Alfred L. Shoemaker Folk Cultural Documents

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Letter From Arta M. Bortner to the Pennsylvania Dutch Folklore Center, March 30, 1951

Arta M. Bortner

A handwritten letter from Arta M. Bortner addressed to the Pennsylvania Dutch Folklore Center, dated March 30, 1951. Within, Bortner provides details on a childhood school game and rhyme that young children used to play involving a bear and stolen sheep.
Folklore Term Paper: Aspects of Amish Folklore

William J. Pietchke

A typed term paper completed at Franklin and Marshall College by William J. Pietchke, dating from circa 1951. Entitled "Aspects of Amish Folklore", Pietchke details various beliefs amongst the Amish ranging from pregnancy lore to marriage, divorce and horse trading practices.
Letter From Erma Coldren to Alfred L. Shoemaker

Erma Coldren

A handwritten letter by Erma Coldren addressed to Alfred L. Shoemaker, dated July 18, circa 1950. Within, Erma details the recent birth of 6 snow white kittens from her black cat as well as other cat stories.
The Customs of the Year as Observed by the Pennsylvania Dutch

Donald B. Aulenbach

A typed folklore term paper completed at Franklin and Marshall College entitled, "The Customs of the Year as Observed by the Pennsylvania Dutch", by Donald B. Aulenbach, dated June 1950. Within, Aulenbach compiles a detailed account of holidays and customs observed throughout the year by the Pennsylvania Dutch community, from Groundhog Day to Thanksgiving.
Term Paper: Folk Festivals of Southeastern Pennsylvania, June 1, 1950

Paul B. Dicely

A partially typed and handwritten term paper completed at Franklin and Marshall College entitled, "Folk Festivals of Southeastern Pennsylvania", by Paul B. Dicely, dated June 1, 1950. Within, Dicely details the information he gathered from locals of Lancaster and Dauphin counties on the various holidays and traditions they celebrate.
Folklore Term Report: Folk Lore Concerning Christmas Customs, May 29, 1950

Robert J. Fehr

A handwritten term paper entitled, "Folk-Lore Concerning Christmas Customs", completed at Franklin and Marshall College by Robert Fehr, dated May 29, 1950. Within, Fehr details the information he gathered from Pennsylvania Dutch residents in Northampton County, including details of "Belsnickel" and superstitions pertaining to the Christmas season.
Folklore Term Paper

William D. Boyle

A typed folklore term paper completed at Franklin and Marshall College by William D. Boyle dated May 23, 1950. Within, Boyle details local folk beliefs and pow wow cures gathered via interviews personally conducted in Lancaster County, Pennsylvania.
Folklore Term Paper: Holidays of the Amish, May 23, 1950

Thomas M. Campbell

A typed term paper completed at Franklin and Marshall College by Thomas M. Campbell, dated May 23, 1950. Within, Campbell recounts his interviews with farmers throughout Lancaster County, Pennsylvania on the various holidays the Amish community celebrates, detailing practices and rituals typically followed on a number of different occasions.
The Pennsylvania Dutch and Some of Their Lore

Robert Hemhauser

A typed folklore term paper completed at Franklin and Marshall College by Robert Hemhauser, dated May 23, 1950. Within, Hemhauser documents various folklore beliefs he obtained from a friend's mother and locals of Lancaster County. Topics covered include the practice of pow-wowing, superstitions involving salt, and cures for warts and freckles.
Folklore Term Paper: Research on Folk Cures

David R. Hanson

A handwritten term paper entitled, "Research on Folk Cures" completed at Franklin and Marshall College by David R. Hanson, dated May 18, 1950. Within, Hanson summarizes his research on folk cures, which range from cures for warts and boils to superstitions surrounding loose hair and babies' fingernails.
Letter From J. William Stair to Alfred L. Shoemaker, May 10, 1950

J. William Stair

In this typed letter from J. William Stair to Alfred L. Shoemaker dated May 10, 1950, Stair encloses an article on brick-end barns written by his son-in-law. He tells Dr. Shoemaker he will continue looking for more data on these barns, and asks for any information he can provide.
Folk Cures of Lebanon County, Pennsylvania

Richard M. Smith

A handwritten term paper entitled, "Folk Cures of Lebanon County, Pennsylvania", completed at Franklin and Marshall College by Richard M. Smith, dating from circa 1950. Within, Smith recounts his experience gathering material from several families in and around Lebanon and details a number of folk remedies and cures for a number of ailments including tooth pain, epilepsy, corns, warts, and whooping cough.
Letter From Hazel Thornton to Editors of the Pennsylvania Dutchman, March 13, 1950

Hazel Thornton

A handwritten letter from Hazel Thornton addressed to the editors of the Pennsylvania Dutchman, dated March 13, 1950. Within, Hazel describes her artworks which deal with depictions of Amish life and requests a subscription to the Pennsylvania Dutchman.
Some Pennsylvania Dutch Customs of Christmas and New Year’s Day, January 17, 1950

Andrew S. Berky

A typed folklore term paper entitled, "Some Pennsylvania Dutch Customs of Christmas and New Year’s Day", completed at Franklin and Marshall College by Andrew S. Berky, January 17, 1950. Within, Berky details various customs and traditions that can be observed in the Pennsylvania Dutch community on Christmas Eve and day. Also included is an appendix containing miscellaneous folk cures and braucherei tales.
Term Paper: Customs of the Year

John U. Baker Jr.

A typed folklore term paper completed at Franklin and Marshall College and entitled, "Customs of the Year", by John U. Baker Jr., dating from circa 1950. Within, Baker details the various customs and practices of the Pennsylvania Dutch, including Easter egg hunts and the refusal to work on Ascension Day.
Letter From Mrs. Charles Binkley to Alfred L. Shoemaker

Mrs. Charles Binkley

A typed and handwritten letter from Mrs. Charles Binkley addressed to Alfred L. Shoemaker, dating from circa 1950. Within, Binkley provides a superstition about eggs, a Pennsylvania Dutch poem, and an alphabet rhyme. She also asks Shoemaker to consider writing a column on butchering and soap-making practices.
Mother's Dutch Bean Soup Recipe

Mrs. Clyde Borneman

A handwritten recipe entitled, "Mother's Dutch Bean Soup", written by Mrs. Clyde Borneman, dating from circa 1950. Within, Borneman provides Alfred L. Shoemaker with an outline for preparing the Pennsylvania Dutch dish.
Account of Ephrata and History of the Dunkers

Redmond Conyngham and Christian Endress

A typed copy of a history of the Dunkers of Ephrata Township originally found within the Pennsylvania Gazette. Within, the copy documents information provided by Redmond Conyngham and Christian Endress on the community, ranging from doctrines to manner of dress, and days and holidays of observation.
Folklore Report: The Amish

Jim Eisenbud

A typed term paper completed at Franklin and Marshall College by Jim Eisenbud, dating from circa 1950. Within, Eisenbud writes his report on the folklore and practices of the Amish within and around Lancaster County. Topics include differences between Amish and Mennonites, farming practices and traditional songs.
Note on Ash Wednesday Traditions

Samuel J. Fritch

A typed document noting the customs and traditions observed by the Pennsylvania Dutch community on Ash Wednesday, composed by Samuel Fritch and dating from circa 1950. Within, Fritch details how those who rise last in the morning are dubbed "Esha Puddle".
Games Played by H. Wayne Gruber, 1876 to 1892

H. Wayne Gruber

In this typed essay dating from circa 1950, H. Wayne Gruber lists and describes games he played as a child: Creitz Mill, Bally Over, Town Ball, Rabbit Ball, Room Ball, horseshoes, Peg, Fox and Goose and Drop the Handkerchief.
Letter From H. Wayne Gruber to Alfred L. Shoemaker, Undated

H. Wayne Gruber

A typed letter from H. Wayne Gruber addressed to Alfred L. Shoemaker, circa 1950. Within, Gruber provides some Pennsylvania Dutch beliefs from Berks County, Pennsylvania and stories of farmer Christian Gruber's ability to remove hexes from people.
Pennsylvania Dutch Rhyme on the Twelve Constellations

H. Wayne Gruber

A clipping from John Gruber's Hagerstown almanac showing how the constellations correspond to parts of the human body and a childhood rhyme about the signs of the Zodiac recounted by H. Wayne Gruber. Gruber provides Pennsylvania Dutch translations for the star signs along with the rhyme his mother, Mary Ann Schaeffer, repeated to him as a child.
Planting, Seeding, or Sowing and Harvesting on My Parent's Farm, in North Heidelberg Township, Berks County Pennsylvania From 1876 to 1893

H. Wayne Gruber

A typed essay entitled, "Planting, Seeding, or Sowing and Harvesting On My Parent's Farm, In North Heidelberg Township, Berks County Pennsylvania", by H. Wayne Gruber, dating from circa 1950. Within, Gruber recalls the agricultural practices his parents practiced in relation to the moon and star signs.
Babies and Superstitions

Ida Hollenbach

A handwritten set of notes entitled, "Babies and Superstitions", compiled by Ida Hollenbach, dating from circa 1950. Within, various beliefs surrounding newborn babies are documented including hair cutting, baptism and a birthday ritual to determine the life path a baby will follow.