Social and Behavioral Sciences Commons^™

Page, Tate Cromwell "Piney," 1908-1984 (Fa 1397), Manuscripts & Folklife Archives

FA Finding Aids

Finding aid only for Folklife Archives Project 1397. Papers of Page, former Dean of the College of Education at Western Kentucky University, primarily concerning his work documenting the people, places, history and folklore of the Ozarks region in Arkansas where he was raised. Also includes his photographs of historic structures, made mostly in western Kentucky.

Western Kentucky University Archives Of Folklore And Folklife Manual (Fa 1373), Manuscripts & Folklife Archives

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Finding aid only for Folklife Archives Project 1373. Manual titled “Folk Speech Section of WKUAFF,” created to provide organization and conventions for the collection of student folk projects created by folk studies students for the WKU Archives of Folklore and Folklife or the Folklife Archives. The manual includes survey sheets with responses from a brief questionnaire about vocabulary, dialect, and linguistics across Kentucky. This collection also includes questionnaires from other student projects used to gather vocabulary about a particular subject, i.e. mules, quilting, folk songs, remedies, etc.

Ferrell, Ann Katherine, B. 1972 (Fa 1381), Manuscripts & Folklife Archives

FA Finding Aids

Finding aid only for Folklife Archives Project 1381. Interview conducted on 11 December 2019 by Ann Ferrell with Michael Ann Williams, who discusses her education and academic career as a folklorist and vernacular architecture historian. From 1987-2018, Williams was a faculty member in the Department of Folk Studies and Anthropology at Western Kentucky University.

Documenting Tradition: Images From The Kentucky Folklife Program Archives (Fa 777), Manuscripts & Folklife Archives

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Finding aid only for Folklife Archives Project 777. Photographs and captions used for a 2013 exhibit at the Kentucky Museum, Western Kentucky University, titled "Documenting Tradition: Images from the Kentucky Folklife Program Archives" featuring images form the KFP Archives that were transferred to WKU in 2013.

Wilgus, Donald Knight (Fa 1203), Manuscripts & Folklife Archives

FA Finding Aids

Finding aid only for Folklife Archives Project 1203. Student folk studies projects collected by Professor Donald Knight “D. K.” Wilgus while teaching folk studies classes at Western Kentucky University. Most of the items collected are from south central Kentucky, but also includes items from Indiana, Ohio and Tennessee.

Bell, William Langston "Will," B. 1992 (Fa 1296), Manuscripts & Folklife Archives

FA Finding Aids

Finding aid only for Folklife Archives Project 1296. Student folk studies project titled “Games in the Minton Residence Hall of Western Kentucky University,” which includes games collected from Honors College students at the university. Interviews may include game descriptions and rules, and informant name and location. The digital files are stored in the Sound Archives.

Brennan, Mary Kate (Fa 1284), Manuscripts & Folklife Archives

FA Finding Aids

Finding aid only for Folklife Archives Project 1284. Student interview conducted by Mary Kate Brennan with renowned Appalachian poet Jim Wayne Miller. Brennan’s focus throughout the interview is on “the cultural sensitivity and awareness that permeates Miller’s poetry.” Miller also touches on what he considers to be the central themes of his work, the struggles and triumphs of communities within the Appalachian region, and pride in cultural heritage. The collection contains a detailed index, interview summary, transcription, index cards with questions, and a reel-to-reel audio tape of the interview.

Parker, Sandra (Fa 1269), Manuscripts & Folklife Archives

FA Finding Aids

Finding aid only for Folklife Archives Project 1269. Student paper titled “Dormitory Stories” in which Sandra Parker collects variants and subtypes of a popular urban legend regarding a student’s death on Western Kentucky University’s campus. Parker provides a brief historic background on the tale and addresses common motifs present in a majority of the narratives. Parker gathered stories from two other WKU students.

Dailey, Jan (Fa 1268), Manuscripts & Folklife Archives

FA Finding Aids

Finding aid only for Folklife Archives Project 1268. Student paper titled “The Dorm Death: An Analysis of a Tale” in which Jan Dailey collects variants and subtypes of a popular urban legend regarding a student’s death on WKU’s campus. Dailey provides a brief historic background on the tale and addresses common motifs present in a majority of the narratives. Dailey gathered stories from multiple students living on WKU’s campus.

Tyrie, Betsy And Colin Stephen, Manuscripts & Folklife Archives

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Finding aid only for Folklife Archives Project 1245. A collection of materials relating to research on the Felts Log House undertaken by Betsy Tyrie and Colin Stephen. The documentation seeks to interpret the social aspects of the log house as well as architectural changes made to the structure over the course of nearly 150 years. The report also provides insight into the house’s history, its construction, and its eventual relocation to WKU’s campus in the late 1970s. Recorded audio interviews, black and white and color photographs, newspaper articles, and a brief personal essay are also included in the collection.

Schulman, Steven A. (Fa 1227), Manuscripts & Folklife Archives

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Finding aid only for Folklife Archives Project 1227. Student paper titled “The Preacher’s Just Like a Grasshopper: A Study of a Kentucky Song Maker” in which Steven Schulman details the life of Howess Dewey Winfrey, a song-maker from Cumberland County. Schulman collected folk songs and performances from Winfrey over the course of two months. His fieldwork revealed that Winfrey was a creator of satirical tunes, which were influenced by his childhood, his experiences with the Church of the Nazarene, his time spent as a logger, his relationships with family and friends, politics, and land ownership. The paper includes excerpts from …

Intro To Folk Studies Oral History Project (Fa 1206), Manuscripts & Folklife Archives

FA Finding Aids

Finding aid only for Folklife Archives Project 1206. Collection consists of interviews conducted by students in Barry Kaufkins’ Introduction to Folk Studies (FLK 276) class at WKU. Students conducted interviews with various family members, friends, and coworkers. Topics include childhood memories, cultural traditions, professional responsibilities, and other issues relating to personal narratives. Collection also contains brief summaries of subjects covered in the interviews. Audio recordings of the interviews that were recorded and submitted are stored in the WKU Sound Archives.

Foodways (Fa 1202), Manuscripts & Folklife Archives

FA Finding Aids

Finding aid only for Folklife Archives Project 1202. Collection of papers written by students in Professor Barry Kaufkins’ Foodways class (FLK/ANTH 388) at Western Kentucky University. While a majority of the papers focus on Easter traditions, other topics of note include immigrant foodways traditions, fundraising efforts, community organizations, tailgating, and sorority life. Papers also include photographs taken by students.

Upton, Pamela J. (Fa 1193), Manuscripts & Folklife Archives

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Finding aid only for Folklife Archives Project 1193. Student paper titled “Black and White Attitudes on a College Campus and Their Possible Relations to Folklore” in which Pamela Upton analyzes data from a survey to examine how feelings regarding race are expressed through folkloric beliefs and practices. Upton provides a copy of each type of questionnaire that was given to students and offers insight into the predominant and prevailing attitudes on WKU’s campus during the early 1970s.

Halgash, Rhonda (Fa 1187), Manuscripts & Folklife Archives

FA Finding Aids

Finding aid only for Folklife Archives Project 1187. Student paper titled “A Collection of Ghost Stories” in which Rhonda Halgash gathers together supernatural tales and explores recurring motifs and common variants. Halgash collected stories from close friends who also attended Western Kentucky University.

Loader, Brian R. (Fa 1163), Manuscripts & Folklife Archives

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Finding aid only for Folklife Archives 1163. Student paper titled “College Horror Stories” in which Brian Loader collects tales relating to supernatural occurrences on WKU’s campus as well as sororities and fraternities among various schools in Tennessee. Loader gathered stories from campus custodians and close friends.

Duros, Robert C. (Fa 1148), Manuscripts & Folklife Archives

FA Finding Aids

Finding aid only for Folklife Archives Project 1148. Student folk studies project titled “Collection Project on Coach Diddle” which includes tales about legendary basketball coach E. A. Diddle at Western Kentucky University. Project includes tales about Coach Diddle, informant’s name, and tale classification.

Ramsey, Bonita (Fa 1136), Manuscripts & Folklife Archives

FA Finding Aids

Finding aid only for Folklife Archives Project 1136. Student paper titled “Proverbs and Comparisons” in which Bonita Ramsey arranges proverbs alphabetically by keyword. Ramsey gathered her information from family members, friends at WKU’s Downing University Center and at a private dormitory, the College Inn, and from visitors at work.

Collins, Sara (Fa 1134), Manuscripts & Folklife Archives

FA Finding Aids

Finding aid only for Folklife Archives Project 1134. Student paper titled “Ghost Stories on a College Campus” in which Sara Collins gathers together tales of the supernatural. Collins places the stories into four main categories: “true” (classic), “memorate” (personal experiences), “regional” (local), and “other campuses.” Stories were collected by Collins from friends and fellow classmates.

Community Heritage Day - Bowling Green, Kentucky (Fa 1130), Manuscripts & Folklife Archives

FA Finding Aids

Finding aid only for Folklife Archives Project 1130. Collection contains flyers and digital photographs taken at the Community Heritage Day event held on 4 November 2017 at the Kentucky Building in Bowling Green, Kentucky. The event—sponsored by the Kentucky Folklife Program, WKU Library Special Collections, the Kentucky Museum, and a National Endowment for the Humanities Common Heritage grant—invited the general public to bring in items that were “significant to your family or our community story.” Materials were digitized, uploaded onto flash drives, and given to participants for personal, long-term accessibility. Note that Item 29 and Item 30 are duplicate images.

Dawson, Jim (Fa 1102), Manuscripts & Folklife Archives

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Finding aid only for Folklife Archives Project 1102. Paper titled “Ed Diddle Stories” in which Jim Dawson collects tales relating to former WKU Hilltopper basketball coach Edgar Allen Diddle. Paper is based on interviews with members of WKU faculty, all of whom played basketball under Coach Diddle.

Sutherland, David (Fa 1056), Manuscripts & Folklife Archives

FA Finding Aids

Finding aid only for Folklife Archives Project 1056. Student folk studies project titled: “Ghost Stories Western Students Tell,” which includes survey sheets with ghost tales in Fayette County, Indiana and in Allen County, Jefferson County, Warren County and Webster County, Kentucky. Sheets may include a ghost story, informant’s name and address, and motif index number.

Falkenburg, Charles W. (Fa 1034), Manuscripts & Folklife Archives

FA Finding Aids

Finding aid only for Folklife Archives Project 1034. Paper titled “Coach Diddle Stories” written by Charles W. Falkenburg, a student in a folk studies class at Western Kentucky University (WKU). Includes a short narrative paper about WKU Hilltopper basketball coach Edgar Allen Diddle based on stories collected by Falkenburg from Ted Hornback, another WKU basketball coach.

Foodways (Fa 1005), Manuscripts & Folklife Archives

FA Finding Aids

Finding aid and full text for papers (Click on "Additional Files" below) for Folklife Archive Project 1005. A collection of student observations about regional foodways in short, narrative papers, prepared for a folk studies class at Western Kentucky University. Photos are included in many of the papers.

Roush, Selby (Fa 989), Manuscripts & Folklife Archives

FA Finding Aids

Finding aid only for Folklife Archives Project 989. Project titled: "Superstitions and Beliefs Among the Basketball Team of WKU." Includes a brief narrative followed by collected superstitions and beliefs of Western Kentucky University basketball team members. Each superstition or belief is listed on separate collection sheets along with the

informant's name and home town. The author

also supplies brief biographical sheets for each

informant with a small photo.

Wathen, Leslie (Fa 916), Manuscripts & Folklife Archives

FA Finding Aids

Finding aid only for Folklife Archives Project 916. Project titled: “Children’s Games.” Project includes paper with introduction of games played by children from Daviess County, Henderson County, and Jefferson County, Kentucky.

Medaris, Jere (Fa 915), Manuscripts & Folklife Archives

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Finding aid only for Folklife Archives Project 915. Project titled: “[Folk Beliefs]” Project includes brief paper with introduction of folk beliefs and superstitions in Kentucky.

Johnson, Danny (Fa 911), Manuscripts & Folklife Archives

FA Finding Aids

Finding aid only for Folklife Archive Project 911. Project titled: “Ghost Stories.” Project includes survey sheets with descriptions of ghost stories from Illinois, Kentucky and Michigan. Sheets include a description of the ghost story and informant’s name.

Blanton, Bob (Fa 910), Manuscripts & Folklife Archives

FA Finding Aids

Finding aid only for Folklife Archives Project 910. Project titled: “A Collection of Ghost Stories.” Includes survey sheets with brief descriptions of ghost stories in the Bluegrass, Eastern Mountain and Penny Royal regions of Kentucky and Pennsylvania and Virginia. Sheets include a brief description, informant’s name, and the motif index number.

Degen, Barbara (Fa 908), Manuscripts & Folklife Archives

FA Finding Aids

Finding aid only for Folklife Archives Project 908. Project titled: “Student Beliefs at Western Kentucky University.” Project includes survey sheets and note cards with brief descriptions of students at Western Kentucky University from Kentucky and New Jersey. Sheets include a brief description of belief, informant’s name, and classification. Note cards include a brief description, informant’s name, and motif index number.