John M. Ramsay, ’52, received a Lifetime Contributor Award from the Country Dance and Song Society of America for his contributions to the world of country dance.  Ramsay’s passion for folk dance began when he enrolled at Berea College in 1947. 

Earning a Ph.D. in animal breeding, Ramsey refers to himself as a “dancing dairyman.”  In 1973 Ramsey returned to the College to direct its recreation extension program that organized festivals and dances within the community.  During its founding in 1995, he was elected president of the New Folk Circle Association, a nonprofit organization that acts as a clearing house for folk dance and recreation in the Berea region.  As president he worked to preserve the folk dance heritage associated with Berea College by sponsoring dances and holding workshops.

Retiring in St. Louis, Missouri, John continues to preserve folk music as a caller for Webster Groves English Country Dancers.  Today, Ramsay remains an Emeritus Teaching Faculty at the college.