MC 130
3 boxes
About Gene Gowing
Gene Gowing was born on March 19, 1896 in Dublin, N.H. His baptismal name was Almerin McIntosh Gowing, and this is the name that appears on his military records, but at some point he acquired the nickname “Gene” and in 1948 he formally changed his name to Gene from Almerin.
Gowing’s military career began at the Signal Corps photographic school at Columbia University. He was assigned to the 55th Service company in Vincennes, France in 1918, where he was employed in the Signal Corps photographic laboratory until March 1919, when he was transferred to an entertainment unit. He returned to the United States in June 1919.
After the war, Gowing spent some time in Hollywood as a motion picture set designer, but by the 1940s he was involved in square dancing. Gowing was the head of Gene Gowing’s Folkways, an organization that promoted and taught square and contra dancing. Gowing often worked with his contemporary Ralph Page to promote their common interest in dance. Gowing also authored three books on square dancing: Gene Gowing’s Collection of American Quadrilles, Contras and Rounds, with General Terms; The Square Dancer’s Guide; and Square Dancing for Everyone. He died on October 13, 1968 in Jaffrey, New Hampshire and is buried in Dublin.
About the Gene Gowing Collection
The Gene Gowing collection contains a small amount of manuscripts, notes and brochures on folk dancing, scrapbooks, and some square dance recordings.
Note: The Dublin Historical Society maintains additional Gowing material, including his military records, correspondence to his parents 1918-1919, and photographs Gowing took in France, as well as biographical materials such as his birth certificate, resume, and certificate of change of name. A catalogue of these holdings is available upon request.
Folder Listing
I. Manuscripts
| f.1 | 1956-57, Correspondence with Grosset and Dunlap regarding Gene Gowing’s Square Dancing for Everyone . |
| f.2 | Manuscript of Square Dancing for Everyone. |
| f.3 | "The Square Dance Structures." |
| f.4 | Dance Instructions accompanying the manuscript of "The Square Dance Structures." |
| f.5 | "Welcome Home." |
| f.6 | Rambling Rhythms, a Book of Playparty Games-Singing Games-Folk Dances for Very Small Children. |
| f.7 | English Folk Dances. |
II. Notes and Brochures on English Folk Dancing
| f.8 | Dance Instructions for English Folk Dances. |
| f.9 | Pamphlets/Dance Society Brochures re English Folk Dance. |
| f.10 | "Log of Trip – Hollywood to Death Valley." |
III. Miscellaneous
| f.11 | Miscellaneous Correspondence. |
| f.12 | Sheet Music. |
| f.13 | "Let’s Dance- with Marge and Gower Champion" by Bob Thomas. |
| f.14 | Howe’s Drawing Room Dances Especially Designed for Social Evening Parties etc… by Elias Howe, 1859. |
IV. Scrapbooks
| Scrapbook 1939-42, Programs, announcements, clippings, photos, correspondence. |
| Scrapbook 1894-1947, programs, announcements, clippings etc. |
| Scrapbook 1939-40, magazine and newspaper clippings to show "the trend back to the old-fashioned ‘group dances’" |
V. Recordings
| Individual Records: Brute Force Steel Bands of Antigua, B.W.I. Calypsos, The Virgin Isle Hotel Calypsos from the West Indies Carols of the English Yuletide, Champagne Dancing Party, Lawrence Welk and his Champagne Music Dance Music for Teenagers, Ballroom or Jazz Dancing Party, Freddy Martin and his Orchestra Fox Trots – RCA Victor Jonesy Square Dance, MacGregor Records Music For Dance Lovers My Scotland, Jimmy Shand and his Strict Tempo Band Rumbas, RCA Victor The Sound of the 16th.Century Harpsichord, Paul Jouard plays 20th. Century Favorites Strauss Waltzes, Andre Kostelantz and his Orchestra |
| Record Album: Tho’ Shadows Fall/Colleen O’ Mine A Dream God be With Our Boys To-Night Keep the Home Fires Burning Lead Kindly Light Faust-Fantasie from Garden Scene Hebrew Lullaby/Grand Adagio Row, Row, Row Medley-One Step/Argentine Tango Sweet Lorraine I Can’t Give You Anything But Love Wait ‘Till You See "Ma Cherie"- fox trot/Louise- foxtrot Gypsy Serenade/To a Wild Rose On the Road To Mandalay |
| Reel to Reel Tapes: "Tapes for Records with Sound Without" |
| American Square Dance Records made by Gene Gowing (Calls) and Willa Semple (Music) (non-commercial recordings)
(78rpms) Buffalo Gal/Little Old Log Cabin in the Lane; American Square Dance, parts 1 and 2; Turkey in the Straw/Circassian Circle; Portland Fancy/Lady Walpole’s Reel; The Heel and Toe Polka/The Plain Schottische; Varsouvienne/The American Mazurka; Johnny Quadrille/Hull’s Victory, a Contra Dance; Two Top Men Cross Over Quadrille/The Hinky Dinky Quadrille; Turn and Swing Quadrille/Darling Nelly Gray Quadrille; Quadrille Number One/Virginia Reel. |
| Swing Your Partner – Square dances or Quadrilles, played by Bill Dickinson’s Tuxedo Colonels, calls by Paul
Conklin. Lady ‘Round the Lady/Life on the Ocean Waves; Chasse Your Partner/Buffalo Gal; Duck the Oyster/Darling Nellie Gray; Hodge no. 1/Hodge no. 3. |
| Record Album Sally-Medley Fox Trot/Lady Billy-Medley Fox Trot Midsummer Night’s Dream Selection/Coppelia Ballet, nos.2 and 4 Star Spangled Banner/America; Aida-Duet, Act IV/A Dream of Wagner/Reminiscences of Verdi Carmena/Blue Danube Waltz Sari Waltz/Waltz Dream Caprice Viennois Dom Sebastien – in terra solo Finale from E minor concerto The Laddies Who Fought and Won |
| Carols of the English Yuletide [title has no connection to contents] A young man’s fancy-fox trot/Love Nest- Medley Fox Trot Veleta Waltz/Narcissus Put Your Little Foot/Good Night Waltz |