In 1960, a young square dance couple, Wendell and Charlotte Leeman, moved to Clarks Summit from Chicago. Since there was no modern western square dancing in the area, they decided to promote this activity. After a year of hard work the Abington Allemanders Square Dance Club was formed on September 22, 1961 with 21 couples as members.
The first dance was held on October 6, 1961 at Our Lady of Peace School Auditorium in Clarks Green. Couples were charged $1.50 for the evening and if they decided to join the club they paid $9
per couple for nine dances. The dance movement quickly caught on and became a monthly event.
In the spring of 1962 Red Correll , of Waymart, PA, was asked to call a dance for the club, and it was then that the Leeman's announced they were being transferred back to Chicago. They left the
responsibilities of the club in the hands of Red Correll and his wife, Bert. The rest is history. Red
Correll was the Club Caller and Cuer for over 37 years until his retirement due to illness in the fall of 1999. Club members and so many of the area square dancers that he introduced to the activity were deeply saddened when he passed away on January 1, 2000. Red learned to square dance in 1957 from records because at that time there were no callers in the area. He was a completely self-taught caller who began his career with a few records and books illustrating dance techniques. He will always be remembered for his contributions to the Abington Allemanders and his dedication to teaching square dancing to so many of us. His favorite comment at graduation each year was, "This was the best class I ever had."
In addition to the Clarks Green/Clarks Summit area, members of the club now come from places such as Dalton, Lake Ariel, Lenox, Tunkhannock, Laceyville, Factoryville and Nicholson, as well as
Scranton and West Pittston.