Square Dancing

A LARGE CROWD of energetic seniors took to the dance floor Wednesday afternoon at Mount Airy Senior Center.Outfitted with string ties and Western shirts, the men "do-si-do-ed," "gallivanted" and "promenaded" their partners during the center's annual Modern Country Western Square Dance Party.Seniors from Westminster and Baltimore County joined Mount Airy for an afternoon of square dancing, line dancing and round dancing.Professional caller Pete Diven, who has been square dancing since he was age 7, delivered the quick calls, keeping dancers alert whether they were "swinging thru," "allemande-ing left" or "passing-ing the ocean."

Albert Richard Baines Jr., a retired tool designer for Westinghouse Electric Corp. and World War II veteran, died Tuesday at his home in Arnold. He was 92. According to the funeral home handling his service, his death was due to "natural causes. " Born in Baltimore on Sept. 25, 1919, Mr. Baines was raised in Sparrows Point, where he graduated from Sparrows Point High School. He served in the Army as a paratrooper in the Pacific during World War II. He was in the 462nd Parachute Field Artillery, 503rd Regimental Combat Team.

Christina L. Burden, a ballroom and square dancing enthusiast and former longtime Dundalk resident, died of a heart attack Sunday at her home in Sebring, Fla. She was 81. Born Christina Lunz in Baltimore and raised in Dundalk, she was a 1942 graduate of Sparrows Point High School. She worked briefly before her 1943 marriage to Thomas Leon Burden. For about 15 years during the 1960s and 1970s, Mrs. Burden owned and operated the Square Dancing Clothing Shop on School Lane in Dundalk. A seamstress, she designed and made her own square dancing outfits.

Charles L. Wright Jr., a retired paper-goods salesman who headed the Rosedale Recreation Council swimming program, died Monday of amyotrophic lateral sclerosis, or Lou Gehrig's disease, at his Rosedale home. He was 74. He was born in Baltimore and raised near Clinton Street in Canton. After graduating from City College in 1955, he served for four years in the Air Force in weather reconnaissance. Mr. Wright worked as a salesman for the old Warner Paper Co. and later its successor company, International Paper Co. He retired in 2011 from Ray's Envelopes.

Catherine N. Ensor, who with her husband had been a sheep farmer and square dance teacher and caller, died Sunday athospital in York, Pa., after a heart attack. She was 78.Mrs. Ensor moved with her husband to Willow Street, Pa., after they retired from farming in 1988. They had operated Mary's Delight as a dairy farm, then as a sheep and beef operation, on 340 acres in her native White Hall since 1940.The former Catherine Norris, a graduate of Jarrettsville High School and Baltimore Business College, had been married for 59 years to James V. Ensor.

The Friendship Squares Square Dance Club will join 57 Baltimore-area square dance clubs for an evening of dancing from 7:30 p.m. to 10 p.m. Saturday at the Cow Palace in Timonium.The Friendship Squares meet regularly at Linthicum Elementary School, except during the summer. They also offer weekly classes for beginners.Friendship's first square dance class began in the fall of 1970. In May 1971, the club was formed with 24 members. It now has approximately 120 members. Steve Jacques calls out the square dance routines, while Mark Scott handles the cues for the round dance.

Rich Little, 53, seemed more charismatic entertainer than shy, quiet, typewriter repairman as he called out square dance steps to dancersat Jarrettsville Elementary School.With the twang and beat of a banjo in the background, Little called in a sing-song voice, "Circle to the right. Single file. All right, here we go. Oh, y'all look likeyou've done this before."As the caller for the dance, Little, a Pylesville resident, is the designee to tell dancers what steps to take for the Happy WanderersSquare Dance Club.

With microphone in hand, Bruce Simpers began a call to the four couples forming a square in Catonsville Senior Center. "Bow to your partner," he sang out. "Now bow to your corner." The participants in the Summer Casual Square Dancing Club obediently faced each other, bowed and bowed once again to the person on their other side. Then, they eagerly waited for the next command from Simpers, a square dance veteran who has called out steps for two decades to groups ranging from Scouts to seniors.

If you've been anywhere near the Inner Harbor in the past few days, you couldn't have missed the invasion of the puffy-skirted women artfully weaving through crowded restaurants and sidewalks, gleefully greeting each other with "yellow rocks." That's square-dance speak for a hug. Some 10,000 square dancers have come to Baltimore for their 49th annual convention, toting along their comfortable shoes and several changes of dazzlingly loud dancing costumes. The brighter, the fluffier, the better.

Sunday night, while North Carroll High School was getting covered with snow, the Carroll Promenaders were inside square dancing."We had about five squares who turned up to dance by flashlight" even after snow and ice kept away expected guests from Dillsburg, Pa., said Molly Lou Foor, the Promenaders' spokeswoman. A "square" consists of eight people."Square dancing is for everyone," says Mrs. Foor. "Beginning with kids in elementary and high schools, where frequently it's taught in phys-ed classes.

Stella C. Gersuk, a retired Northern High School English teacher who was also a well-known Baltimore square dance instructor, died of complications from Alzheimer's disease Saturday at Milford Manor Nursing Home and Rehabilitation Center in Pikesville. She was 90. The former Stella Cohen was born and raised in Baltimore. She graduated in 1932 from Western High School. After earning a teaching certificate from what is now Towson University in 1934, she began teaching in Baltimore elementary schools.

INSIDE TODAY WHAT THEY'RE SAYING TODAY'S SUN COLUMNISTS Got those layoff blues Laid-off Mercantile workers need a lawyer to understand their separation papers. They are just the latest to become entangled in the legal morass. business baltimoresun.com/hancock Taste is in your mouth Some artists on the fringes of Artscape are cooking up exhibits with an art theme, hoping to lure art-hungry masses. Taste baltimoresun.com/kasper OTHER VOICES Laura Vozzella on MD4BUSH -- Maryland Greg Kane on witness's last say -- Maryland Rick Maese on David Beckham -- Sports 5 THINGS TO DO TODAY `Godspell' -- This family-friendly version of the '70s hit is at the Olney Theatre Center for the Arts, 2001 Olney-Sandy Spring Road at 7:30 p.m. Tickets are $25-$46.

Christina L. Burden, a ballroom and square dancing enthusiast and former longtime Dundalk resident, died of a heart attack Sunday at her home in Sebring, Fla. She was 81. Born Christina Lunz in Baltimore and raised in Dundalk, she was a 1942 graduate of Sparrows Point High School. She worked briefly before her 1943 marriage to Thomas Leon Burden. For about 15 years during the 1960s and 1970s, Mrs. Burden owned and operated the Square Dancing Clothing Shop on School Lane in Dundalk. A seamstress, she designed and made her own square dancing outfits.

With microphone in hand, Bruce Simpers began a call to the four couples forming a square in Catonsville Senior Center. "Bow to your partner," he sang out. "Now bow to your corner." The participants in the Summer Casual Square Dancing Club obediently faced each other, bowed and bowed once again to the person on their other side. Then, they eagerly waited for the next command from Simpers, a square dance veteran who has called out steps for two decades to groups ranging from Scouts to seniors.

The Carroll Promenaders, a local modern western square dance club, will hold a Jingle Bell Rock square dance from 6 p.m. to 8:30 p.m. Sunday at North Carroll High School. The cost is $4. Doren McBroom will be the caller and Just Tim will be the cuer. Attire is proper square dance dress with a bell. The school is at 1400 Panther Drive, Hampstead. Information: 410-552-3094. Church youth group offers baby-sitting night Dec. 13 The Trinity United Church of Christ Youth Group is sponsoring a free holiday baby-sitting night for Manchester-area residents from 6:30 p.m. to 10 p.m. Dec. 13. Baby-sitting will be at the church, 3229 York St., and is open to children age 3 and older.

Carroll Promenaders, a local modern western square dance club, will hold a Spring Fling square dance from 6 p.m. to 8:30 p.m. Sunday at North Carroll High School. The dance level is multilevel. Doren McBroom will be caller. A business meeting will be held afterward. The cost of the dance is $4. Youths are welcome. The school is at 1400 Panther Drive, Hampstead. Information: 410-374-6158. Library to present stories, stamping class for adults North Carroll library branch will offer: "Year-round Family Story Time" for all ages (age 3 and younger must be with an adult)

Charles L. Wright Jr., a retired paper-goods salesman who headed the Rosedale Recreation Council swimming program, died Monday of amyotrophic lateral sclerosis, or Lou Gehrig's disease, at his Rosedale home. He was 74. He was born in Baltimore and raised near Clinton Street in Canton. After graduating from City College in 1955, he served for four years in the Air Force in weather reconnaissance. Mr. Wright worked as a salesman for the old Warner Paper Co. and later its successor company, International Paper Co. He retired in 2011 from Ray's Envelopes.

HARRY SMITH LIKES to repeat a saying that is popular with fellow square dancers: "Square dancing is either a dying folk art or the best-kept secret of the '90s."If it is a secret, he is willing to share it and invites everyone to see the Friendship Squares in action at the Maryland State Fairgrounds this week. Also, plan to take square dance lessons in September in Linthicum.Smith and his wife, Cathy, have been members of the Friendship Squares for nine years and share the presidency.The Linthicum club will perform on the main stage in the Cow Palace at the Maryland State Fair from 3 p.m. to 4 p.m. Tuesday through Thursday and from 6 p.m. to 7 p.m. Thursday.

Learn about the states, including Maryland Kids can learn a lot about their own "back yard" Monday at the Westminster Branch Library's "50 Nifty United States" program, which highlights little-known - and sometimes loony - facts about our country and the states it comprises - Maryland included. Here are some trivia tidbits about our state to put you in the mood for the program: Capital: Annapolis (since 1694; it was St. Mary's City before that) Joined the union: April 28, 1788 (the seventh state to do so)

SACRAMENTO, Calif. -- If you really want to "get" the Fourth of July, don't spend the next one in the United States. As Americans, we pretty much take the Fourth of July for granted. It's one of a few well-deserved days off that, once enjoyed, will get rolled up and put back in the rafters along with so many other well-deserved days off that drift through our lives. Either that, or we feel as if there's not much to be proud of on that day, as we're still haunted by the memories of Columbine and television broadcasts of women vying to marry a multimillionaire they don't even know.