King Kerth at the ball;

              "I really had a ball," says Norman Kerth, partner in charge of the New Orleans office, "The whole experience was clearly fantastic, a once-in-a-lifetime happening which my family and I could never forget.''
The event was one of the Mardi Gras balls held during the 1974 season, which began on Twelfth Night and culminated with Mardi Gras Day, always the day before Ash Wednesday. Norman Kerth had the honor of serving as king of a ball presented by one of the Carnival organization "Krewes," the name of which must remain secret The traditional secrecy extends to the identity of the king, the captain and the dukes. The queen and her maids are identified on the ball program and are given recognition in the newspapers the day after the ball.
Norman was first notified about his selection by the captain of the organization about six months before the ball. During the months of anticipation and planning that followed, Norman kept the news secret with but a few exceptions: his wife Dottie, who helped him with his invitation list and the selection of a gift for the queen; his secretary Mary Vogts, who also helped with the invitations and some of the other planning; his son Chip, whom it was necessary to convince that he should come in from school at "Ole Miss" for the weekend to assist him during the ball.
At the ball, held in the spacious Municipal Auditorium, the Krewe, ail costumed and masked, engaged in a "tableau" based on the theme of the ball, while Norman waited on the throne behind a curtain. When the curtain rose, King Norman greeted the guests and the Krewe, waving his jeweled scepter to all. Then each maid was presented, followed by the queen, who joined Norman on a throne. The king and queen then led a procession of the court, followed by the maids.
Then, with the king and queen looking on, there was dancing by the "maskers" who would "call out" ladies for each dance, after which the ladies were presented with a "Krewe favor."
After the ball, the make-up and costume were replaced by "tails" as Norman resumed his identity at a supper dance which followed in the ballroom of a large hotel. "The festive evening ended," says Norman Kerth, "when I returned home and to reality about 3:30 a.m. The night of fantasy was over." •
King Kerth
at
The Ball
"Several weeks prior to the ball I took lessons on the proper way to hold and wave a scepter, and how to sit on a throne with dignity," Norman explains.
Norman Kerth's daughters, Suzanne and Connie, and Connie's husband Dennis, were not aware of his role in the bail until they saw him made up and in full king's regalia at a special pre-ball gathering."Suzanne recognized me immediately" says Norman, "but Connie didn't believe it was I until I offered a toast to the queen. Someone standing close by heard her surprised exclamation, It's Daddy! "
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