Marshall and Jeanie Poole
I first started square dancing in a 4-H teen club in 1963 under the direction of Orvile and Arra Pittam in Kimball, Nebraska. Orvile loaned me some of his records and I called my first singing call in 1964. I continued to dance and practice singing calls until graduation from high school. Fifteen years later, we started over as Jeanie and I took lessons with the club in Minden, Nebraska. While taking lessons my interest in calling was rekindled, so after lessons I attended caller’s school. That was in 1982 and the caller’s school was taught by Herb Egender and Jim Hayes. In July of that year, I called my first “real” dance in Cozad.
Orvile Pittam’s help and encouragement had a big influence on my calling style. Observing Orvile and Arra and their interaction with dancers taught me that the biggest part of calling is to help the dancers have a good time and to enjoy all of the wonderful people you get to meet. Jeanie and I agree that square dancers are some of the nicest people in the world, and we are thankful that you share some of your time with us at the dances.
Some of my most enjoyable times as a caller have been at beginner lessons. I love to teach and to see the excitement in new dancers’ faces as they learn the various calls. I have taught beginner classes for four local clubs and have a Plus club in Axtell.
Jeanie and I travel throughout Nebraska and have called in the surrounding states, in Rochester, New York, at the National in Salt Lake City and in Hawaii. I was on the calling staff for the Buggy Stomp in Laramie, Wyoming for four years, called the Hays Kansas Snowball Weekend in 1999 and 2000, was the featured caller at the Lincoln Festival in 1997 and 2005, and the Spring Festival for the Western federation in Nebraska in 2006. I also feel very honored to have called many area club festivals and anniversary dances for our square dance friends.
I complete my 28th year of calling in July, 2010. I recall how pleased I was, as a new caller, when the McCook club asked me to call their New Year’s Eve dance that first year in 1982. We have celebrated New Year’s Eve together in McCook every year since, and this year will be the 29th time. We have braved heavy snow, fog, ice and rain to be together over the years.
Jeanie and I live near Axtell, Nebraska and have two daughters, Jocelyn and Lauren. Lauren was five weeks old when I attended caller’s school. Jocelyn and Lauren grew up with square dancing and still enjoy being with our dance friends around the area. They occasionally tease me by saying “it wasn’t easy having a Square Dance caller for a Dad”. In March, 2008, Lauren and David made us proud grandparents for the first time, and we can’t seem to see little Owen David often enough. Jocelyn lives in Kearney, so it is good having her close. Jeanie was a resource teacher in Axtell and retired from teaching at the end of the school year, 2010.
I am a semi-retired design engineer now and have a million things to do. Now that I am retired from my “day” job and don’t have a daily schedule, I hope to be able to do more traveling with my “preferred profession” of calling.
Happy Dancing,
Marshall & Jeanie Poole
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