Ralph Maxhimer, a caller/cuer who along with his wife, Eve, were founding members of the National Square Dance Convention and the Southern California Caller's Association, which from the start was the largest caller association in the world; Ralph was elected it's first president.
SIO's article: OCCASIONALLY THERE HAVE BEEN men and women whose influences go far beyond the
boundaries of their own community, whose guidance and enthusiasm for the
activity encouraged others to become accomplished leaders. Ralph and Eve
were two such individuals. Ralph's leadership background with the Los Angeles Parks
and Recreation Department during the 1940's included square dancing and Ralph
became one of California's pioneer square dance callers and teachers. By the end of
World War II, the Maxhimers had been swept up in the rush to square dance and they
quickly assumed a leadership role in the Los Angeles area. In 1947, the Maxhimers
studied under the late Dr. Lloyd "Pappy" Shaw at one of his summer institutes in
Colorado Springs. Returning to California, Ralph found a growing need for caller
leadership development and became one of the first caller/coaches in the Western
United States.
The Maxhimers helped to form the Associated Square Dancers, one of California's
first square dancer associations and it was Ralph and Eve's Levis and Laces, a youthful
exhibition group that captured the hearts of many dancers and non-dancers and helped
to set guidelines for smooth and comfortable dancing throughout the country. During
the 1950's and 1960's while conducting strong home club programs, they also traveled
to many cities throughout the United States and Canada putting on clinics and
becoming a driving force for this growing recreation.
Always a firm proponent of the concept that rounds and squares belong together, the
Maxhimers sensed a need for strong leadership in the field of round dancing and by the
mid-1950's they found more and more of their time concentrated in this direction.
Authors of many fine round dances, they served as round dance leaders at a number of
outstanding vacation institutes. In the early 1970's, Ralph suffered the first of a number
of strokes which put him out of the active dance picture. Today, he and Eve live near
the ocean in Newport Beach, California. Their son, Jerry, and daughter, Javerne, and a
number of grandchildren add to their pleasures in life.
The Maxhimers indeed left their indelible imprint on the activity and it is with great
pride that we honor them as members of the Square Dance Hall of Fame. Their oil
portrait created by noted artist, Gene Anthony, now hangs in The Sets in Order
American Square Dance Society's home office in Los Angeles, along with the portraits
of other round and square dance leaders from all parts of the square dance world.