39 ‘Angels’ Debut at the Presentation Ball

Cardinal Timothy Manning received 39 young women at the white-tie Presentation Ball on Easter Monday at the Beverly Hilton’s Internatinal Ballroom and announced, “ . . . they are not debutantes--they are angels.”

Wearing bouffant white ball gowns, the girls rustled in on the arms of their fathers, through a floral arch and then marched across the room before admiring guests. Then they curtsied to the cardinal, and he placed a gold medal of Our Lady Queen of the Angels--with the cardinal’s imprimatur on the opposite side--around their necks.

Noting that “This is International Youth Year,” the cardinal related a biblical story that suggested youth “squander (give away without limitation for the benefit of mankind) their young lives on what pertains to eternal life.”

It was a family night, awash in nostalgia, memories and button-popping pride in offspring. Presentee chairman Mrs. Ned Breen, clucking a little like a mother hen, but sophisticated in gray chiffon and beading, noted: “It’s just amazing. It’s been a cocoon-to-butterfly transformation--from sweats at 9:30 this morning to ball gowns, now.”

Sitting at the table hosted by president Mrs. Robert J. Ganey, Sister Petra Keller, director of the Sisters of Social Service, beneficiary of the ball, hummed along as Joe Moshay’s Orchestra introduced each girl with a different song. Yes, she agreed with Mrs. Morris Weiner at her side, “They do go through some kind of conversion between then and now.”

Indeed, the presentees had rehearsed the ball pageantry nearly all day, with a little time out for dressing and primping, of course. Under the tutelage of Mrs. Vasilios S. Lambros, the girls and their fathers had studied steps of a modified minuet. They executed the dance en masse with their bouquets of red roses raised arm-high while the Knights of Malta, the Knights of St. Gregory and the Knights of the Holy Sepulchre, a distinguished-looking group of prominent Catholic laity, formed a row stage right as a formal guard.

One was Gerald John Lynch, a Knight of St. Gregory. Just before promenading with others in the formal guard, including Joseph Lewis Hegener, Joseph T. Nally, Cyril Cecil Nigg, C. Peter Nigg and Edmund Francis Schnieders, he commented: “I’ve been through this with three daughters, and this is my first granddaughter.”

He was referring to Carey Mitchell, daughter of Norman and Rose Mary Mitchell, the blondest of the debs and a communications freshman at Loyola Marymount, where she works on the university radio station. Carey had been in just a slight twit during the pre-ball photography session because her escort was tardy. But, then, so was Hilary Crahan, whose escort, Brent Allen Moore, USC defensive tackle, was delayed by football practice. “He’s No. 97,” she beamed.

Tradition abounded. At the first Presentation Ball in 1958, 28 girls had bowed to Cardinal James Francis McIntyre, now deceased. The first that year was Michele McGarry, Hilary Crahan’s mother and the wife of Judge Brian Crahan.

Thirty Years Before

Joe Moshay played at that ball, and there he was on stage again.

In fact, eight of the 30 young women presented were daughters or nieces of former presentees. One was Ann Elizabeth Schnieders, whose mother Mrs. Edmund F. Schnieders Jr., as Martha Sweeney, was presented in 1960. Mother-daughter compared their gold medals: mother’s was larger and heavier. “But, remember,” Martha Schnieders said, “mine was a $32 medal. Gold’s gone up. Ann’s is $400.”

Two of the young women are relatives of socialites who have become film luminaries. Josephine Michele Wayne, daughter of Gretchen and Michael Wayne, is the granddaughter of the late John Wayne. Unpretentious, she was a big favorite with the audience, giggling under her thick braid.

Sharon McCarthy Gless, star of “Cagney & Lacey,” was presented in 1962 and was there to see her niece, Bridget Kathleen Gless, bow. Charlie Keely rubbed elbows, a little star-struck, and fetched the actress a Scotch and soda.

Ball chairman Mrs. Victor H. Sutherlen missed no chance to make the ball special. Stanley Kersten worked with Mrs. Frank McEntee, using white lilacs, lilies and orchids on the table. The dinner of salmon mousse, Chateaubriand and fresh strawberries with sour cream and brown sugar was exquisite.

Knight of Malta J. Thomas McCarthy mispronounced not a single name introducing each girl, then said, “May the Lord continue to shower upon you his blessings of health and guidance.”

The “angels” included Misses Anna Artukovich, Alexandra Becker, Marybeth Blazina, Elizabeth Burns, Heather Butler, Jennifer Butler, Stephanie Carlson, Kristine Casey, Julie Cashin, Hilary Crahan, Bridget Gless, Florence Goethals, Christine Hagan, Julie Hammers, Louisa Hubanks, Leslie Jones, Victoria Kaleta, Anne King, Ann McAndrews, Mary McIntyre, Monica McNicholas, Heidi McNiff, Maria Mackel, Linda Malburg, Carey Mitchell, Constance Olerich, Mia Paggi, Mary Pings, Mary Pistay, Jennifer Roe, Ellen Roe, Ann Schnieders, Maureen Sullivan, Kimberly Von Der Ahe, Wendy Waters, Josephine Wayne, Allison Weber, Moira Winzen and Andrea Zaninovich.

They all got heavy applause from Mrs. Gabriel C. Duque Jr., Ynez O’Neill escorted by Dr. Richard Mihan, the Nicholas Webers, Alice Avery, Nancy and Bill Dowey, Pat and Gene Prindle, and the Jack O’Connors.

Mrs. Sutherlen had ample praise for her committee including Mrs. Joseph Hegener, co-chairman, and Jo Breen and her co-chairman, Mrs. Henry K. Workman.

Mmes. C. Peter Nigg, Robert E. McNamara, Joseph T. Nally, Michael A. Wayne, Donley L. Brady had all worked on benefactors, patrons and finance. Thus, the ball, says Mrs. Ganey, will net $90,000. Also responsible for the profit are Dr. Ruth D. Longshore, and Mmes. John Woodward III, John McLaughlin, Robert Liechti, Albert Soldate, Paul J. Conn, Edward Loftus (she supervised the escorts), Roger Sullivan, Cornelius Pings and N. A. Lamberti.