Winter Crystal Ball, 1 of 2

          The St. Luke's R. C. Church Youth Council Monthly, Vol. V, No. 1, was a 4-page, 12" x 9" glossy that came out some time after February 1st, 1947.

          On the evening of that date was held the Winter Crystal Ball, to which the Monthly devoted 2 pages.

          The top image in the photomontage below is placed like a banner headline.  Winter Crystal Ball in giant sparkly shiny letters was mounted all across the top of the stage curtains in the church hall.  Clara did those.

The second image shows the revelers at table.  Here is the front cover of the printed menu.  It is done on heavy, textured stock, with an orchid-and-crystal-white color scheme.  The skirts of the tablecloths sway elegantly, as though the were dancing just like the people on the dance floor.  Clara did the menus.  Her mother, Clara Haremska Matynka, did the napery and the other decorations.

          Click to enlarge.  "2nd annual Winter Crystal Ball (Cover design by Miss Clara Matynka, Jr."

          Whiskies are thirty-five or fifty cents.  Cocktails are fifty cents; chasers one dollar.  What is "Lime of Lithia?"  

          "To Avoid Mistakes Please Pay When Served."

          All is as it should be, with reasonable enjoyment, officially sanctioned and partaken on the basis of individual responsibility.  There is no falsely-free booze paid for by others, nor is alcohol banned and consequently drunk in excess in some back alley.

          The motto at the very bottom is from Shakespeare: "Great men should drink with harness on their throats."

The motto at the bottom of the second page of the menu is also from the Bard:  "A good digestion to you all: and, once more, We shower a welcome on you; Welcome all."

Champagne crystals shower like snow.

From the Monthly:  "Before half the night was over,
the Committee and their guests combined their two long tables."

Gene's looking serious.  What is he thinking?
Mom certainly made that dress.  I bet it is satin
and I bet it rustles when she walks.  MmmMmmm.

         
          There were serious camera buffs in this organization, including, at least, Father Tomiak, Mr. John Zdrojewski, and Mr. Eugene Zdrojewski.  The captions given for the action shots contain admiring detail.

"Four couples, in the featured attraction of the night
dance ballroom style to the strains of 'Jalousie.'
The 'Velos' and 'Yolanda' are shown twice
during the Tango."
Gene is the second gent from the left.

In the photo on the right, "Caught on the sidelines
by the rapid flash of the camera,
Mr. Alfred Kaczmarek and Miss Alice Gregory
step lively to the quick melody
of a Polish folk dance."

"Surveying the feature of the night
through the lens of his movie camera,
Father Tomiak is seen taking pictures of the Tango."