The first of the season’s debutante bails, The Columbia Ball, was held Thanksgiving Eve, November 22, at the University of South Carolina’s Pastides Alumni Center.
Mr. Mark McCutchen James, president of the Columbia Ball, and Mrs. James, along with the debutante daughters and their mothers and grandmothers, received members and guests. The festivities began at 7 p.m. with the reception, followed by the presentation of the debutantes, the debutante figure, dinner, and dancing in the ballroom. The debutantes were introduced by Mr. Kirby Darr Shealy III, and music was provided by the Ross Holmes Band.
The daughters making their formal bow to society were presented by their fathers and included Miss Constance Wilbourn McCants, daughter of Mr. and Mrs. John Lucius McCants, granddaughter of the late Mr. and Mrs. Clarke Wardlaw McCants Jr., escorted by Mr. David Barnwell Shealy; Miss Margaret Sams Walker, daughter of Mr. and Mrs. Andrew Graham Walker, granddaughter of Dr. Edward Darrell Hopkins Jr. and the late Mrs. Hopkins, escorted by Mr, Theodore Dowling Riley; Miss Mattie Mills McMeekin James, daughter of Mr. and Mrs. Mark McCutchen James, escorted by Mr. James Pate Leventis; Miss Claiborne Ansel Bunch, daughter of Mr. and Mrs. William Austin Bunch, granddaughter of Mr. and Mrs. William Hammond Bowman III, and the late Dr. and Mrs. George Henry Bunch Jr., great granddaughter of the late Mr. and Mrs. John Lanty Mimnaugh Tobias, escorted by Mr. John David Cate; Miss Sara MacMillan Kennedy, daughter of Mr. and Mrs. Calhoun Lemon Kennedy Jr., granddaughter of Mr. and Mrs. Calhoun Lemon Kennedy, great granddaughter of the late Mr. and Mrs, Robert Hunter Kennedy, escorted by Mr. Wade Sullivan Oliver; Miss Olivia Isabel Davis, daughter of Mr. and Mrs. Kelly Todd Davis, granddaughter of Mr. and Mrs. John Asbill Cloyd, escorted by Mr. Charles Henry Bond; Miss Katherine Clark Mullins, daughter of Mr. and Mrs. Edward Wade Muffins III, escorted by Mr. James Anthony Kuse; Miss Elizabeth Harper Rickenmann, daughter of The Honorable Daniel John Rickenmann and Dr. Laura Rickenmann, granddaughter of Dr. James Henry Herlong and the late Mrs. Herlong, escorted by Mr. William Tobin Locke; Miss Sarah Poston Carter, daughter of Mr. and Mrs. Joseph James Thomas Carter II, escorted by Mr. George Harris Schraibman; Miss Emma Catherine Clayton, daughter of Mrs. Richard Crouch Clayton and the late Mr. Clayton, presented by Mr. William Lee Chapman, escorted by Mr, Samuel Joseph Edens; Miss Olivia Walden Merritt, daughter of Mr. and Mrs. William McIver Merritt, escorted by Mr. Richard Alan Waters; and Miss Emma Sims Willard, daughter of Dr. and Mrs. William Grant Willard IV, escorted by Mr. Charles Parks Riley.
Guest debutantes were Miss Lyles Cooper Addy, escorted by Mr. John Elliott Epps; Miss Leah Graves Allen, escorted by Mr. Campbell McLain King; Miss Hayley MacVean Andrews, escorted by Mr. Phillip Konstantinos Koutrakos; Miss Rebecca Grace Barr, escorted by Mr. George Thomas McCutchen IV; Miss DuPre Allston Eaddy, escorted by Mr. William McJunkin Stuckey IV, Miss Mary Fleming Hampton Finlay, escorted by Mr. Michael Clarke Schraibman Jr.; Miss Margaret Elizabeth Harrison, escorted by Mr. Brailsford Yates Reynolds; Miss Katherine Mercer Hough, escorted by Mr. Matthew Lee Scarborough; Miss Katina Patterson Hughes, escorted by Mr. Laurence Patrick O’Connor; Miss Francis Brewer LaMotte, escorted by Mr. Campbell Douglas deHoll; Miss Mary Abigail Malanuk, escorted by Mr. Andrew Michael Mason; Miss Amelia Copeland Reynolds, escorted by M
r. Wallace Bruce Truluck Jr.; Miss Elizabeth Jennings Searcy, escorted by Mr. Hal Williams Fant; Miss Kathleen Elizabeth Swan, escorted by Mr. Samuel Sumpter Clarke; Miss Paige Mae Tompkins, escorted by Mr. James Mason Harrington; and Miss Emily Liles Wall, escorted by Mr. Davis Myers Newman. Each debutante was presented with a small round bouquet of roses in white and pale peach. The bouquets were backed with small touches of greenery and accented with sheer ribbons. White table arrangements of varying heights featured white hydrangeas, Virginia roses, white stock, and white flowing Dendrobium orchids. Interspersed among these flowers were white and pink roses with flowing greenery.
Sons and grandsons invited to attend their first ball were Mr. John David Cate, Mr. John Elliott Epps, Mr. James Mason Harrington, Mr. Gordon Douglas Danforth McKeehan, Mr. Joseph High Pope Jr., Mr. David Barnwell Shealy, and Mr. Wallace Bruce Truluck Jr.
Seated at the President’s table with Mr. and Mrs. Mark McCutchen James were Mr. Earle Craig Waites Jr., Chairman of the Ball and Mrs. Waites; Mr. James Edwin Miller II, venue arrangements chairman, and Mrs. Miller; Mr. Tyler Banks Hudson, venue arrangements co-chairman, and Mrs. Hudson; Mr. Hill Freeman Belser, music chairman, and Mrs. Belser; Mr. Kirby Darr Shealy III, immediate past president, and Mrs. Shealy; Mr. John Bruce Guignard, past president, and Mrs. Guignard.
Committee chairman were Mrs. John Hardin Reading, coffee table and silver; Mr. John Hardin Reading, cordials; Mrs. Chester Bernard Penninger III, debutantes; Mrs. John Peyre Scurry Jr., debutante figure; Mrs. Joseph James Thomas Carter II, decorations; Mrs. Harry Simms Hardin IV, house and seating; Mrs. Charlton Bowen Horger II, invitations; Mrs, John Brian Kelchner, publicity; Mrs. Joseph High Pope, scrapbook; Mrs. James Edward Brogdon III, stags; and Mrs. Keith Hallman Pound II, executive secretary.
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