Evening star., 1953-05-27
A Few Squares Spoil d Squore Dance
To the Editor Of The Stor:

1V1 feature Of American freedom.
Nevertheless something is wrong with
legal Interpretation Of that right when
80 sour squares" can destroy q fine
community recreation that harms no
one.
Yet, that is exactly what happened
last Saturday night at the Woodward
g. Lothrop parking lot in Chevy Chase.
All the expense and effort Of Wood
ward g. Lothrop and the National
Capital Area Square Dance Leaders
Association went for naught, and 5000
square dancers were stopped.
The plan of attack was obviously pre-
arranged. The phone calls and war
rant threats began coming in immedi-
ately, though the noise was not at all
excessive. Some residents apparently
were determined precedent should not
be established permitting outdoor square
dancing in their hallowed vicinity. The
dance was forced out before 10 pm.
Who is attempting to sleep at that hour
on Saturday night?
Square dancing is a fine, wholesome
recreation for all ages. There Is no
liquor, vulgarity, rowdyism. or unwhole-
someness Of any description. Young
people who are square dance enthu-
siaStS will never become delinquency
problem to the community, because the
vigor and challenge Of good square
dancing uses up all excess energy.
H. Paul Murray.
It is important to note that this
affair was strictly n-commercial-
admission was charged for either par
ticipants or spectators. And perhaps
equally important was the fact that
some 5000 people who had assembled
for clean, moral, temperate and whole
some fun were forced to bow to the
wishes of 80 complainants. Hence q
meager / per cent minority were per-
mitted to interfere with the moral, If
not the legal, rights and privileges of
a group numbering 100 times that
number.
From my many years of association
with square dancers from coast to coast
and Maine to Florida. seriously doubt
if any other kind of people than square
dancers would have disappeared-all
5000 of them - without disorder,
threats of riot, or other violent demon
stration of their bitter disappointment.
1Il1S dCU4OA d4O11C 4AASANoUANS VI OAAO
truly American and democratic char
acter of those prevented from COM
pleting their evenings fun.
Don jerks,
Member NCASDLA.
We are always talking about COM
munity -mindedness: good, wholesome,
clean fun for children and grownups.
and then we permit such state OF
affairs as this to exist, where a very
small number in community can call
halt to the fun of larger number.
If the hour had been exceptionally
late or these dances were given Ee-
quently, there might be a legitimate
reason for complaint; but as see it. it
was entirely uncalled for. Probably
those who made the complaints were
giving cocktail parties or entertaining
in other ways. They certainly could not
have been trying to sleep at that hour.
And any one knows you cannot take
drink and still square dance. So, do we
want to encourage this type Of good,
clean family fun, or do we want to
discourage it?
Virginia H. Fioramonti.
just want to express my sentiments
on the square dance. was not par
ticipant but spectator and thoroughly
enjoyed the whole affair. thought how
wonderful it is for whole families to
spend an evening together in such good,
clean pleasure, instead of the parents
going off to cocktail parties and the
children being left alone to do as they
please. That is why we have juvenile
problems today.
It is a shame for 80 complaints, per-
haps from families who would not know
how to indulge in such clean recreation.
to force hundreds of people to stop
dancing.
am well acquainted with the Chevy
Chase juveniles, as I was victim Of
their housebreaking. This is the type
who spoil the good for others. Why must
they be catered to and the innocent
suffer?
Mrs. M. A. Kudolla.
This was an affair quite popular
and acceptable in other parts of the
United States, particularly California
and Texas. The 18 callers on the
program donated their services; the
four-piece orchestra, floodlights, SUI
perb public address system and band
stand were furnished by Woodward &
Lothrop and the callers. These were
made available to the dancers at no
cost, the only requirement being that
the participants must know how to
dance.
No intoxicants were sold or brought
on the premises. Every one there was
stone sober and intent only on follow
ing the excellent array of callers. The
principal noise was the address system
carrying the music and the callers
voices.
Then the complaints began coming
in. The Police Department ordered the
speakers turned off and the affair to
break up. Those who had journeyed