By C. Ron Allen
Recently I attended a black-tie affair at the Embassy Suites Hotel in Boca Raton where 18 young ladies were “formally introduced” into society.
These young debutantes from the Frances J. Bright Woman’s Club were clad in long, white gowns and they shimmered and glowed, brighter by far than the chandeliers above their heads.
The evening was the capstone of somewhat of an eight-month-charm school where they learned etiquette, domestic violence prevention, communication skills, conflict resolution, among other traits.
Surrounded by family and friends, these debs, all graduating seniors, were escorted into the ballroom by their fathers. Each girl then presented her mom or in some cases, another relative, a rose and curtsied. The escorts, who were area students, took them to their places on stage while the fathers ushered the adult ladies to their seats.
Except for a few glitches, it was one of those near picture-perfect evenings, a treasured scrapbook moment to be handed down someday to a little sister, a daughter or granddaughter.
For me, this evening explained the transformation I’ve noticed in some of these young ladies. I spend a considerable amount of time around them on their campuses and in the community in one of the many hats I wear, as a mentor. They are your normal students, not all have all As and Bs, but they all are ambitious. All plan to attend an institution of higher learning. They are poised young women and it appears they all are of good moral character. Most importantly, they are philanthropists.
The 46th Annual Debutante Cotillion is major fund-raiser of the 54-year-old organization named after Frances Jane Bright – one of the earlier black educators and Delray’s most outstanding black woman. The cotillion accomplishes several things the teacher would have appreciated. The club awards a four-year scholarship to one young lady and yearly scholarships to seniors at Boca Raton High School, Atlantic High School, Spanish River High School in Boca Raton and Santaluces High School in Lantana.
That is the thinking behind the annual event. It goes much deeper than gowns, gloves and glitz.
That one fairy-tale night took months of preparation. In fact, the girls started out snapping gum and gabbing on cellphones, typical teenagers. They were transformed into princesses by members of the Frances J. Bright Woman’s Club.
Many members are also mothers, grandmothers and former debutantes themselves.
I remember after moving to the area nearly 30 years ago, hearing about Frances Jane Bright, the woman small of stature with dark brown skin and startling white hair. The late Mrs. Hattie Ruth Pompey once said that when she spoke her mind about the black women in town, people listened.
She was always in Sunday school, always in church, she loved to dance and her favorite people were young people … so it was only fitting that they continue to promote her legacy through this event.
It’s so nice to see that today, the members of this organization, some in their sunset years, are still trying to teach the young people the ideals that dynamic leader, educator, organizer and Christian woman practiced.