If you ever go on a fundamentalist youth group outing, chances are you’ll end up at the local roller rink. With so few non-worldly options to choose from for group entertainment, roller skating is a favorite activity in fundy circles.
Being fundamentalists, of course, they way they roller skate is little different from the rest of the population — if there even is anybody in the general population who still roller skates.
Since skirts are much more modest than pants when a girl is falling down in front of everyone, they are required. Alternatively a pair of stylish culottes may be worn. The music selections will also be unique, consisting of the most popular dance music from three-hundred years ago and (if it gets really wild and crazy) Southern Gospel quartets.
So strap on your roller skates and prepare to be thrilled by awkward flirting from the other fundamentalist teens. And be oh, so thankful that your church has rented out the entire roller rink and nobody else is there to witness you in a pair of culottes.
You haven’t rolled until you’ve rolled to Ron Hamilton musick!
+10 for “musick”
I always thought that a lot of john Peterson’s music was roller rink oriented. Think “Coming Again”.
“May…be morning….may be…noon…”
By George, I think you’re right.
Our church always rented out the whole rink, and we roller skated to NO music. Skating to music (any music) might look too much like dancing. You’re so right, Ron. The best hymnals have plenty of roller skating hymns: “Heaven Came Down,” “Saved, Saved,” anything in 6/8 time.
I went to a couple with another church when I was a kid. Those were fun. Of course i couldn’t skate and still can’t skate I wnet to one about a year or two ago and they rented out the whole thing and played southern gospel.
I remember my grandmother telling this story about getting in trouble during a church outing. She and friend had taken off their skates and were dancing to the music. When one of the stern church ladies called them on it, she said ‘but we’re dancing when we skate, what’s the big deal brah.’ (Verbatim quote there 😉
One of those instances of child logic that get you in trouble at Sunday School. I think they had to talk to her mom.
My church played John Philip Sousa marches. I think 3/4 or 6/8 time works better for skating than 4/4, but it can be done—the way we did everything else—awkwardly.
Because of my “eclectic” musical tastes and library, I was asked by a friend to put together some music for their school. A parent had complained that too much of the music they used was from “Hollywood movies”.
I’m afraid the music I gave them was also from the movies. Just old movies that none of them would recognize. Some of it was picked because it was from a movie.
Rebellion dies hard.
When I was in Junior high and high school ALL we were allowed to do (besides Missions conferences and Womens Seminars) was go roller skating and miniature golfing. As a result those are two activities I greatly excel at but will never ever do again in my life.
Yes, Ron Bean you’re right. Coming Again are words set to a tune called The Skater’s Waltz.
I remember skate nights where the church rented the rink and played Disney music. Nothing as cool as 16-18 year old kids skating to Cinderella or Snow White tunes. Absurd. At least it wasn’t Southern Gospel or Hymns I guess.
We had the hymns 🙄
Our church was too small to be able to rent out the whole skating rink so we never went. Not even on Christian music night because it had drums, guitars and the satanic back beat that will make you secretly worship the devil when you get back home.
“With so few non-worldly options to choose from for group entertainment, roller skating is a favorite activity in fundy circles.”
I wish I had come across this blog years ago…even before you thought of it Darrell!
In the early 80’s my family migrated to the big city and started attending a BBF church, of the Baptis Temple persuation. We did go roller skating during the regular roller skating nights. You know, the Hokie Pokie and all.
And yes, the girlies wore skirts and Culottes!
B.R.O.