They ate nice dinners.

      They wore tuxes and semi-formal gowns.

      They rode in limos to the dance.

       They were eighth graders.

      The annual prom, sponsored by the school's PTA, is a tradition at the West Scranton Intermediate School, as well as hundreds of junior high and intermediate schools throughout the country.

       About 200 of the eighth grade class of 234 attended the dance on the last day of school, according to Dr. Charlotte Slocum, the school principal. "We encourage the students to come and participate,"she says. But only a few wore tuxes or rode in limousines. "Not all,"says Dr. Slocum. "Only a few."The students wore "a wide range"of clothing styles for the three- hour evening dance in the modified and decorated school cafeteria, says Dr. Slocum. But, she doesn't think anything is wrong about 13-and 14-year-olds dressing in tuxes or gowns, then riding in a limo to an eighth grade dance. "It just added to the gaiety of the affair,"she says.

       It isn't cheap to attend a formal dance, even if "a wide range"of clothes is accepted. But, the intermediate school dance is minor league compared to what happens in the high schools where freshmen girls may attend four proms, and guys may attend two or even three proms, some at other schools, before their own graduations. For the high school peer-rules set, emulating Britney, J-Lo, one of dozens of punkers, rappers, or any of the celebrities People magazine naively believes are the 50 most beautiful people in the whole wide world, is an avalanche of expenses that could match the cost of a year's supply of beer for a college freshman. At the high end, it's $100 for a rented tux and mirror-shine shoes, or $100-$500 for a nice dress. About 98 percent of high school girls who attend their senior prom will buy a new dress, averaging $200, according to Your Prom magazine, and which will almost never be worn again.

       In addition to clothing costs, add $10-$100 for haircuts or styling. For the girls, add in another $100 for nail polish and fake nails, lipstick, mascara, perfume, and new hose. For that special splash of color, there's a $5 carnation boutonniere for the guy, and a $20 orchid corsage for the girl.

       Some boys will rent new cars; almost half, says Your Prom, will get together with two or three other couples to arrive in a $200-$250 a night limousine in vain attempts to impress whoever it is they believe they must impress. The rest apparently wash, wax, and vacuum their own cars, relatively recent pretend high performance red or black models which they park over four intersecting spaces so no one can hit their turtle-wax shine. To support the turtle, they work 20-30 hours a week at a minimum wage dead end job. When anyone asks why they don't just quit and spend the time studying, or getting involved with extracurricular activities, they say they need the job to support their car and stereo.

       A long time ago, the boy's extended family worked on a special meal for the prom couple. For some, circumstances allowed a nice dinner at an inexpensive restaurant. Now there's often only one parent in the house, and dinner is about $20-$25 each.

       High school juniors once decorated the gym for the prom. Now, it's held at the country club or the "Sweet Magnolia Room"of the high-rise hotel. Add tickets for $20-$35 per couple, and prom pictures for about $25.

       Sometime during the evening, in a country which says it doesn't believe in royalty, a king and queen are announced and, like the monarchy in England, no one seems to know what it is they're supposed to do.

       A high school senior prom is the "major league"of scholastic proms; West Scranton is an intermediate school, and this isn't a "prom"but a "dance,"one that may cost a student less than $100, although many parents paid significantly more so their children could be "properly"attired.

       "It's a very positive way to end three years at the intermediate school,"says Dr. Slocum of her 13- and 14-year olds.