A lighthearted and loving look back at the glory days of the Shady Dell, the historic haven for teenagers in York, PA, and the magnanimous couple that created it, John & Helen Ettline.
CLOSE YOUR EYES. TAKE A DEEP BREATH. OPEN YOUR HEART.
SHADY DEL KNIGHT, ADMINISTRATOR
High School Yearbook Photo
"More than a place, the Shady Dell was and will forever remain a state of mind." - Shady Del Knight
HELLO STRANGER ... IT SEEMS LIKE A MIGHTY LONG TIME!
I discovered the rare image in the archives of the Monterey County Herald. It was taken June 20, 1966,
at Nepenthe, Big Sur, a popular tourist destination on
California's Central Coast where the Santa Lucia
Mountains rise sharply from the Pacific Ocean
offering stunning views to visitors.
Photo courtesy The Monterey County Herald
The picture was snapped during location shooting
for Dick Clark's Where The Action Is, the music
variety television series that aired every weekday
afternoon from June 1965 through March 1967.
Entertainment guest, the late Percy Sledge, can
be seen performing in front of an ABC camera.
On the bench in back of Percy are the series
regulars, the dance troupe of Pete Menefee
and The Action Kids.
On that same field trip up the California coast to
the Monterey area in June 1966, the Action crew
shot a segment at Fisherman's Wharf. I was
thrilled to find video shot at that location.
Here's the Syndicate of Sound, a garage
band from San Jose, performing their
up-and-coming hit single "Little Girl"
accompanied by The Action Kids.
"Little Girl" - Syndicate of Sound
(June 1966, highest chart position #8,
filmed on location at Fisherman's Wharf)
I'm sure you couldn't help noticing that
the technical quality of the video was
very low by today's standards.
Unfortunately it is typical of the remnants of Action and many other television shows
of the 50s and 60s. Programs that lacked the potential to make money as reruns were considered disposable in those days. Entire series were wiped (bulk erased) and the tapes reused. Apparently all that remains today of the 400+ episodes of Action are a few dozen low tech Kinescopes like the one you just saw, leaving millions of Baby Boomers and younger fans alike wishing and hoping for a remastered DVD of the series that will probably never come. It's a painful reminder that show business is just that... a business.
Quite often it makes dollars but very little sense.
After watching so many grainy, washed out, faded
and distorted Kinescopes salvaged from the 50s and
60s, those of us who came of age during those years
might need to remind ourselves that we experienced
the halcyon days of our youth in living color, not
grainy black and white. That's why this picture
made my eyes pop. It's the only color image of
the Action series I have ever seen.
It is also the first time I ever saw those wonderful
dancers, The Action Kids, in color. In this three part
series I will focus on the talented troupe and show
you some of their greatest performances on Action.
In March 1964, singer Jackie DeShannon released
a cover of the Buddy Holly hit "Oh Boy." In this
video from one of the earliest episodes of Action
in July of 1965, Jackie performs the song in a
bowling alley surrounded by The Action Kids.
"Oh Boy" - Jackie DeShannon
(July 7, 1965 episode of WTAI,
single released March 1964, uncharted)
In another episode from the first season of Action,
the original five female formation of Action Kids
backs up Phil Spector's girl group the Crystals.
"He'a a Rebel" - The Crystals
(August 1965 episode of WTAI,
single charted in November 1962, highest position #1)
Please skip ahead to the 1:50 mark of the next vid
and you'll see intermittent shots of The Action Kids
dancing in the street as the Vogues perform their
top 30 hit, "The Land of Milk and Honey."
"The Land of Milk and Honey" - The Vogues
(July 1966, highest chart position #29)
Keep in mind that this series is primarily
about the dancing. The music is secondary.
Try your best to disregard the poor sound and
video quality of most of these clips while you
enjoy the fancy footwork of The Action Kids.
They danced in the mountains, at the beach
and in parks. As you'll see in this next clip
featuring the Turtles, they even danced
on sidewalks along busy city streets.
Click at the 1:00 mark of this video and
watch as The Action Kids join Flo & Eddie
in an ebullient celebration of of life
and youth, California style.
"You Baby" - The Turtles
(March 1966, highest chart position #20)
In Part 2 you'll meet the individual
members of The Action Kids and see
How I remember John! John was always the first one to meet you when going into the Dell. He would be in his booth waiting to get his quarter. I don't know how many times he forgot to take my quarter so I could spend it on the jukebox. I do know he always said hello by being formal and using the last name and saying
"Hello Mr. Slaybaugh". He would often have some type of joke or remark such as you're early or late tonight. Somehow he knew all my close friends, also Dell Rats, and would let me know who was already there and who was missing. Of course John was always in control and had rules that the "gentlemen" were to follow. My friends and I were not trouble makers and John knew that. He also knew we would back him up if he needed it to keep the peace. We respected him and we had earned his respect. I guess that is why he often forgot to take our quarters. I think he treated all the regulars that he knew well as if they were his own kids. Somehow he learned enough about the regulars to know them, their back- ground and their friends fairly well. I know I always looked forward to talking with John and made it a point to say good night before ever leaving. It was not common for teenagers to have good friends that were "old". But John was a good friend to me and if he would have had kids he would have been a great Dad for them. He was just a great step-Dad for all the Rats.- Jerre Slaybaugh
RON SHEARER
John was the kind of man that I think we all wanted for a father. He wasn't condescending, always commanded and gave respect, treated you like an intelligent person. If anything happened that you screwed up and got victimized, he would resolve it to his best, and pass on advice to you without making you feel stupid. He would take time out during the day if you had to leave your car there the night before because it wouldn't run, and would help you with it--- even to the point of advising your own Dad, inspiring respect from parents that had previously thought ill of the Dell. I can only say good things about John. Wishing him a Happy Father's Day for all the teens he "fathered".- Ron Shearer
GREG GULDEN
I'm trying to write some words to honor John for Father's Day. It's hard to put down in words your feeling about someone that, if only for a short time, played such an important part in your life. I cannot write this without saying a few words about another great man, my father Clair N. Gulden. These two men never knew each other but they both came from that great generation that fought a World War in hopes that generations to come would never know war. In my eyes these were the two best men I've ever known. John never had kids of his own but was a second Dad to hundreds of Dell Rats over the years. Whatever made this man decide to devote so many years of his life to having a home away from home for hundreds of kids we may never know, but all of us that became Dell Rats will all ways be grateful to John. He gave us his home and then stayed in the background and let us make it what we wanted. We all had a great deal of respect for John and his words of advice when we needed them. The Dell that I knew during the 60s was a place of pure magic, you could feel it when you walked in the door to the barn. John made the Dell a special place for all of us. So to John and my Dad Thank You & Happy Father's Day to all.- A DELL RAT ALL WAYS Greg Gulden
You have no right to call yourself a Dell rat
if you don't remember Doug Clark & the Nuts
aka Doug Clark & the Hot Nuts, singing their
nasty novelty # "Baby Let Me Bang Your Box."
The song is about a male guest at a dull party
who sees a piano in the corner and asks the
female host's permission to liven things up
by pounding on it. The lyrics are overtly
and hilariously suggestive.
"Baby Let Me Bang Your Box, Part 1" Doug Clark & The Nuts (October 1966)
Actually the dirty ditty was recorded several times
and I intend to give you more bang for your buck.
A rhythm and blues group called the Toppers waxed
the original version of the rowdy party song in 1954.
"(I Love To Play Your Piano) Let Me Bang Your Box" - The Toppers (1954)
The Bangers, another R&B group, came out with their
own rendition of "Baby Let Me Bang Your Box" in 1965.
The Bangers single was released by R&B Records,
a company in Tulsa, Oklahoma.
"Baby Let Me Bang Your Box, Part 1" The Bangers (March 1965)
In 1966 a third version of “Baby Let Me Bang Your Box”
was released by Doug Clark and The Hot Nuts.
Radio stations considered "Baby Let Me Bang
Your Box" too hot to handle and all three versions
were banned from the airwaves. As a result,
none of them registered on the national chart.
There's a time and place for everything.
"Baby Let Me Bang Your Box" was popular
at private parties and juke joints including
the Shady Dell where both the Bangers
version and the one by Doug Clark
& the Nuts were played often
on the barn’s jukebox.
Along with the forbidden forty-five on Jubilee,
a different production mix of “Bang Your Box”
was included on the Hot Nuts’ 1966 album Summer Session released on the Gross record label. How fitting!
Deller fellers loved this raunchy party platter and
the outrageous group that recorded it. Doug Clark
& The Hot Nuts were also wildly popular on the
east coast fraternity circuit and are credited
as the inspiration for Otis Day & the Knights,
the fictional group that performed in the
1978 comedy movie Animal House.
Early on, Doug Clark & the Hot Nuts were crowned
the “kings of gross out lyrics.” They solidified their
reputation by appearing on stage at frat parties
clad only in velvet athletic supporters!
Janet Jackson's halftime halter horseplay?
Fuhgeddaboudit!
THESE CRAZY CATS
INVENTEDTHE
WARDROBE MALFUNCTION!
"Milk the Cow" - Doug Clark and The Nuts (December 1966, from 1965 album Panty Raid)
I was encouraged to join the Battle of the Bands group.
I had never before taken part in a hop, but BOTB is
all about music and so I decided to give it a try.
When, after only two of my posts, the group's
organizers decided to cancel their subscription to The ResurrectionShady Dell Music & Memories,
I made the brilliant deduction that it wasn't
going to work out. Ya think? The old retort
"You can't fire me - I quit!" comes to mind.
All kidding aside, I think the three of us
realized at the same time that it wasn't
a good fit. Therefore this outcome is
best for all concerned. Hey, at least
we tried. There are no hard feelings
on my part and I sincerely wish
them well in their future endeavors.
The upshot of the break-up is that
I have 30+ finished drafts that I prepared
in advance for the BOTB. It seems a shame
to let them go to waste. Since I no longer
have the support of the principals I've
decided to go rogue and call my
series Battle of the Banned.
Yeah... that's the ticket!
Out of consideration for your valuable time,
I plan to run my banned battles on days of
the month other than the 1st and 15th.
Think about it. The BOTB hop is
growing by leaps and bounds,
right? That means there's a glut
of reading, listening and commenting
on the 1st and 15th. I intend to lighten
your load by spacing my battle posts
in between those days of the month
and spreading them out over
a period of three years.
IMPORTANT
If you belong to the BOTB circle I will not abandon you.
I will happily continue to support the blog of anyone
who continues to support mine. If you are still here
then please know that I am grateful for
your loyal
friendship. (That includes you, mommy.) If you
are
no longer here, then I'm wondering how you could
possibly
be reading this. Enough of this small talk.
It's time for me to dry my eyes and launch the new
series and I will do that next Wednesday, June 10.
See ya then!
JUST TO MAKE IT CRYSTAL CLEAR, THIS IS THE FIRST COMPETING SONG
IN TODAY'S BATTLE OF THE BLANDS.
BLAND #2
JUST TO MAKE IT CRYSTAL CLEAR, THIS IS THE SECOND COMPETING SONG
IN TODAY'S BATTLE OF THE BLANDS.
JUST TO MAKE IT CRYSTAL CLEAR, I WANT YOU TO LIST 10 WAYS
THOSE TWO SONGS ARE SIMILAR TO EACH OF THE FOLLOWING:
The New Adventures of Pippi Longstocking
...in theaters this Christmas
Her name was Magill, and she called herself Lil,
But everyone knew her as Nancy.
"Sadie" the world famous diving horse
at
Atlantic City's Steel Pier circa 1967
WHAT'S WRONG WITH MY POST?
I'M SURE YOU'RE DYING TO TELL ME.
PICK THE ANSWER THAT MOST CLOSELY
MATCHES YOUR OPINION:
A. Too confusing
B. Too many songs (it got confusing - see "A")
C. Too different (me no likey different)
D. Did not follow the BOTB rules and regulations established by the founding fathers and handed down through the millennia.
E. Needs more Debby Boone
F. Did I mention confusing? (Oh yeah, I did.)
G. All of the above
H. None of the above
I. Scream, you scream, we all scream for ice cream
Allow myself to introduce...(long pause)...myself.
I'm Austin Powers...super secret spy,
international man of mystery, bon vivant,
swinging playboy and irresistible babe magnet.
London is my home, shag is my bag,
planet earth is my playground and
danger is my middle name, baby.
Maybe I should change that.
Confusion is my middle name.
How's that luv?
Your regular host, Shady, couldn't make it today.
He's in the slammer. Seems he was pulled over last night
during a routine traffic stop and wrestled to the ground
when deputies found one of those Swedish-made pump
thingies on the passenger seat of his Nash Rambler.
They slapped Shady with additional charges when
he insisted on demonstrating the device.
“Words and photographs could never do those dancers justice because you had to be there - in a club with great music, like minded people and loads of atmosphere.” David Meikle of Glasgow, Scotland wrote those words in an article remembering the Twisted Wheel, the legendary northern soul club in Manchester, England. Yet, Mr. Meikle could just as easily have been describing the scene at my favorite "in" spot of the 1960s, the Shady Dell in York (Pennsylvania, not England).
THE SHADY DELL
YORK, PENNSYLVANIA
The Shady Dell: Part of York County's Colorful History
What began as a home based restaurant and bakery in 1945 evolved over the next two decades into the hottest teen nightspot in York county complete with indoor and outdoor dance floors. It went beyond that. Shady Dell owner John Ettline and his wife Helen put out the welcome mat offering hospitality, comfort, support, and encouragement to generations of young people. During its impressive 45-year life span the Dell became a home away from home for countless area youth from a variety of backgrounds.
At the height of its popularity in the early and mid 60s the Dell, located on the southern outskirts of the White Rose city, was as widely known as North York’s White Oak Park ("the Oaks"), Harrisburg's Raven club or any other youth-oriented venue in central Pennsylvania. The Dell attracted crowds from all over the region. It brought together under one roof kids from middle class families and kids from working class families - city kids, suburban kids, small town kids and farm kids.
The diverse cast of characters that constituted the Shady Dell family was a potentially volatile mix. Each of us had to find a way to fit in and get along (or risk being voted off the island). In the end, in spite of our differences, most of us learned to dance together without stepping on each other’s toes.
Shady Dell regulars were nicknamed Dell rats and we had at least two things in common: a love of the music that played on the Dell’s jukebox and a genuine respect for John and Helen Ettline who graciously made their home our home.
GREATER THAN THE SUM OF ITS PARTS
The Dell was a unique, magical coming of age experience - a proving ground - a secluded hideaway where adolescents could develop social skills, learn to handle responsibility and test the waters of adulthood free from the hassles of ubiquitous adult micromanagement.
SHOCKING TRUE CONFESSION: I WAS A TEENAGE DELL RAT! by Shady Del Knight
I became a Dell rat in 1965 at the age of fifteen. Disparaging rumors about the place had been circulating for years. If you were to believe the gossip the Dell was a snake pit where bad boys and bad girls went to do bad things. Some people, including my mother, referred to the Dell as a “den of iniquity.” Intrigued by the horror stories, I was determined to get there and see for myself what all the fuss was about.
In preparation for my grand entrance, I subjected myself to weeks of rigorous training at a Shady Dell boot camp of my own devise. I grew my hair longer and took up the smoking habit. I practiced in front of a mirror until I was convinced that my stance, walk, and dancing style were all cool.
To complete my extreme makeover, I went shopping for my 'uniform' which consisted of a tapered shirt from the Hub, slacks by H.I.S. and two wardrobe essentials: a pair of blue Jack Purcell sneakers and the all-important Baracuta jacket "Made in England." Wearing my 'Cuta' made me feel so terribly, terribly British, you know. Spot on for us bird watchin' blokes, right gov'na?
'JACKS'
AN ABSOLUTE MUST...FOR DANCIN' ON DELL DUST!
THE CLASSIC NATURAL COLOUR BARACUTA
STRICTLY CONTINENTAL, MATE!
Moment of Truth: Boy Meets Dell
Too young to drive, I made my first Dell visit happen by bumming a ride one night with my college-age cousin and two of his buddies. Clearly, none of the above was thrilled to be babysitting.
As we drove past York Hospital on South George and headed toward Violet Hill, what began as giddy anticipation was turning to apprehension. Fear of the unknown started creeping into my brain. What if the rumors turned out to be true? Would I soon be sharing a needle with a gang of rowdy bikers?
At Violet Hill, we made a dogleg turn to the right and began to climb the narrow, winding, bumpy Starcross Road. By this time my breathing had become labored and I felt queasy. It was as if, on a foolish dare, I had agreed to spend the night with Vincent Price in his House on Haunted Hill. Was it too late to leap from the car and bolt?
"I See the Lights... I See the Party Lights..."
We rounded a bend and I caught my first glimpse of her a short distance up the road. Perched on the hillside was a three-story brick house. Down to the left stood a barn. The festive glow of colored lights rose skyward from an area behind the house. As I would soon learn, the atmospheric illumination originated from strings of lanterns hanging above a patio rigged with remote speakers for outdoor dancing.
As we banked to make our final approach I detected the percussive beat of uptempo music emanating from the barn. We turned left into a gravel parking lot overflowing with vehicles. Here, in all of her rustic splendor, stood the infamous Shady Dell, my destination for the evening and my obsession for years to come!
I Found My Thrill on Violet Hill
My heart was thumping as we climbed the steps that led to the entrance and approached the admission booth. Following my cousin’s lead, I slid a quarter through the window and looked up to see a balding, bespectacled old man grinning back at me. Old? John Ettline would have been 59 at the time. I'm older than that now. Yikes!
“Good evening, gentlemen!” John delivered his cheerful salutation in a booming baritone. Immediately, my anxiety vanished. John’s warm welcome made me feel right at home. It made me feel like I belonged. I didn’t get it at the time but later came to realize that John’s presupposition that we were "gentlemen" was a clever and tactful way of admonishing us to behave accordingly.
Toto, I've a Feeling We're Not in Kansas Anymore!
From the moment I entered the compound I was hooked. The Shady Dell was a private playground for teenagers - a candy land - a fun factory - a safe haven where kids could congregate and blow off steam without having to worry about parents and teachers giving them the evil eye. Instantly I became intoxicated - not by alcohol - but by a sense of total freedom. The place gave off a vibe that was completely new to me – an exhilarating blend of romance, adventure and danger!
Instead of placing a ton of restrictions on their young patrons, John and Helen granted them the independence they craved. The Ettlines were willing to take a step back and trust our judgment. It was okay for us to party as long as things didn’t get out of hand. Most of us eagerly embraced that arrangement. If and when we screwed up, the Ettlines gave us another chance. John and Helen cut you plenty of slack, but if you disrespected them or trashed their establishment both were capable of unleashing a fiery temper.
Of Rats and Men
Contrary to popular belief, the Dell did not harbor gangs of juvenile delinquents eager to conceal their wicked deeds from law enforcement. Sorry, Mom - there weren’t any guns, switchblades or brass knuckles - no gangs, career criminals or prostitutes - just a bunch of ordinary teenagers who loved to meet, mix and mingle, dance and have fun.
Fights were few and far between. There was tacit agreement that it was our duty to preserve and protect the unique setting that the Ettlines had created for us. It required us to police ourselves to prevent incidents that would generate negative publicity or hassles with the law. Scuffles were settled quickly, often through John’s bold intervention. The first lesson a guy learned at the Dell was as follows. Don’t let the gray hair fool you. Nobody messes with John. He’s the boss!
A Special Welcome to All Incoming Freshmen!
I was punched in the face three times during my first year of matriculation on the campus of the Shady Dell School of Hard Knocks. Apparently a few of the guys were determined to teach me a lesson. Yet, getting socked in the kisser did not dampen my enthusiasm or scare me away from the place. In fact they had the opposite effect. They whet my appetite for more! As a Dell newbie desperate to break free of mom’s apron strings and earn respect and acceptance, I wasn’t about to let a bloody nose deter me. For the first time in my life I felt like a man instead of a boy and I loved it. Like Secret Agent Man I was living a life of danger. I was addicted to the rush!
Determined to create an image that would allow me to blend in, appeal to the ladies and avoid becoming a frequent target of the tribe's dominant males, I did a lot of posing, posturing and pretending. I decided that it would be advantageous for me to look tough even though I wasn't. Whenever I strolled into the dance hall, I made sure that my hair was messed up, my shirt tail was hanging out, a lit cigarette was dangling from my lips and my game face was on.
One afternoon before anybody else arrived, my best friend and I rolled around on the dance floor of the barn so that we could properly break-in our new Baracuta jackets by getting them coated with Dell dust. This drove my mother crazy. She kept asking me how I got my jacket so badly soiled. She was even more perplexed when I forbade her to get it cleaned. How could I explain to her that I didn’t want to risk weakening my status with the other guys by wearing a clean jacket?
In my mom’s day the ideal guy wore a white sport coat and a pink carnation. His hair was neatly cropped, oiled down and slicked back off his forehead. That look would have spelled social suicide at the Dell in the mid 60s. My goal was to look like I had just been in a fight at reform school, and if I got my uniform dirty or bloodied in combat, it was a GOOD thing.
Helen & John Ettline
Shady Dell Owners
Helen and John: Not Your Typical Mom and Pop
Even by mid 60s standards, John Ettline seemed part of a vanishing breed of men. John never called me by my first name. He always chose to address me as “Mr. Knight." John maintained that friendly formality through all the years I knew him. I’m very glad he did. John always made me feel important when he added the title “Mr.” to my name. Making insecure teenagers feel good about themselves was John’s greatest gift. He always treated young people with dignity and respect and that made them want to return it.
Along with his outstanding people skills, John possessed a photographic memory. He could always match a face with a name. He seemed to know a lot about anything or anybody that you happened to be discussing. John Ettline had a million stories to tell - all of them interesting.
Although old enough to be our grandparents, there was no generation gap between the Ettlines and their teenage guests. They seemed to remember better than other grown-ups what it was like to be young. John and Helen stayed in touch and in tune with the youth culture. Never was that more in evidence than one day at the York Fair in September, 1968. I was sitting in the grandstand awaiting the start of the James Brown concert. I turned around to search the crowd for familiar faces and there, a few rows behind me, sat Helen and John. In a year when racial tension was running high in York and elsewhere, it was remarkable to see a white couple in their 60s at a James Brown concert, chanting along with the rest of us, “Say It Loud: I’m Black and I’m Proud!”
John and Helen were cool. Young people felt at ease talking with them. Unlike many adults, John and Helen listened to us. They cared without preaching or judging. The Ettlines treated their teen visitors like extended family. They believed in the potential of every young person, including troubled youth from broken homes. They spoke to us about the value of an education and honest hard work. They sponsored athletic programs and honored America’s armed forces. They shaped young lives by instilling a sense of pride and self esteem. John and Helen went out of their way to make all of their kids feel like somebody - even those whose families were telling them they were nobody.
The Dell Jukebox: ALL KILLER AND NO FILLER!
Upon arriving on the Dell scene I soon realized that the jukebox in the dance hall was loaded with the greatest, most danceable records to be found anywhere. There were quite a few songs that I had never heard before and would never hear anywhere else. The music mix that played nightly at the Dell was consistently better than what I was hearing on the radio. In the mid 60s the Dell's musical menu was an exciting blend of Motown, Chi-town, New York and Philly soul, Memphis, southern R&B, blue-eyed soul, Brit beat, sunshine pop, garage, psych and folk-rock plus a few do-wop favorites held over from the 50s.
Shady Dell regulars, the gang I now refer to as the Rodentia Intelligentsia, prided themselves on having radar for cool. Year in and year out they discovered and popularized songs that radio stations across the country overlooked. Records that lingered near the bottom of the national chart often became cherished classics at the Dell. Forgotten flips were elevated to mega-hit status by Dell rats unfettered by the limitations of radio play lists.
Certain songs resonated with the Dell crowd to such an extent that they stayed on the jukebox for years. The best example of this phenomenon is the record ranked #1 on my survey of the 200 Greatest Hits Of The Shady Dell. It remained one of the most popular jukebox selections a dozen years after its initial release in the 50s. That very special song, the greatest and longest lasting Shady Dell hit of all time, was "Close Your Eyes" by the Five Keys.
THE FIVE KEYS
"Close Your Eyes" Ranked #1
Del-Chords & Magnificent Men
Another mighty evergreen at the Shady Dell was "Everybody’s Gotta Lose Someday," an intense, power-packed r&b/soul ballad by the Del-Chords, a racially mixed group from York. Released in 1964, the record was still being played heavily two years later, jamming the floor with slow dancers several times a night. Dave Bupp and Buddy King, lead vocalists from the Del-Chords, eventually merged with band members of Harrisburg’s Endells to form a blue-eyed soul group called the Magnificent Men. The “Mag Men,” as we called them, were white guys who had a passion for black music and the vocal talent and musicianship to authentically perform it. Their inspiring ballad "Peace of Mind" was the first in an impressive string of Dell hits for our hometown heroes.
Magnificent Men
HEAVY HITTERS AT THE DELL!
The Emperors of Harrisburg
Records by the Emperors, another home-grown act, were also enormously popular with Dell dancers. A black group from the state capital, the Emperors were exponents of the “Harrisburg sound,” a blend of r&b, soul, garage and Latin influences. "Karate," the Emperors’ best known recording, was the first of eight raw, funky, organ-driven numbers to achieve hit status at the Dell in 1966 and 1967.
THE EMPERORS
DELL ROYALTY - THEY RULED!
End of an Era
Once addicted to the Dell, I pretty much lived there until the fall of 1967 when I left York to attend an institution of higher learning. Over the next four years I visited my Dell family whenever possible during holidays, spring breaks, and summer vacations. My stint as a Dell rat officially ended in 1971 when I found a job in another city and moved away from York for good.
My final visit to the Dell came in March of 1984 when my career took me out of state. My last piece of business before leaving was to drop in at the Dell and say a final goodbye. I entered the house to find John sitting on a stool at the lunch counter reading the newspaper. “Well, hello stranger!” John bellowed, rising to his feet and extending his hand. “Long time no see, Mr. Knight!" After shaking hands with John and exchanging a few pleasantries, I inquired about Helen. I was stunned to learn that she had passed away a few weeks earlier. I never got the news! John and I stood alone in Helen’s snack bar, reminiscing about the good old days and lamenting how much things had changed since the Dell’s golden era.
After a brief chat with John I excused myself and walked down the sidewalk to check out the barn. The old dance hall was dimly lit and nearly vacant. The only customers were two boys with shoulder length hair standing by the jukebox with a couple of girls. No music was playing. The place was dead or, more accurately, in the final lonely stages of life. If it had been twenty years earlier, the joint would have been jumpin’. The four young people eyed me suspiciously. Is this guy a narc? I put myself in their combat boots and realized that the sight of a stranger in his mid thirties was probably making this new generation of Dell rats uncomfortable. I promptly exited the barn and returned to the house to bid farewell to John.
That night marked the last time I ever saw John or entered the Shady Dell. I made one final pilgrimage in 1988 when I returned to Pennsylvania to visit my parents. I drove up to the Dell one afternoon with every intention of going inside. I’m sure I would have encountered a smiling John Ettline and that he would have immediately remembered my name. Yet, I never got out of the car. I chose not to enter because I didn’t want to further contaminate my memories by seeing how much older John looked and how much more dilapidated the Dell had become. All I could do was sit there in the parking lot gazing at the barn, the house, the bench and the steps to the admission booth where the whole journey started. My mind flooded with a thousand memories of the people, the place, and the time of my life.
John Ettline closed the Dell in the fall of 1991. He died at the beginning of 1993. John’s family auctioned off the restaurant equipment, signage and other Dell paraphernalia in the spring of that year.
(Mike Argento's 1993 article in the York Daily Record was used as a reference source for portions of this cover story.)