Music & Entertainment in the Reception Hall

With its open floor plan, the reception hall made an ideal space for entertaining and the Aeolian organ played a significant role. Whether for a formal affair or impromptu dance for spontaneous parties, the rugs were rolled back. Ethel Brock Sloane, once a teacher at the village school, shared her memories we rolling back the rug and dance at night and have a good time we do all our work at school in the afternoon you know they're out there and they've come out at night and this time is weighing ring blues the Charleston herd here was a jazz composition written in 1923 to accompany the popular dance of the same name this tune was more likely to be played at parties held by Kathryn and RJ's children who used the home during holidays and school vacations after their parents deaths when elder daughter Mary Reynolds Babcock redecorated the home in 1936 adding the streamlined modern bar and recreation room in the basement parties moved downstairs where the cocktail party dominated with its martinis and whiskey sours you