Alfred L. Shoemaker Folk Cultural Documents

Printing is not supported at the primary Gallery Thumbnail page. Please first navigate to a specific Image before printing.

Switch View to Grid View Slideshow

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 H. Wayne Gruber to Alfred L. Shoemaker, March 14, 1950

H. Wayne Gruber

A typed letter from H. Wayne Gruber addressed to Alfred L. Shoemaker, dated March 14, 1950. Within, Gruber writes to provide material for Shoemaker's radio program and discusses his school days and later education.
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.
Reading Boat Trip to Philadelphia, May 14, 1788

Unknown Author

A typed copy of a May 14, 1788 article from the Pennsylvania Gazette, entitled, "1788 Reading Boat Trip to Philadelphia". The article details the costs and dangers associated with moving freight along the Schuylkill River by boat between Reading and Philadelphia.
The Masterpiece

Unknown Author

A handwritten document entitled, "The Masterpiece", by an unknown author, dating from circa 1950. Within, a tale of a man who rode around with a buggy blanket made from the stolen skinned fur of local cats is detailed.
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.
Letter From Ben Fisher to Alfred L. Shoemaker

Ben Fisher

A handwritten letter from Ben Fisher addressed to Alfred L. Shoemaker, dating from circa 1950. Within, Fisher writes to describe a peculiar birthmark his daughter possesses that he believes is correlated to bruise salve her mother used on her throat.
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.
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.
Blutkraut Notes

Raymond E. Hollenbach

A handwritten set of notes compiled by Raymond E. Hollenbach, dating from circa 1950. Hollenbach reviews entries from the Herbal books of German and Italian botanists related to the Blutkraut plant.
Letter From Raymond E. Hollenbach to Alfred L. Shoemaker

Raymond E. Hollenbach

A handwritten letter from Raymond E. Hollenbach addressed to Alfred L. Shoemaker, dating from circa 1950. Within, Hollenbach discusses the plant lore of a tree known as Ailanthus. Hollenbach speculates that Ailanthus might also be what the Pennsylvania-Dutch call the Himmelsbaum.
Baskets and Basket

Paul B. Horning

A typed essay entitled, "Baskets and Basket", by Paul B. Horning, dating from circa 1950. Within, a brief history of the Reifsnyder basket weaving shop in the village of Basket in Ruscombmanor Township is detailed along with its lasting legacy through the work of Milton Lorah.
Letter From Mrs. Elmer L. Krick to Alfred L. Shoemaker

Mrs. Elmer L. Krick

A handwritten letter from Mrs. Elmer L. Krick addressed to Alfred L. Shoemaker, dating from circa 1950. Within, Krick writes in response to an inquiry made by Shoemaker asking about men who wore earrings.
Folklore Term Report

Raymond J. Krushinski

A handwritten, untitled term paper completed at Franklin and Marshall College by Raymond J. Krushinski, dating from circa 1950. Within, Krushinski provides his findings from speaking with two women named Ethel McNelic and Dorothy Echert of Lancaster, Pennsylvania about folk sayings, beliefs and folk medicine.
Letter From M. Kunkel to Alfred L. Shoemaker

M. Kunkel

A handwritten letter from M. Kunkel addressed to Alfred L. Shoemaker, dating from circa 1950. Within, Kunkel writes about the "Escha Puddle", the person last out of bed on Ash Wednesday who had to carry the ashes outside each morning for a year.
Folklore Term Paper on Folk-Medicine

Robert B. Long

A typed term paper completed at Franklin and Marshall College by Robert B. Long, dating from circa 1950. Within, Long details responses to questions about local folk medicine practices he gathered via interviews with people residing in Lancaster County and Chambersburg, Pennsylvania.
Gan-sho-han-ne Poem

C. Z. Mast

A handwritten copy of a poem entitled, "Gan-sho-han-ne", by C. Z. Mast, date unknown. The poem is dedicated to the Amish of Kishacoquillas Valley and the surrounding area and was perhaps transcribed by Edwin Earl Espenshade circa 1950.