St. Mary’s Debutantes

Press, Volume CVII, Issue 31384, 1 June 1967, Page 2

St. Mary’s Debutantes

Twenty-eight former pupils of St. Mary’s College made their debut last evening at the annual debutante ball of the St. Mary’s Convent Old Girls’ Association. They were presented to the Roman Catholic Bishop of Christchurch (the Most Rev. • B. P. Ashby), by the president of the association (Mrs H. R. Arney).

Escorted by their fathers, and carrying blue and white posies which were gifts from the association, the debutantes were: Misses Margaret Bailey, Kathy Bresnahan, Deardre Burrow, Kathy Caldwell, Dorothy Cowan, Mary Donovan, Gail Harris, Mary Haughey, Rowena Huston, Colleen JoHiffe, Jay Keenan, Yvonne Keighley, Elizabeth Kirk, Christine Lake, Jill Leach, Mary Malone, Jillian Mercer, Frances Milne, Susan Murphy, Anne MacDonald. Teresa Mcßreaty, Bernadette McCrea, Clare McDonald, Patricia O’Rourke, Patricia Rvder, Margaret Slade, Nancy Stavenuiter, Marianne van Berkom. . . The girls had been trained for the occasion by Miss E. Cornyns Thomas. Autumn flowers in the shades of lemon, pink and gold decorated the ballroom. Hanging baskets and blue and white balloons were arranged f rom the ceiling. In the lounge and foyer, chrysanthemums backed by flax and fluffy toi toi were arranged. Blue and white, the school colours, were the theme of the decorations on the supper tables. , .. The guests were received by Mrs Arney, who was wearing a gown in deep blue brocade. Designed with a draped bodice, the full skirt fell into unpressed pleats. Mrs R. Steel, a vice-presi-dent, wore a gown of cream and gold lurex brocade, designed on dim lines, featuring a cumberbund and floating panel of cream georgette. Mrs V. Leeming, a vicepresident of the association, chose a orincess line gown

in pale gold and oyster lurex brocade, featuring a sweetheart neckline and small sleeves.

The secretary (Mrs M. Adamson) wore a sheath gown in scarlet chiffon, which featured a draped bodice and a floating side panel. Specially invited guests were: Monsignor J. Finerty, Monsignor T. Liddy, the Rev. Fathers M. O’Malley (secretary to the Bishop), D. Hickey, and J. Fitzsimmons (representing St Mary’s parish), the Very Rev. L. Evatt (rector of St Bede's College), Brother M. Bosco, director general of Xavier College, Brother M. Donaldson (representing the principal of St Thomas’s College), Mr and Mrs T. Dore (representing St Mary’s College Parents’, Teachers’ and Friends’ Association), Mr and Mrs W. Duckworth (repre-

senting St Mary's Parochial School P.T.A.), Miss E. Cornyns Thomas, and members of the clergy from the city parishes. Representatives from kindred associations included Dominican Colleges' Ex Pupils* Association, Sacred Heart Past Pupils’ Association, Villa Maria College Old Girls’ Association, St Margaret’s College Old Girls’ Association, Rangi Ruru Old Girls’ Association, Te Wai Pounamu Old Girls’ Association, St Bede’s College Old Boys* Association, and Xavier College Old Boys’ Association.

Members of the ball committee were Mesdames H. R. Arney, R. Steel, V. Leeming, M. Adamson, D. George, S. Alexander, J. Husband, K. Duncan, R. McNabb, F. Devonport, F. Bullock, H. Morley, Misses S. O’Neill, C. Cosgriff, D. Johnston.