Rick Houser
By Rick Houser

When I was growing up on Fruit Ridge Road and attending Moscow school, life on the farm could get lonely at times. As I grew in age and was heading into junior high school I found I was really wanting to be around kids my age more and more. When helping on the farm or doing chores I was okay but, when there was down time, I found I had little to do. I had reached puberty and was very bored spending the time alone. So, as I have said before I looked toward the big town of Moscow to seek out the answer to my problem.

In approximately 1960 to 1962 the school in Moscow had seen a fad crossing the U.S. and decided to give it a try. On the television every afternoon was (Dick Clarks’ American Band Stand). A program aimed at teenagers and younger that played the newest and hippest records on the rock and roll charts. As the songs were played the screen was filled with teen couples dancing to the songs and simulating an organized dance. This was done by teens that were exceptionally good dancers and were definitely having a great time. So the junior high teachers and the principal along with some of the parents got together and organized a record hop. The school would supply a good record player and the kids attending the hop were ask to bring their favorite and newest releases to play in the school gym. Signs were posted throughout the school announcing that there was to be a record hop or also called a sock hop on Friday night from 7 pm until 10 pm. Admission was a quarter. It was called a sock hop because hard soul shoes could scratch the gyms hardwood floor, so all were ask to remove their shoes and dance in your socks.

This was rather exciting to a 7th or 8th grader. The chance to get out and gather, at a place not overseen by your parents and where all your friends would be and girls too!

At the time the hop became a regular once a month event. The music was from the late 50s to early 60s, as fads tended to moved to rural areas slower than the urban ones. These were the pre British invasion years and the biggest hottest dance out was “The Twist”. The twist was a phenomenon much like the hula hoop where it swept the nation. You held one foot still and twisted your body with the other leg moving around to the beat. Not to hard really. Even I could do this dance fairly well. After the twist came many other dances like the jerk, the frug, the watusi, and the fish. All variations on the twist. The records we listened to were 45rpm vinyl and were placed on the record player about 10 at a time and the music would play song after song until the stack was played then there would be a brief break in the music. This was when all the kids would hit the concession stand for a coke and a bowl of chips. Coke 10 cents and chips a nickel. Between price of admission and refreshments a fella had to be a sharp money manager. The performers on the records ranged from Elvis to Ricky Nelson & Buddy Holly. There were also some records that began to appear from a place called Motown. From there the songs had a lot different beat and sound.

It is important to remember that this was a gym full of 7th and 8th grade boys and girls. This was where social graces were to be formed and fine-tuned but, before they got fine tuned there were a lot of obnoxious actions, crying and poor manors. To me the highlight of the hop was when a slow song was played this gave opportunity to dance with a person of the opposite gender.

This was the first real contact physically that boys and girls were to experience, and even though there was all the awkwardness and overcoming shyness to get through, it was still a great time. Wow!

Once you had danced a few times and gotten past the initial fear of being turned down when you ask someone to dance, dancing could be a fun thing to do. Of course the girls could always master the dance steps faster and smoother than the boys and this slowed down a boy’s confidence for sure.

Gathering at the school gym was a big event for a junior high student. You got the feeling that just maybe people around you did realize you were growing up and needed to be treated differently. The sock hops went on once a month for over 2 years. They were very successful for all involved, and I for one very much looked forward to them.

If you were raised in that era and you close your eyes and listen you can hear those old songs returning. “Peggy Sue” “Dead Man’s Curve” “Earth Angel” “The battle of New Orleans” and on and on. It was a great time to be young or at least I thought it was. Remember, if you want to have a good time throw some records together and go to the hop!

Rick Houser grew up near Moscow in Clermont County and likes talking about growing up on the farm and other topics. He may be reached at houser734@yahoo.com