Who started "Proms" in the UK?

[theredrooster]

Is there much of a difference between a prom and a ‘school ball or disco, other than wearing a suit/dress?

Probably about £1k or £2k difference, and instead of parents dropping them off at the school in their rusty Ford Escort they're waving them off from the house as they travel to the venue in a Rolls Royce, horse drawn carridge, Harrier jump jet, on the back of a tame Tiger etc!

I get times change but there seems so much pressure for families to needlessly spend loads of money on one night. Not a change for the better in my view, but perhaps I'm too old and stuck in the past. I'm dreading my own kids going through this b******s but with any luck by then it'll be some virtual reality prom whereby they can sit in their bedrooms with a mask stapped to their faces and chat online!

 

[Transitarmy]

I think the Yanks copied the idea from our University balls and its come round full circle to secondary schools in Britain.