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Alfred L. Shoemaker Folk Cultural Documents

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Letter From A. Miriam Herr to Alfred L. Shoemaker, November 20, 1948

A. Miriam Herr

A handwritten letter from Mrs. Leslie H. Shannon (A. Miriam Herr) addressed to Alfred L. Shoemaker, dated November 20, 1948. Within, Herr writes to respond to Shoemaker's question on a favorite "all" story. Herr details her encounter with an Amish man while buying blackberries at a market stall in Lancaster, Pennsylvania.
Letter From Helen D. Witmer to Alfred L. Shoemaker, November 17, 1948

Helen D. Witmer

A typed letter from Helen D. Witmer addressed to Alfred L. Shoemaker, dated November 17, 1948. Within, Witmer details her favorite "all" story about asking for directions in Columbia, Pennsylvania. She also details her family's experiences growing up with Pennsylvania Dutch expressions and suggests Shoemaker look into the use of the word "wonderful" by people in Lancaster County.
Lancaster County "Sayings"

Unknown Author

A typed set of Lancaster County sayings and folk beliefs by an unknown author, dated November 16, 1948. Within, beliefs pertaining to luck and folk cures for various ailments are detailed.
Letter From Charles Ezra Bowman to Alfred L. Shoemaker, November 12, 1948

Charles E. Bowman

A handwritten letter from Charles Ezra Bowman addressed to Alfred L. Shoemaker, dated November 12, 1948. Within, Bowman provides his contribution to Shoemaker's request about favorite Pennsylvania Dutch "all" stories.
Letter From Mrs. E. H. Mull to Alfred L. Shoemaker, November 11, 1948

Mrs. E. H. Mull

A typed letter from Mrs. E. H. Mull addressed to Alfred L. Shoemaker, dated November 11, 1948. Within, Mull recalls her favorite Pennsylvania Dutch "all" story, detailing the exasperated words from a neighbor towards her sons at meal time.
Letter From O. S. Sprout to Alfred L. Shoemaker, November 11, 1948

O. S. Sprout

A typed letter from O. S. Sprout addressed to Alfred L. Shoemaker, dated November 11, 1948. Within, Sprout details two separate Pennsylvania Dutch "all" stories, one occurring between an Amish son and father and the other regarding an off-duty train operator. Sprout also seeks information on the value of a book printed in German.
Letter From H. A. Shawalter to Alfred L. Shoemaker, November 9, 1948

H. A. Shawalter

A typed letter from H. A. Shawalter addressed to Alfred L. Shoemaker, dated November 9, 1948. Within, Shawalter details a practice called "bull fiddling" or serenading, in which a newly married couple must offer compensation or endure raucous noise made outside the home by local community members.
Letter From Violet Rothenberger to Alfred L. Shoemaker, May 18, 1948

Violet Rothenberger

A handwritten letter from Violet and Harvey Rothenberger addressed to Alfred L. Shoemaker, dated May 18, 1948. Within, Rothenberger expresses her enjoyment of Shoemaker's radio program and newspaper column and provides folklore about planting crops and other folk sayings.
WHUM Folklore Script on Dr. Jonathan Pounder

Alfred L. Shoemaker

This typed document is a script used by Alfred L. Shoemaker for his folklore broadcast on WHUM radio station in Berks County, Pennsylvania. Shoemaker relates the story of Dr. Jonathan Pounder (1785-1871), who journeyed from England to South America, surviving a shipwreck and spending a year learning about medicinal herbs from the local tribes. After studying medicine in Philadelphia, he moved to Berks County, Pennsylvania where he became an eccentric doctor who also prepared skeletons for medical study.
Letter From Norman A. Smith to Alfred L. Shoemaker, April 9, 1948

Norman A. Smith

A handwritten letter from Norman A. Smith addressed to Alfred L. Shoemaker, dated April 9 and April 20, 1948. Within, Smith provides Shoemaker with stories of funeral customs and feasts as well as other information on topics such as ashes and tongue twisters.
Letter From H. Wayne Gruber to Alfred L. Shoemaker, March 27, 1948

H. Wayne Gruber

In this typed letter to Alfred L. Shoemaker, H. Wayne Gruber clarifies a method of coloring Easter eggs by boiling and dissolving "grab." He also explains a traditional Easter hunt he played as a child and lists some "Aldeweiva glawe" or "Old women beliefs."
Letter From Nora G. to Alfred L. Shoemaker, March 17, 1948

Nora G.

A handwritten letter from Nora G. addressed to Alfred L. Shoemaker, dated March 17, 1948. Within, the author provides a list of old weather predictions accredited to Peter Derro, as well as information about special Saints' days and agricultural advice.
Letter From Mabel M. Nagle to Alfred L. Shoemaker, March 5, 1948

Mabel M. Nagle

A handwritten letter from Mabel M. Nagle addressed to Alfred L. Shoemaker, dated March 5, 1948. Within, Nagle provides two rhymes and an almanac Zodiac chart along with accompanying verses in Pennsylvania Dutch.
Letter From H. Wayne Gruber to Alfred L. Shoemaker, March 2, 1948

H. Wayne Gruber

A typed letter from H. Wayne Gruber addressed to Alfred L. Shoemaker, dated March 2, 1948. Within, Gruber describes childhood rhymes in Pennsylvania German and the ball-games he used to play, as well as a Pow-wow story and other folklore.
Letter From John B. Prutzman to Alfred L. Shoemaker, February 26, 1948

John B. Prutzman

A handwritten letter from John B. Prutzman addressed to Alfred L. Shoemaker, dated February 26, 1948. Within, Prutzman recalls some Pennsylvania German rhymes.
Letter From Lee A. Waerner to Alfred L. Shoemaker, February 26, 1948

Lee A. Waerner

A handwritten letter from Lee A. Waerner addressed to Alfred L. Shoemaker, dated February 26, 1948. Within, Waerner writes to provide Shoemaker with a Pennsylvania-Dutch lullaby and a Zodiac rhyme he heard as a child.
Letter From Raymond Hollenbach to Alfred L. Shoemaker, February 17, 1948

Raymond Hollenbach

A typed letter from Raymond Hollenbach addressed to Alfred L. Shoemaker, dated February 17, 1948. Within, Hollenbach writes an impassioned letter detailing the proper way to make Fasnacht doughnuts along with traditions surrounding those who are last to get out of bed on Shrove Tuesday.
Letter From Mrs. Harvey Rothermel to Alfred L. Shoemaker, February 17, 1948

Mrs. Harvey Rothermel

A handwritten letter from Mrs. Harvey Rothermel addressed to Alfred L. Shoemaker, dated February 17, 1948. Within, Rothermel details various school games she grew up playing, including "Crack the Whip" and "Baker's Bread." She also notes traditions concerning Ash Wednesday.
Letter From George A. Gerhart to Alfred L. Shoemaker, February 12, 1948

George A. Gerhart

A typed letter from George A. Gerhart addressed to Alfred L. Shoemaker, dated February 12, 1948. Within, Gerhart writes in response to an inquiry made by Shoemaker in a recent edition of the Reading Eagle, asking for the term used to describe late risers during the week of Lent.
Letter to Alfred L. Shoemaker, February 10, 1948

Unknown Author

A handwritten letter from an unknown author addressed to Alfred L. Shoemaker, dated February 10, 1948. Within, the author discusses the Pennsylvania Dutch word for Ash Wednesday, along with traditions associated with this day.
Letter From Henry K. Deisher to Alfred L. Shoemaker, February 10, 1948

Henry K. Deisher

A handwritten letter from Henry K. Deisher addressed to Alfred L. Shoemaker, dated February 10, 1948. Within, Deisher writes to provide information on traditions practiced on Ash Wednesday and the courting ritual of bundling. He also describes ideas for a publication about farming.
Letter From Clayton N. Fidler to Alfred L. Shoemaker, February 10, 1948

Clayton N. Fidler

A handwritten letter from Clayton N. Fidler addressed to Alfred L. Shoemaker, dated February 10, 1948. Within, Fidler provides Shoemaker with knowledge about what Ash Wednesday was called in his locality and the customs that followed. A story about a childhood game like hide and seek is also detailed.
Letter From Elizabeth D. Naftzinger to Alfred L. Shoemaker, February 10, 1948

Elizabeth D. Naftzinger

A handwritten letter from Elizabeth D. Naftzinger addressed to Alfred L. Shoemaker, dated February 10, 1948. Within, Naftzinger details how the last boy to arrive at school on Ash Wednesday was dubbed "Esha Puddle" and rolled in the school's ash pile by the other boys.
A Few More "Alter Weiver Glawe"

H. Wayne Gruber

A set of typed superstitions and beliefs by H. Wayne Gruber, dating from circa 1948. Within, Gruber details more beliefs, presumably originating from Berks County, ranging from methods of gaining a husband to warding off bad luck and witches.
More Alte Weiver Glawe

H. Wayne Gruber

A typed set of Pennsylvania German folk beliefs ("old women's beliefs" or "old wives' tales") by H. Wayne Gruber, dating from circa 1948. Included are cures for whooping cough and superstitions about fishing and death.