There was a time in the history of SAC when the Debutante Ball was the apex of a girl’s social life as a student. Much preparation was involved. These occasions were held at the town hall as it was the Lady Mayoress or the Lord Mayor’s wife who had the privilege of receiving the debutantes. Such balls were marked by seriousness and restrained, understated elegance.
In 1998, the SAC Formal was introduced. Restraint was no longer relevant. It was all about the dress, the shoes, the hair and the makeup. It was about glamour and no holds were barred. SAC girls took to the Formal with a gratifying degree of enthusiasm and it has remained the centre piece of the social life of the college ever since.
Neville Stapleton
Archivist, 2020