Norwood Seniors Have a Ball at Concannon’s Village-October 7, 1976

“Keeping you busy?” the bartender at Concannon’s Village was asked last night.

“Sure. Are you kidding me? That’s one good party out there,” replied bartender Joe Brennan, pointing over his shoulder toward the function hall.

The “party” in question was the annual Norwood Senior Citizens’ Ball, and for nearly 300 local elders in attendance, the festive gathering lived up to every bit of its name. Long gowns, corsages, flashy suits, and boutonnieres set a formal tone, but it certainly didn’t stop the crowd from letting their hair down.

High Energy and Dancing in the Aisles

The celebration featured plenty of high-spirited moments:

• Gertrude Bagge, a sprightly 72-year-old resident of Nahatan Village, sidled up to the lounge barstool to order a seven-and-seven, playfully warning the bartender, “Don’t make it too watery this time around.” Lamenting that she had to leave before midnight because her friends—ages 77 and 83—wanted to head home, Miss Bagge returned to the banquet room to kick up her heels three feet off the floor to the tunes of the Vin Perry Orchestra.
• Gertrude Myers, an energetic 84-year-old, drew widespread admiration on the packed dance floor with her impressive footwork.
• When floor space ran out entirely, seniors simply resorted to “dancing in the aisles.” The repertoire ranged from traditional polkas and the Charleston to the contemporary Hustle.

Waitresses scrambled frantically to keep up with a non-stop stream of food and drink orders as the celebration rolled on.

Local and National Dignitaries Attend

The festivities also drew a heavy contingent of political figures mingling with constituents and wishing them well, including:

• Board of Selectmen Chairman Joseph F. Curran and fellow selectmen Joseph W. Wall and George S. Usevich.
• U.S. Representative John J. Moakley, who made a personal appearance.
• State Senator Joseph F. Timilty, who sent aide Ben Deluca to represent him.

Live Entertainment

Adding to the festive atmosphere, live entertainment was provided by the Rita O’Shea Irish Step Dancers and Norwood’s own Colonial Boys fife and drum group.

As midnight approached, Miss Bagge—who confessed she never married but “had plenty of boyfriends in my day”—found every excuse to delay her departure, lingering to soak in just a few more minutes of the celebration. No one was in a rush to leave early.

Archival Note: This article has been dynamically reconstructed from the original public record print archives of the Patriot Ledger