By Stacey Patton:

The American tradition of the inaugural ball began in 1809 when James Madison, the fourth president of the United States, was inaugurated at the Capitol in Washington, D.C. The extravagant gala was held at Long’s Hotel and tickets sold for $4 each. And for the next two centuries, inaugural balls have been lavish events put on for members of high society. But this past Sunday, America’s smallest citizens got their own soirée for the first time in American history.

Two days before President-elect Barack Obama’s swearing into office, nearly two thousand children and their family members flocked to the Historical Society of Washington to attend the first ever “Children’s Inaugural Ball” and to remind us all not to forget that they are an essential part of “we the people.”

They danced. They crawled. They sang. They cheered. Some cried. And others were too young to realize that they were taking part in welcoming the first black president to the White House, and for many adults in attendance, “a child-friendly” leader.

“The swearing in of a new president is always a hopeful event, and children are nothing if not hopeful.” said Michael Petit, president of Every Child Matters Education Fund,. “So the inauguration is a special moment for them as it is for all of us. Kids may not know exactly what presidents do, but they know that whatever it is affects them.”

Some youngsters arrived clad in bright ball gowns and pressed suits, while others came bundled in thick scarves, mittens and coats. A pair of penguins greeted parents with strollers and guided them to a special reserved section where they parked their wheels before heading inside. Two giant-sized heads of former presidents George Washington and Abraham Lincoln posed for pictures and played with a few brave youngsters who weren’t frightened off by their freakishly large domes.

Three floors of the old building were packed with youngsters participating in interactive exhibits, face painting, puppet and magic shows, and inaugural photo ops with a cardboard cut out of President-elect Barack Obama. They listened to selections by the American Youth Chorus of Washington, D.C., folk singing, and stories like “The Three Not So Little Pigs,” by members of the BlueSky Puppet Theater.

And the food was child-friendly too.

Menus of inaugurations past have included expensive wines, oysters, exquisite salads, saddles of mutton, rounds of beef, hams and so on. But the food selections for the five-hour ball included: small cartons of milk, bite-size corndogs on a stick, popcorn, strawberry and blueberry cotton candy, soft pretzels, juice boxes, slices of fruit served on silver trays, and of course ice cream. What’s a party for kids without ice cream? Some of the toddlers and infants in attendance simply enjoyed bottles brought along by their parents.

The Children’s Inaugural Ball was a free event sponsored by the Every Child Matters Education Fund, a non-profit, non-partisan organization which focuses on making the needs of children and youth a national political priority. The organization focuses on promoting the adoption of smart policies for children, youth and their families – including improving education, combating child abuse, expanding pre-school education and after-school programs, and ensuring that children receive good health care.

While a celebratory event, the Children’s Inaugural Ball was designed to build upon the work of various local and national children’s organizations and to raise the visibility of children’s issues in hopes that those in power will invest in their future, and, by doing so, invest in and nurture our nation’s potential.

“As a nation we can cultivate that sense of citizenship and cooperation in our children,” said Petit.

Read more information about Every Child Matters.

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