Many years ago, about 1944-1948, I was a student at Lillian Haughton's School of Dance. This little remembrance is my way of saying "thank you" to this wonderful teacher.
My mother drove me all the way from Whittier to the remodeled old barn in El Monte, California. We would pick up my friend, Felicia Mazzetti, on Workman Mill Road, along the way. The two of us would enter on the ground floor, then hike the stairs to the spacious dance center above. I remember that the floor was made of hard wood, but soft enough to absorb our dance steps without stress to our feet. The upstairs was for ballet and tumbling. Tap Class was held downstairs.
Mrs. Haughton usually sat at her piano, set into a little cutout in the loft. Her back was to us, but she knew everything that we did. We were sure she had eyes in the back of her head! She was strict and tolerated no nonsense. At first we were terrified. Please don't turn around and call out our name!
But we soon learned that if we concentrated, learned our routines, and tried our best, she would reward us with praise and advancement. And her recitals, costuming, and music were creative and lavish down to the last detail. We always had pride in our performances. I learned so much from her, beyond dance, and went on to perform in many high school and college productions.
So, thank you, Mrs. Haughton. I only wish I could have stayed with you longer.
Sincerely, Meredyth Myers (now Meredyth Devin)
OLD PROGRAMS AND PHOTOS FROM THE 1940's
The following photos are a collage of Felicia Mazzetti, Patti McGwire, and me, wearing our costumes for "Over The Rainbow."
This 1946 Program gives a short history of the Lillian Haughton School of Dance.
EACH SUMMER the Lillian Haughton Dancers would appear in the Redland's Bowl...
Photos of our costumes for the 1947 Redlands Bowl Performance....
I am not a relative, but records show that Lillian Haughton was born Lillian Virginia Asher, June 23, 1899, in Lexington, Fayette, Kentucky. Her parents were Hugh Laurie Asher and Sarah Hendrickson. She was married to Judge William Pruitt Haughton, in El Monte, in 1922, and had one son, William B. Haughton. She died on August 6, 1993, in Orange County, CA. I would love to hear from other past students. My e-mail address is: [email protected]
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