A Black Ball of Gilded Age Newport Society

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Though the San Francisco Call newspaper had reported on July 28, 1890, that “As Ward McAllister is to have charge of the Newport ball in honor of Prince George of Wales it will stand Prince George in hand to brush up on his social etiquette. Mr. McAllister is particular about these things.” no such ball for the Prince reportedly had taken place that year. The only ball in North America which Prince George of Wales attended was in Canada.

In Newport Rhode Island that season, however, there was one notable Black Society Ball in September of 1890. It was the Grand Bouquet Social hosted by Boyer Lodge, No. 1, of Newport. It was held on Thursday evening, September 4, 1890, at Odd Fellows Hall, and the guests were the crème de la crème of Black Newport Society.

Prominent Newport Society Leader, Dr. M. Alonzo Van Horne 

image from Gilded Age Newport in Color .com

Van Horne was born in Newport in 1871 and graduated from Rogers High School and Bryant Business College in 1889.

Etiquette for a Gilded Age Ball:

If a gentleman has been dancing with a young lady with whom he has previous acquaintance, a short promenade before leaving her with her party is not out of place and is quite agreeable after a dance, but a girl should not assume that it is to follow a dance with a stranger. He may have other engagements or contemplate bestowing his attentions elsewhere. In any event, his acquaintance with her should be conducted in the presence of the elder lady who accompanies her. This is only respectful to both ladies.

Well-bred young men outnumber the thoughtless and ill-bred; consequently a lady receives all the attention necessary to make such an occasion enjoyable, even if she be not a reigning belle or has only a limited acquaintance. Gentlemen who accompany ladies to balls endeavor to be near them when supper is announced, so as to attend them to the supper-room; but if they are not, they must look for them and see they are being properly cared for, before offering their services to others.

If a gentleman has no prior claims upon his attention at this time, he should offer his arm to the lady with whom he has been talking or dancing, always recognizing first the superior claim of an elderly lady to consideration. The mother or chaperon takes his arm and the younger lady walks beside her. It is not the best form for two ladies to each take an arm. A lady is not free to decline this attention, even though she may have expected it from another.

Gentlemen should be careful to see that ladies are provided for before they attend to their own wants, and any gentleman may extend such formal attentions as offering to escort to the supper-room ladies who may be unattended, to bring them ices, find seats for them or to escort them to their carriages, and in all this his warrant is his willingness to conform to the requirements of good breeding and compliment his hostess. He need not be deterred from showing such trifling attentions, nor need ladies decline them, because a formal introduction has not taken place.— From Eliza Lavin’s, “Good Manners,” 1888

🍽️Etiquette Enthusiast, Maura J. Graber of The RSVP Institute of Etiquette, is the Site Editor of the Etiquipedia© Etiquette Encyclopedia