February 2012

One By Ones

In 1956 and 1957, Jerry Penson's One By Ones danced at the Community Center at 46th and Main. He wanted to move to Hickman Mills, but a group from Kansas didn't want to move, so they moved to 43rd and Pearl, in Mission Kansas. (See Swingin' Singles history).

In the summer of 1967, they started lessons at 75th and Wornall. There were 12 women and 4 men, and we had a lot of fun.

Lessons were always a drag and not much fun. But you have to remember the two women who came all the time and took lessons were out for the entertainment of it. Where else could you spend $2.00 and visit people and dance with a man and have a nice time.

When Jerry was working as an airline pilot, he got stuck in Detroit, Michigan, and there was over 200 people for lessons and seven men were trying to call. A woman found a Caller by the name of Mr. Smith, and he took over. All others stopped and slithered away.

We were always moving and trying for the perfect place, and we never had enough room for the Club. After the dance we usually went some place to cool off and have a cool one. One night we went to Lil' Black Sambo's at 95th and Troost. There were about 50 of us. We walked in and were put in a dining area. We waited and waited for a waitress to take our orders. None came, so we asked for one. The waitress was Hazel Smart. The Cook said "I quit. I'm not going to cook for them." We told Hazel that all we wanted was coffee, coke, pie, and ice cream. Another time we were on Blue Ridge Boulevard, and the only ones in the place. The juke box was blaring so the girls took their shoes off and danced on the tables.

The Club members liked to visit. At the beginning we just had eight people to go on a visitation, but as years went by, we had more people to go on them. On one visitation, it had rained all day. so when evening came, it was a sheet of ice. That Friday night, they went on a visit and were the only ones there. The Caller lived nearby. He saw the cars and came over to the School. The One By Ones were the only square there.

The club members like to visit other cities and went on many trips to Des Moines, Iowa, Omaha, Nebraska, and Branson, Missouri, Silver Dollar City, St Louis, Missouri, Rolla Missouri, and many other places for a weekend.

Our last dance was August 17, 1995