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The Hicks and Chicks History

50 plus years ago it began............

And still going strong.

Founded on July 6, 1963, by the late Martin Stambaugh and Carol Stambaugh Yost with the club caller John Tucker.

Club Callers have been:   John Tucker, 1963-1968;  Don Kinnear, 1968-1972;  Hugh Johnston, 1972-1996:  Gary Fesler, 1997 to 2005; Mick Hall; and Brian Fellowa.

Dancing locations have been:  The Alamo,  The Pleasant School,  The Ohio National Guard Armory in 1968, Marion, Ohio; Jesse's Auction House, from 1968 to 1970, The Sunny Acres Barn, from 1970 to 2012, Caledonia, Ohio; The Tomorrow Center (The old Edison School), Edison, Ohio; from 2012 to 2015; and The Park Ave. Elementary School, Mount Gilead, Ohio, 2015 to date.

We currently have members that come from 4 different counties.

A Hugh Johnston Special was held Sunday, June 11, 2006  

The Hugh Johnston Special on July 11, 2006, was a great success with Caller Keith Rippeto and Cuer Charlie Hearn.  There were 95 western dancers that enjoyed the afternoon, including several from the Cleveland-Akron area.  Hugh Johnston was the Hicks and Chicks Club Caller from 1972 until his death in 1996.  Hugh and Helen were the owners of Sunny Acres Farm where the Hicks and Chicks still dance. The farm now belongs to his family who were also in attendance Sunday afternoon, and talked with others about Hugh and Helen.  Remember the "Fire Drill" call, it was used several times that afternoon.  One of Hugh's  favorite sayings "Square dancing is a contact sport".  (Pictures and story posted July 2006.

Entrance sign.	This is The Sunny Acres Barn. Hicks and Chicks dancing location from 1970 to 2012 Photos by Sue Corbin - Thanks Sue

The above three pictures or of the Sunny Acers Barn walls

The above two composites are graduation banners from the students

H&C club members about 1980

The Tomorrow Center (The old Edison School), Mount Gilead, Ohio

2012 to June 2015