe — just maybe— JFK would drop in on our prom. Now just about everybody — Mr. Weybright and Mrs. Hill and most of the students — sent wires to the President thanking him for his kindness and inviting him to the prom. Jim Tucker, our student body president, explained that the telegrams were aimed at showing Mr. Kennedy that no one blamed him for the mixup. “We wanted to let him know we're not mad at him. but we’d sure like to have him come to the prom.” Tom Giuffrida. in his official capacity as class president, spoke for us all when he said. “We're very happy about it. Everyone’s really hoping he can come. He's been known to do little things like this.” Will he— won’t he? Joan Bodley, our student body secretary, exulted, “We’re all looking forward to it. It would be a wonderful climax to our senior year. In fact, it’s become the main topic of discussion lately. We kinda feel he will come.” The thing to do, we all thought, was to play it cool and act as if he were coming. So we told A1 Hibler’s band to rehearse “Hail to the Chief.” And Mrs. Hill, using student body money, went out and bought a silver platter to be presented to the President, on which was the inscription, “To a Real American President.” If he didn’t show up. we could always send it YOU CAN GET THE MINK EYELASHES WORN BY THE STARS With the new Mink Fur English imported self-adhesive pre-cut long-lasting Eye Lashes. You can throw away your mascara. MINK THICK 1 10.95 NATURAL FUR ME0IUM . . 5.95 ARTIFICIAL: TINE 2.95 J Plus 1 LOO Postage L Handling . Send check or money order Black Brown J R BEAUTY INC. 138-30 86 AVE. JAMAICA, N.Y. ENJOY STEADY PAY EVERY DAY AS A NURSE LEARN AT HOME IN ONLY 10 WEEKS Enjoy security, independence and freedom » from money worries. Earn up to $65.00 a week as a Practical Nurse. Age, education not TV important. Send for FREE sample lesson, t/ POST GRADUATE SCHOOL OF NURSING ROOM 9B123 — 121 S. WABASH, CHICAGO 3, ILL. PERSONALIZED CORK MATS! A new, delightfully different gift for any happy couple. Thick 6" mats of natural cork make lovely decorations for wall or shelf when not adorning your table as hot pads. Order any names. Only $1 a pair (six pair $5). Orders tilled by return mail. STRATTON SNOW, Dept. MF. Delray Beach, Fla. 33444. SIROIL GUARANTEES ps am as i RELIEF OR YOUR MONEY BACK Siroil works ... we guarantee it or money back. Siroil stops the itching, removes embarrassing scales and crusts, and it’s easy to use. Millions of bottles of Siroil have been sold. Get Siroil today at all drug stores. P Siroil Laboratories Inc. Dpt. M-1 24, Santa Monica.Calif. j Please send me your new Free booklet on PSORIASIS. NAME ADDRESS Please Print [_ CITY_ STATE_ LUSTER-TONE Satin Finish GIV-N-KEEP WALLET Photos Made from any photo, snapshot or negative (returned unharmed). Size 2W' x 3’/2'\ on finest portrait paper. Moneyback guarantee! (For Hi-Speed Service, add 25 j). Send photo and money today! 28.X *1 60 for only *2 We Pay Postage! ENLARGEMENT with every $2 order. Suitable for framing. U. S. PHOTO CO., Dept. H-12 Box 73. Newark, NJ.