The Lloyd Shaw Foundation is dedicated to the preservation, restoration and teaching of the folk dances of America.
|
|
A History of Sets In Order Magazine
In 1948 the first issue of the Sets in Order square dance magazine was published. It could have turned out like many other similar magazines started at the same time and in the following years. However, the editor Bob Osgood, had vision, experience in publishing motivational material, and a unique knowledge of the square dance activity all across America.
Under his leadership the magazine grew from Southern California, to California, to the Western United States, and eventually the world. Being able to see all 444 issues in one place allows one to trace how the vision unfolded, from the magazine, to records, to vacations, to specialized handbooks, and from local caller organizations to CallerLab, the international caller’s organization. It evolved from contras and traditional square dances to modern square dancing, highlighting patter and sight calling, and from the quickly growing dancer community, to the equally growing caller community.
If you want a short history of modern square dancing there are short articles and books. If you want the long history of modern square dancing and the people who lived it, delve into the more than 32,000 pages of Bob’s magazine. The PDF file are searchable so they can be put in a single directory and searched as one, using the advanced search capability of Adobe Acrobat Reader. Don’t just look at the articles. By reading the advertising you will notice how caller’s equipment evolved, how ladies dresses become shorter through the years, and how square dance vacations evolved as world travel habits changed.
The pages also hold a treasure trove of advice: how to lead, how to plan a party night, how to provide publicity, how to recruit ore members, and much more. But most of all notice the positive nature and upbeat writing of the editor. This, above all, made each issue a much awaited treat and a must read from cover to cover.
Back to store
In 1948 the first issue of the Sets in Order square dance magazine was published. It could have turned out like many other similar magazines started at the same time and in the following years. However, the editor Bob Osgood, had vision, experience in publishing motivational material, and a unique knowledge of the square dance activity all across America.
Under his leadership the magazine grew from Southern California, to California, to the Western United States, and eventually the world. Being able to see all 444 issues in one place allows one to trace how the vision unfolded, from the magazine, to records, to vacations, to specialized handbooks, and from local caller organizations to CallerLab, the international caller’s organization. It evolved from contras and traditional square dances to modern square dancing, highlighting patter and sight calling, and from the quickly growing dancer community, to the equally growing caller community.
If you want a short history of modern square dancing there are short articles and books. If you want the long history of modern square dancing and the people who lived it, delve into the more than 32,000 pages of Bob’s magazine. The PDF file are searchable so they can be put in a single directory and searched as one, using the advanced search capability of Adobe Acrobat Reader. Don’t just look at the articles. By reading the advertising you will notice how caller’s equipment evolved, how ladies dresses become shorter through the years, and how square dance vacations evolved as world travel habits changed.
The pages also hold a treasure trove of advice: how to lead, how to plan a party night, how to provide publicity, how to recruit ore members, and much more. But most of all notice the positive nature and upbeat writing of the editor. This, above all, made each issue a much awaited treat and a must read from cover to cover.
Back to store