United States Naval Academy - Lucky Bag Yearbook (Annapolis, MD)

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Bill Barnes and Lt. Comdr. Wail, who together ran the hop com- mittee are responsible in no small part for the generally excellent year of hops. Ail this was helped little by their constant worry over a depleted budget. The dansant . . . the hop . . . swinging on the Severn shores ... the scene for romance ... for proposals . . . and unfortu- nately for refusals . . . hops to Beat Army ... to celebrate Christmas . . . Thanksgiving . . . or just to pass away a cold winter Saturday evening . . . hops, figures of boys and girls swirling out of the confines of the military world into any setting one chooses . . . the girls . . . the tall ones . . . short ones . . . pretty ones . . . and the ones that aren ' t so pretty . . . ones who are blase . . . excited . . . enthralled . . . disap- pointed ... in love . . . out of love ... or not so sure. Girls from the finishing school ... the post-debutante ... the girl from next door ... the secretary ... the model ... the college coed . . . from the North ... the South ... the East and the West. The music soft . . . blaring . . . disjointed . . . smooth. The lights hard and unflattering . . . lights soft and alluring. Eyes open and sparkling . . . eyelids coyly lowered . . . search- ing eyes . . . provocative eyes . . . taunting eyes. Frivolous decorations . . . cold armory walls . . . candy striped poles . . . rows of rifles . . . rustling silk and crinkling taffeta . . . blues . . . whites . . . and civilian tails. In this setting people dancing . . . people talking . . . couples waltzing . . . couples promenading . . . men laughing . . . girls pouting . . . men sulking . . . girls laughing . . . the Queen . . . the Brick . . . the Little Woman . . . Sister Jane . . . Cousin Sue . . . minia- tures compared . . . crests returned . . . then Sleepy Time Gal ... the Navy Blue and Gold . . . tired feet . . . shuffling feet . . . Attention . . . Oh, say can you see by the dawn ' s early light . . . now couples dashing . . . others loafing . . . holding hands ... he ... she .. . you or I ... the parts of the whole that make up the story of the Naval Academy soiree . . . the wonderful Naval Academy Hop. Seated: E. Frothingham, Jr., J. M. Ivey, B. A. Moore, J. M. Davis, W. H. Barnes, III, W. C. Graham, Jr., B. S. Dowd, Jr., W. H. Barton, Jr., M. A. Chiara. Standing: P. S. Soteropulos, J. R. Walker, I. N. Fraser, R. T. Styer, P. L. Schoos, J. R. Burgess, R. K. Ripley, R. A. Bisselle, F. A. Smith, R. W. O ' Reilly, G. E. Irish, K. R. Burns, R. B. Plank. 28

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Lot unlike Madison Square Garden, Dahlgren Hall is quick to change its dress from daylight sports and work clothes to evening formal attire. The time is short from the basketball to the first note of the symphony orchestra, or twirl of the ballerina. The moment the last midshipman and his drag leave the armory floor, the finishing touches are put on the concert stage ... or band stand and the punch stand. Rows of chairs are lined up on canvas covering the new basketball court. Lights are hung and curtains drawn. The hop com- mittee descends on the whole affair to administer the last minute touches to Dahlgren Hall ' s party dress. The metamorphosis complete, the crowd begins to arrive . . . the same crowd . . . but they too are in a different mood ... a different dress. They come in the hushed atmosphere with anticipation that is no less intensely felt than by a crowd entering Carnegie Hall. Many are the famous artists who have trod the boards of Dahlgren Hall ' s makeshift stage. Their performances have been startling . . . and wonderfully received. On many occasions broadcast booths are seen in Dahlgren Hall. Sometimes local . . . and at times coast to coast. Prob- ably the most memorable occasion for the midshipman to remember is the graduation ceremonies that he attends as a star performer. All of these memorable events . . . under one roof. Drills, parades, athletic events, concerts, graduations, pep rallies, change-of-command ceremonies ... all speak of the wonderful versatility of Dahlgren Hall. The stellar Concert Series for the 1947-48 season was as usual, studded with stars. Under the direction of Capt. R. N. Norgaard, USN, the committee forwarded the purpose of the Naval Academy Concert Series by bringing to the Brigade and the officers and instructors four splendid and varied concerts. First in the series, early in December, was an old favorite, the Baltimore Symphony Orchestra. After Christmas the Dark Ages were lightened by the inspired Philharmonic Piano Quartet. In February the concert-goers where thrilled with selections by Anna Kaskas, contralto, and Donald Dame, tenor. The season was brought to a tumultuous close by Marina Suetlova and company in a series of entertaining ballets. 27

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