ABSTRACT
To combat both the repetitiveness of daily routines and the specter of death that lurked at the edges of the collective consciousness, entertainment figured significantly in the lives of army officers’ wives and their families. Entertainment relieved the boredom, helped acquaintances become friends, and, at times, served to keep the terrors of the unknown at bay. In the closed society of an army post, cooperation was essential. Officers and their wives took pride in their units and regiments. In civilian life, most women had a circle of close female friends and relatives with whom they did not need to stand on ceremony. Officers’ wives recreated some of that familiarity by sharing their worldly goods. Sherry Smith speculates that in the hierarchical world of the military, officers saw a parallel between the relationship of an officer and his men, and a chief’s position relative to his warriors. “The requisites for a successful ball are good music and plenty of dancing men.”.
