By Chester Fried and Kathy Ferreira
Early in the 20th century, a young girl in Portland, Oregon went roller skating for the first time. In those days a girl under 18 had to be escorted to any public place at night. This was a special night because there was a Halloween costume skating party at the Oaks Roller Rink in Portland. The girl—Inez Sibley won the first place. From that time on, she was a regular patron at the skating rink. The manager at the Oaks was a twenty-one year old young man by the name of Earl Van Horn. Inez’s mother’s friend dated Earl, but soon he met the sixteen-year-old beautiful and youthful Inez. The couple were married within the year. That was in 1918. Earl taught Inez the art of skate dancing and together as a skating team they toured Europe. They were known as "Van and Inez."
Earl Van Horn was born in 1897, and as far back as he could recall he was a roller skater. At six he was a proficient performer. At age seven he was giving free-style exhibitions at the old Exposition Rink in his native city of Portland, Oregon. Earl’s older brother was a manager of a skating rink, so young Earl had the opportunity to practice his skating skills frequently. When he was thirteen, Earl teamed with Clarence Ammer. From then until World War I, the team played rinks and theaters, and were generally recognized as a first class vaudeville roller skating duo. The first World Ward broke up the team when both members went together to the enlistment center. Ammer was accepted and Van Horn rejected because of flat feet. Earl went on to manage the Oaks Rink, marry his Inez, and a new skating team was born. The same Inez who shared so many years of Earl’s life, played the dual role of wife and business partner.
The years 1918-1934 were ones of great success for this talented team. Years filled with their names in the lights, of applause, of skating under spotlights. Earl and Inez played the leading theaters in this country. They performed for two years with Leon Erroll in “Yours Truly”, a Broadway musical comedy. They played the American and European night clubs. They toured Canada, England, France, Germany, Sweden and many other countries. They skated for the kings of England, Spain and Sweden. They performed before the Prince of Wales at a private party. They were applauded by the wealthy at the fashionable Riviera resorts of Cannes, Nice and Deuxville. They played New York City’s famous Palace Theater 22 times—a record never approached by any other roller skating act.
Earl and Inez became the highest paid roller skating team in vaudeville. Their act consisted of artistic dance and novelty skating. They were considered great spinners. Several intricate techniques were developed including the swivel-neck spin and skating on top of a table eight feet in diameter, set four feet above the floor. Once, for servicemen on Governor’s Isand in New York City’s harbor, Earl and Inez gave a daring exhibition on a rail-less platform thirty feet above the swirling waters of New York’s East River. They were featured in Pathe newsreels and shorts. They appeared in the first sound reel ever made in England. During the early 1930’s, they performed at rinks in the United States, usually staying for some time at each rink in order to coach skaters, to teach organists the proper tempo for Dance Skating, and to institute a general reorganization skating program. Toward the end of their performing days Betty Lytle became part of their act. Betty went on to teach at Vic Browns famous Dreamland Arena in Newark, New Jersey, and the they Hyde Roller Boots main logo with it’s ad of her in a spread-eagle position.
The Van Horns vaudeville career ended in 1934. This came about because of many vaudeville houses closing due to the popular talking picture shows (movies). At this time the Van Horns took on a business partner, Harry Bickmeyer, and decided to open a Skating Rink.” An old cattle barn located in Mineola, New York on some fairgrounds was used for a skating rink during the first six months of their business. The official opening for the Mineola Rink was July 2, 1934—after a program to improve and renovate the building was put into effect.
The Van Horns were very strict about enforcing policies that would create a family-orientated atmosphere. Along with many strict rules for men and women to follow, there was also a dress code to enforce. Women were not allowed in wearing short skirts or slacks. Men could not wear jeans or collarless shirts. Jackets or sweaters, shirts with collars and ties were among the requirements for gentlemen skating at the Mineola. Believe it or not, many of the patrons at the Mineola Rink supported the dress code. Men had to wear jackets or sweaters while skating. Collars and ties were also required.
The Van Horns were multi-talented in the skating business. Earl was handy when it came to tinkering with skates. Included among the improvements he developed for roller skates was his patented “Liberty Roller Skate” which was sold at the Mineola Rink for $38.50, the Van Horn Model Dance Skate, and the toe stop. Earl and Inez wrote many of the dances skated during this era. The “Chicken Scratch” was used in 1st dance test for many years and was used for competition. Tom Bense recalls skating the “Chicken Scratch” in juvenile dance at the A Nationals in 1957 The Mineola Swing was another dance that the Van Horns wrote. Another one of their dances that is still skated today is the “Collegiate.” The song “Collegiate” sung by their friend Rudy Valley inspired the name of this dance. Rudy always wore a collegiate sweater when he performed. His good friend Eddie O’Neil who was one of Inez’s skating partners gave Chester Fried the sheet music for this song.
Divorced in 1945, Earl and Inez continued to remained friends. Earl later married skater Jean White. Earl and Jean’s marriage produced two daughters, Gretchen and Lisa, and a son, Earl Jr. Earl Van Earl Van Horn died October 20, 1960. He came home that night without his house keys, and entered his home through the bedroom window. His wife, Jean, thought he was a burglar and shot him by mistake. Inez married a man by the name of Paul Wety in the 70’s. Inez Van Horn Wety died in 1995, just one year after the famous Inez and Earl Van Horn couple was inducted into the United States of America Roller Skating Coaches Hall of Fame.
On September 17, 1942 the following poem appeared in the Mineola Rink's newsletter "Bumps and Falls". The author is unknown, but the poem portrays the fun and excitement all the skaters had when skating at the Mineola Skating Rink.
Doors open at eight, your friends will be
skating.
Now please don't be late, and don't keep
them waiting.
Buzz! Buzz! It’s "All Skate" and around you
will go
Till it's "Couples Only" then you look for
your beau.
When the "Special" time comes, you go thru
your paces
A visitor remarks –“There go two aces.”
No. 8-"Ladies Only"- a wonderful sight
See the girls all skating in their red,
blue, and white.
You look at the sign-"Trio" will shine
The "Fourteen Step" special, you sit out and
watch
Thru the Steps of the "Circle Waltz", slowly
you glide
To our homes we all go, each our happy way
For this
we thank Mineola, down deep in our hearts.