American Notes NOSTALGIA

When Al Krusac, 72, missed his senior prom in 1936 because he had joined the Army, his high school sweetheart Clara Curtis had to go with a cousin. Last week Al finally got to take Clara, his wife of 50 years, to his first prom. Not only that, Al and Clara were selected king and queen of the West Bloomfield, Mich., senior prom. Said Clara: "This prom was much better because I was with the man I loved. My cousin was stuck on somebody else, and all night long he kept waltzing me by her."

The notion of inviting senior citizens to a high school-style prom originated with three students, Jennifer Dell, Nancy Becker and Lori Freeman. About 90 people between 50 and 91 years old, most of whom had missed their own proms because they were in the armed forces, cut a rug to the music of Michael Jackson as well as Benny Goodman. Seventy-five West Bloomfield students volunteered as dates for seniors who had none. Said Dell: "One little man I thought would never stop dancing."