School Roller Skating Parties Were The Highlight Of The Year

Now that the academic year is well underway, this time of year reminds me of activities our school hosted. The one my friends and I looked forward to the most? Roller skating parties! 

Boardman Rollercade. It was a staple. The rink was open from the 1950s to 1984/85. I remember it like it was yesterday. I can picture where you rented skates and the snack bar. And who can forget the old man playing the organ and records in the soundproof booth overlooking the rink? Our school held all our skating parties there, and most of us attended these one-night extravaganzas. 

After the date was announced, we talked about it every day. Whose mom was driving and picking us up? What were you going to wear? Who were you hoping to couple skate with? Life’s burning questions..lol

Borrowing skates never bothered me. But now that I think about it, e-gads! Yuck! I wonder how many pairs of feet and socks were in those big, clunky skates with the big toe stopper on the front. They always smelled like cheap air freshener.

I was a decent skater. I could even skate backwards! The school parties always included extra activities like the Mexican Hat Dance, where you got an even number of kids in a circle, followed the motions, then swung around with a partner, and the Train Ride. In the Train Ride, 3-4 kids would crouch down to the floor, and the last person would push the group around the arena. The first group to pass the finish line without crashing won! The prize was usually a ticket to redeem for a free pop.

Then there was the couple skate. Whoa. It was a big deal if a boy asked you to skate. And yes, they occasionally asked me to skate. It was so awkward to hold hands, roller skate, and barely talk. If you were a steady couple and could skate backwards, the boy would hold the girl’s waist, and the girl would put her arms around his neck. That was pretty serious stuff. 

At the end of the party, most skaters hit the snack bar. I usually got a pack of cherry Twizzlers licorice and a bag of Dan Dee Cheddar Cheese Corn Twists. Who remembers? Click here to see a picture of that awesome, salty goodness! To this day, when I see these snacks at local stores, I think about the Boardman Roller Rink.

After the skating rink closed, Schwebel’s Baking Company took over the property. In June of 2026, the famous family-owned company closed its doors. We went from smelly skates to years of smelling baking bread. 

What remains in my mind are orange fingers from eating cheese puffs and the old man playing the organ, telling everyone it’s an “ALL SKATE”..if you know, you know… ohh, the memories!