Stepping Through Time with the Allens

“Ollie-Ollie-Ollie!” 

For many in Westborough, this is the call to attention for lessons at the former Allen Nursery & Dance School on Forbes Street. The large farm house was the setting for a school that Esther Allen opened soon after settling in Westborough in 1959.  

Together with her sister Betty Lampi, her daughter Gail Verge, and her close friend Theresa Small, Esther taught generations of Westborough youngsters their ABCs by day and the waltz by night. Nursery school children had dance lessons at the Allen School in the afternoons, while older children and adults had their dance lessons at the Armstrong School in the evening.  

Among her most memorable classes at Armstrong School were those she taught to middle school students. Because she taught ballroom dance for many years in both Northborough and Westborough, she was asked by the Westborough Women’s Club to offer a program of dance lessons for students in grades 5 through 8. The classes ran over 8 weeks. 

Those classes evolved into the program now known as “Let’s Dance!” which is currently offered to 6^th grade students at Mill Pond School. 

Former student Peter Landsdowne reminisced, “I attended Esther's ballroom dancing lessons in the late 1950s and early 1960s and can well remember the grand march and the white gloves and all of that. At the end of every class, Esther would teach us one dance right from American Bandstand, which was popular on TV at the time. Thus, we did "The Stroll" to The Diamonds hit of the same name and danced "The Bop" to Danny & The Juniors. Esther knew the steps to all of the latest teen dances. Some of us, including myself, can still do those steps -- that's how important it was to us." 

During the years she ran the Allen Nursery & Dance School, Esther was also choreographer for the Westborough Community Chorus. She did that with assistance from her niece, Karin (Lampi) Hutt. 

Esther’s husband, Howie, was also a memorable part of the school. He was the greeter and friendly assistant at the Allen Nursery & Dance School and was the former FunCare school bus driver in Northborough.   

The decision to retire from the nursery and dance school did not come easily. In fact, like many famous sports players, Esther’s retirement had many false starts. “I retired three times!” she exclaimed. 

The transition finally occurred in 2003. The Allens sold their home and moved to a neighborhood in Worcester that is within walking distance of their church. They now live in a very pleasant retirement community.  

Today, Esther visits the YMCA four times a week for exercise and aerobic movement to music. Howie has been a member of the Greendale Retired Men’s Club for several years. They are active members of the Caring Ministry of their church, sending emails and seasonal cards and making phone calls to members of the church who are no longer active due to limited mobility.  

Esther and Howie frequently run into former students and their parents. And while they occasionally need a hint to remember a name, their ability to recall specific details about their former students is uncanny. 

The Allens will celebrate their 63^rd wedding anniversary in June. They have 3 children, 5 grandchildren and 9 great-grandchildren. And, yes, all of Esther’s children, grandchildren, nieces and nephews were invited to attend the Allen School when they were the appropriate age, and most of them took dance lessons as well.  

Westborough Patch is happy to report that the Allens continue to two-step through life, and we hope they continue to waltz together for many years to come.