So what is this Meglin's place anyway??!?!?!

Many sources of Shirley-related information refer to Shirley's start at Meglin's. For a while I was wondering what this famous Meglin's place was, and so I imagine were many other people. I've done some research and here it is...

Meglin's was a dance school founded in 1928 (the year Shirley was born) by Mrs Ethel Meglin. It has been referred to as The Meglin Professional Children's School, The Meglin Dance Studio, Meglin's Dance School and Meglin Kiddies or Meglin's Wonderous Hollywood Kiddies and other similar names. Meglin Kiddies in truth was actually a troupe of young performers aged around two to sixteen that the young charges formed. 

The school was at the crossroads of Hollywood Blvd and Sunset Blvd in Hollywood (of course). This has been referred to, and still is, as "the crossroads of the world". It was the training ground not only for Shirley Temple but Mickey Rooney, Judy Garland, Jane Withers, June Lang, Ann Miller and many of the Munchkins appearing in The Wizard of Oz. On top of this, hundreds of other hopeful children attended the school but did not go as far. Shirley was sent to the school for a mixture of reasons. Her mother had long desired to be a dancer and it seems she saw Shirley as a way to live her dreams. This Shirley did not mind at all as she was a so energetic Meglin's was a way to let off some steam! Mrs Meglin was a customer of Shirley's father, who was a banker, so this was a bit of business in return for business. It seems that Shirley was not the only student whose parents were returning some business. Other former students' accounts of life at the Meglin studio recount that their parents, too, had Ethel Meglin as a customer in other fields.

It offered tuition in dancing (as far as I know ballet, jazz and tap, but there could well have been other styles too), singing, acting and various instruments. Shirley's once-a-week lessons cost fifty cents! I have read from one former student that it was common for the tap dancing students to wear black silk shorts known as "tap pants".

Talent scouts often turned to Meglin's for junior talent. This was well-known, well-advertised and very much an attraction for many mothers (probably including Shirley's). Indeed, Shirley was discovered at Meglin's, hiding under a piano.

Ethel Meglin seemed to be a talented businesswoman as well as teacher. She had the then-original idea to make a film of her student's concerts and sell them to the eager parents who would proudly screen their little darlings' performance to family and friends. This generated a lot of revenue for the business!

Fox wished Shirley's talent to appear natural and ingrained so when she was signed up to them they hid the fact that she had ever learnt at Meglin's. To explain her skill in particular, obviously-learnt dance steps they enrolled her in a rival dance school.