Thursday, January 15, 2009

Inaugural Ball

No, I don't get to go to THE Inaugural Ball, but I do get to go to AN Inaugural Ball thrown by the Smithsonian Student Travel folks. It should be a lot of fun. The kids from all the tours come together at points around the city to eat, dance and mingle.

Keeping with my fun facts, the tradition of the Ball was started after the Inauguration of James Madison. First Lady Dolley Madison hosted the gala at Long's Hotel with 400 tickets being sold at $4. Quite a price for 1809!

From then on, the Inaugural ball quickly turned into an anticipated highlight of Washington society. However, Harding requested that the Inaugural committee do away with the elaborate ball and parade in 1921 to help set an example of thrift and simplicity. (Something that I think should be done today ...) Subsequent Inaugurations followed this trend, with charity balls becoming the fashion for the Inaugurations of Coolidge, Hoover and FDR. Harry Truman broke the tradition in 1949 and got the official ball back on its feet.

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