The New York Times/1925/12/14/Ford Hires Big Hall for Old-Time Dance
Advertises for Couples to Help Campaign—'Mellie' Dunham Due Here Today With Strange Offer.
DETROIT, Dec. 13 (AP).—Henry Ford's first large venture in his already announced campaign to teach the American public the old-fashioned square dances will be on Tuesday night at one of the largest dance halls in Detroit. For this occasion Mr. Ford is advertising for couples to dance the square dance and to form a nucleus for the party.
Asked tonight whether he really thought the old-fashioned steps would come back, Mr. Ford exclaimed:
"Come back? They're here! We simply are falling back in line. What we are trying to do in getting out a book of dances is to standardize them. The first edition is being revised in the direction of simplicity."
From the twenty-one quadrilles, Mr. Ford explained, four will be selected to simplify their teaching and encourage their popularity.
"Mellie" Dunham, the champion fiddler of Maine, who has been the guest of Mr. Ford for a week, playing for an old-fashioned dance party and contributing several old-time tunes for the Ford "Americana" of such pieces now being prepared for publication, was to have appeared at the Tuesday night affair. But plans were changed and "Grandpa Mellie," with his wife, is on his way tonight to New York, where he may heed the call of the footlights and accept a vaudeville contract.
"Mellie" Dunham will arrive in New York this morning. It was reported last night that he will be under the management of Tex Rickard, who is said to plan a barn dance in his honor at the new Madison Square Garden. It was added that in putting on this dance it was hoped to further Henry Ford's purpose in making square dances again popular.