Story and photos by Gary Courtney, Author, Photographer & Historian

From 1956 through about 1964, "Teenation" and the YMCA Record Hop, two teen-organized and teen-operated youth groups in Tulsa of 400 to 500 members each, made a positive impact on the social life and long-term character of thousands of youths. Members and attendees represented every junior high and high school in the Tulsa area, and the University of Tulsa. When teens had visitors from out of town, they brought them to "Teenation" and the "Y" Hop. Teens also found one big "family", where they learned organization, discipline, and responsibility, and helped raise money for charity.

Saturday night, January 29^th, at 7:00 P.M., nearly 50 of the group converged to fill the "Bobbisox" nightclub, in the Days Inn on Skelly Bypass at Memorial, in an impromptu, last-minute get-together. There, they found some friends they hadn't seen since high school, danced the night away, until club closing time at 2:00 A.M., and breakfasted at the nearby Village Inn.

The party was originally intended by organizer Linda (Haas) Davenport to be only a small meeting of five or six people. The result of her efforts became a prelude to convening a much larger contingent of the thousands of members and attendees of the groups' activities. Linda (Haas) Davenport, and former organization presidents, Gary Courtney and Dickie Cowan, hope to compile a database of member, visitor, and past entertainer and media personality information for contacts, to be used in organizing a party on a grand scale.

Famous names in entertainment, such as David Gates and "Bread", Johnny ("J.J.") Cale, who later starred with Leon Russell, Skip ("Vanwinkle") Knape, and Jimmy Markham, who began their careers in Tulsa, and played for the groups' regular weekend dances, will once again be requested to provide music and song for upcoming reunion parties. Other entertainers from outside Tulsa will also be sought for music.

Members of the media and business leaders will also be invited to join future festivities, since radio and television personalities, the newspapers, and business owners were directly involved in the groups' community activities and public relations announcements.

First release records were purchased with the groups' treasury, and were obtained from radio disk jockeys, such as "Scooter" Seagraves of KAKC Radio, for the groups' D.J.'s to play for dancing at the weekend dances. "Teenation" had a jukebox in the Turley Community Center.

All the first-place dance contest prizes, at KAKC's sock hops at the old roller rink on 11^th near Peoria, and on Channel 6's Dance Party, were won by "Y" Hop members, when they attended. The couples performed like New York choreography teams, since they danced together every Saturday night.

Many had known each other since junior high school at "Teenation". Over a dozen couples, who met, danced, and "went steady" at the "Y" Hop, ended up marrying.

Business owners Lee and Marlene Carvel of Lea's Pizzerias chain (Tulsa's first pizzerias), and Marlene's parents Jim and Mildred Scott, owners of Lea's north side location, Johnny Harden of Harden's Kentucky Fried Chicken restaurants, Dorcas Sanders of North Lewis Flowers, and I.A. "Jake" Jacobson, developer of the Southland and Northland shopping malls, are only a few who helped the youth groups.

Following an information request announcement at the microphone on stage by Gary Courtney, Laurence, the "Bobbisox" D.J., flipped on the "YMCA" song, by "The Village People". The whole crowd cheered, and the dancers on the floor enthusiastically kept up with the beat. Member Nicky Sesso, an experienced entertainer, later took the stage and dance floor, to sing "Daddy's Home".

Old photo albums by Dickie Cowan, of "Y" Hop activities, the Cowan and Courtney charity pizza parties, football games and picnics at Mohawk Park, and a Sandy Wilkins-Shirley Utley slumber party, were carefully pored over by the party-goers, as they reminisced.

Observed during the festivities, dancing the night away and enjoying the fellowship, were:

"Y" Hop members renowned for their prize-winning fast dancing, such as Dickie Cowan, Sandi Wilkins, Ernie Bail, Sharon McClelland, Nicky Sesso, Kirk Stevens, Barry and Steve Boethin, Jeaniece Morris, Joe Cunningham, Phil Headrick, and Jolene Nicholson, were in rare form. The Fred Astaire-style, slow dance contest winner of old, Gary Courtney, even broke tempo, to show how he once won a "Twist" dance contest.

Gerri Ford and Gary Courtney demonstrated their unspoken custom in earlier years, of spotting each other at a dance, party, or club, and automatically meeting in the middle of the dance floor, to fall into each other's arms and swirl around the floor.

A special thanks is due to the hostess, Gloria, owner of "Bobbisox", and the staff and D.J.: Kevin, bartender, Brent, bar back, waitresses Kat and Amy, D.J. Laurence, and Keith McKinney Entertainment. The staff and management adapted to the packed house in a very courteous and professional manner, running their bobby socks off to provide excellent service.

Linda Haas really did her good deed of the day, by getting the group together. Many of the participants have expressed their gratitude, for the best fun they've had in a long time. My only regret is that I, as a photojournalist, had to divert from visiting more with everyone, in order to photograph and document the event.

Everyone resolved to have a full-scale reunion, with enough notice spread and enough forewarning given to allow hundreds more to join the festivities. At this point in our lives, the re-uniting of old friends is one of those things you can't put a price on. It is, as the Master Card ad on TV states, "PRICELESS"!

Former members, attendees, and adult advisors, or business leaders, entertainers, and media personalities interested in participating or assisting in the Teenation and YMCA Record Hop reunion should send their contact information (i.e. address, phone, E-Mail, maiden name, spouse's name), a suggested date, any old photos of themselves and the group, documents and articles, plus, how they might be interested in helping, to:

Teenation - YMCA Record Hop Reunion
2621 West College Street
Broken Arrow, OK 74012
or
E-Mail: lakesok@hotmail.com

We would particularly like to find: a copy of the Constitution and Bylaws of either of the organizations, membership cards or forms, and any newspaper articles regarding the groups and their activities.

Initial organization of the reunion will be via mail and phone. The reunion may be scheduled on a holiday weekend to help those coming from out of town.

Committees of the reunion include: Funding, Notification, Facilities, Events & Entertainment, Food & Beverage, Security, Public Relations, and Special Tributes Committee.

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