Any building will do
Living in rural Montana in the early 1970s had to be nearly identical to life in North Idaho at the time.
Back before the age of electronic devices, Facebook, Twitter feeds and YouTube, people in rural areas did what they could to socialize.
Every time I pass a grange hall in North Idaho, I think back to our local grange hall of sorts, in Central Montana.
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While not as grand as some of the halls around here, our Hoosac Club (named for the town the building resided in, Hoosac, Mont.) served its purpose: A meeting point for area families to socialize from time to time throughout the year.
The hall seemed enormous when empty, but it filled up quickly on a meeting night, when dozens of families drove up and unloaded, spilling into the hall until it was very difficult to find a member of your family without an intensive search.
And that was the point. People of all ages had a chance to eat and then get acquainted with their neighbors and enjoy some entertainment.
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The Hoosac Club held monthly meetings, and one of the highlights was the Christmas party. One of my first memories is of rehearsing the song "Jingle Bell Rock" with my twin brother for what seems months before the big event one December.
On the big night, I thought we performed well. Although they say you can't beat blood harmony (family members singing together), I'm pretty sure no one in the audience except for our parents was so enthralled they wanted an encore.
But that was the whole point of the Hoosac Club. Everyone had a chance to head up to the stage and entertain, if they were so inclined.
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Costume parties were held about once a year, and I was always impressed at what lengths some of the members would go to to become somebody else. It wasn't as much WHO you were supposed to be, but more who you weren't. If no one could pin down your real identity without an unveil, you had done your job.
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The stage at one end of the hall would come alive at virtually every meeting. It seemed like there was always some good entertainment in store. We were fortunate to have some great performers who would conjure up skits with some really impressive, albeit cheap, effects. One act used a bedsheet, hung up in front of the stage, and a backlight to create a silhouette of the performer. Some others did choreographed dance numbers.
And the best part was, everyone - regardless of age - was attentive and enjoying themselves.
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Without an electronic device in sight.
Former Hoosac Club member Jerry Hitchcock is a copy editor for The Press. He can be reached at 664-8176, Ext. 2017, or via email at jhitchcock@cdapress.com.