Mrs. Simpson's Classes

[Anonymous]

I see; thanks for the reply.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:We have friends who send their son. I thought they were dancing classes, on a Friday night. The kids get all dressed up, learn to dance and how to behave in a social setting. They go to classes in a big building near Ridgewell's caterers on River Road. I had no idea it was invitation only. Interesting--a bit of an anachronism for the 21st century, no?

Are you sure this was not the Capital Cotillion?

[Anonymous]

Oy vey! What a relic!
Learning social niceties is probably a good thing. But having to be invited to learn such niceties?
Are we still in the 19th century?
Sounds very Edith Wharton-esque to me.
I wonder how many Black kids are at these functions (and not the sons of the NIgerian diplomats...I'm talkin' African-American).

[Anonymous]

You aren't allowed to say "Oy Vey" at a Simpson Class.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:You aren't allowed to say "Oy Vey" at a Simpson Class.

LOL. Didn't think so. How about "good heavens!"?

[Anonymous]

Why is this stuff continually posted under "schools"? Especially "general" education? Sounds almost like stealth marketing for Simpsons to create a false sense of value and exclusivity. This is worse than members' only club. At least you can drink at a club. (Seriously, this cotillion stuff is ridiculous. If you have to ask, they don't want you anyway. Try community service to teach a child something worthwhile in this century.)

[Anonymous]

This thread is making this sound much more exclusive than it is.

I didn't grow up here but I've been to DC cotillions because my ex's sister participated. She was tapped because she was cute and popular in school (a very good school but not one of the so-called Big Three). Her dad represented his family's first generation to make it out of West Virginia. He doesn't have an Important Job. So, he really bought into the exclusivity of the whole thing -- and wrote checks for tables and anything else that was asked of him.

The parties were fine. They were no bigger deal than the galas that any of us have attended to support our causes or inaugurate a president or ring in the new year. Ballroom, bad food, too much drink.

My opinion is that it isn't worth obsessing over -- either for or against. The notion of DC society is really silly considering that most everyone here is a striver from somewhere else.

[Anonymous]

I'm the PP. I just re-read my post and realized that it sounded snarky about my ex's family. Didn't mean it that way. That family was lovely, and nicer than the conventions that they were trying to buy into. God bless all us strivers who come to DC, NYC, etc. What would these places be without us?

[Anonymous]

I believe this program does have children of all shades enrolled. However, while children of varied ethnicities may be represented, children of varied socio-economic backgrounds are probably not.
One is invited to attend by referral. They can't send out invitations to everyone in the white pages. The referrals are usually vetted by other parents - based on whether they think that family would be a good fit for the program. Note, I mention families because they are looking for long term commitment thru the entire program, not just a year here or there. The parents have to be on board with this because kids are fickle.
So if one is hurt or upset about not being invited, consider your own social circle and wonder which one of your friends said something to dissuade an invitation from coming your way.

[Anonymous]

CC takes anyone who wants to sign up. My daughter asked to do it -- trust me, not something I think is a priority -- and she has a great time. So what the Hell, I sign her up.

I am a native Washingtonian who remembers the bad old days of Mrs. Simpson's previous incarnation, Mrs. Schippens. They explicitly excluded kids who were Jewish, Black or Catholic (yep, Catholic). In the 1980s, I believe, they were sued and entered into a consent agreement. They will take a smattering of kids whom they previously excluded. But just a few. Judging who was asked in my daughter's class, I would bet they are in violation of their consent decree.

Honestly, i don't see any conceivable reason to invite some kids at this age to join a social club while not inviting others. No justifiable reason at all. Even if they didn't have the history of segregation I would be offended by the whole thing.

But CC is cool, if you like that sort of thing.

[Anonymous]

Why in the world have we resurrected this absurd discussion?

[Anonymous]

Amen, sister! This is just so disgusting. I can't believe people still want to go on and on and defend these discriminatory groups.

[Anonymous]

I did appreciate learning the ancestry of Mrs. Simpson's. It makes more sense now.

[Anonymous]

Our High school aged sons won't date girls who "did" Mrs. Simpson's in middle school. Too funny!

[[e-mail]]

You probably don't see many African-American kids there because we (African-American parents) would never dream of sending our kids to some strange white lady for manners. We let our kids be taught manners and social graces where they should be taught: at home.