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Indiana University Folklore Institute's Handbook of American Folklore records, 1971-1983, bulk 1978-1982

A Guide to the Records at the Indiana University Archives

Finding aid prepared by Chad Edward Buterbaugh.

Summary Information

Repository
Indiana University Archives
1320 East Tenth Street
Herman B Wells Library E460
Bloomington, IN 47405-7000
Phone: 812-855-1127
Email: archives@indiana.edu
http://www.libraries.iub.edu/archives

Creator
Indiana University, Bloomington. Folklore Institute.

Title
Indiana University Folklore Institute's Handbook of American Folklore records, 1971-1983, bulk 1978-1982

Collection No.
C594

Extent
4 cubic feet (6 boxes)

Language
Materials are in English

Abstract
The Handbook of American Folklore is an edited volume assembled by the Indiana University Folklore Institute in the late 1970s and early 1980s. Published in 1983, it includes many short, explanatory essays on the forms, methods, and theories that are of interest to folklorists, as well as guidelines for the interpretation, archiving, and presentation of research to public and academic audiences. Handbook authors were invited to contribute by the volume's editors, which include Folklore Institute founder Richard M. Dorson. This was one of Dorson's last major projects before his death in 1981.

Access Restrictions

Select files closed to researchers. Advance notice required for access to collection.

Administrative History

The Handbook of American Folklore is an edited volume assembled by the Indiana University Folklore Institute in the late 1970s and early 1980s. Published in 1983, it includes many short, explanatory essays on the forms, methods, and theories that are of interest to folklorists, as well as guidelines for the interpretation, archiving, and presentation of research to public and academic audiences. Handbook authors were invited to contribute by the volume's editors, which include Folklore Institute founder Richard M. Dorson. This was one of Dorson's last major projects before his death in 1981.

Organized both ambitiously and broadly, the Handbook attempted to systematize the study of American (U.S. and Canadian, mainly) folklore for its day. The editorial staff--Dorson at the helm, with assistance from Betsy Peterson, Angela Maniak, and Inta Carpenter--faced the challenge of capturing in a single volume the breadth of folkloric expression and study in an accessible format that would alienate neither the novice nor the academic. Practically, they were successful. The book was completed and released. It was met with mixed reviews, however, with overbroadness being among the common complaints.

Dorson was not able to respond to these criticisms--and his extant publications suggest that he would have--as he passed away on Sept. 11, 1981. Editorial staffers Peterson, Maniak, and Carpenter finished the project on their own. If it has faults, it also admirably organizes and describes a significant portion of what folklorists do. It is for this reason, perhaps, that the Handbook remains a ubiquitous volume on many Folklore Institute bookshelves today.

Arrangement

This collection is organized into four series: Project background and administrative files, Inquiries and initial author correspondence, Manuscripts and author correspondence and Audiovisual materials.

Scope and Content Note

This collection is organized into four series: Project background and administrative files, Inquiries and initial author correspondence, and Manuscripts and author correspondence (which includes the subseries Dorson contributions). All files are arranged in alphabetical order.

The first series (1971-1983) and traces the evolution of the project through the stages of ideation, funding, and publication. The second series (1976-1983) and organizes the editors' initial correspondence with potential contributors. While some refused the invitation, many accepted it. The third series (1978-1982) focuses on the drafting process. These files illustrate the sometimes significant changes that occurred from the first draft to the published chapter. Because Richard Dorson made several contributions to the book, an undated subseries catalogs his work alone. The final series of audiovisual materials includes several undated photographs and audio relating to the project.

Photographs Pulled

12 large and 2 small glossy photos of folkloric performance and folklore researchers at work (some have descriptions attached); 3 large glossy reprints of line drawings labeled "Warshaver" (one of the project's contributors)

Related Material

Additional records such as newsletters, annual reports, bulletins, and publications may be accessed in the Archives of Institutional Memory.

Archived web sites for the Folklore Institute may be included in Archive-It.

Related photographs may be available in the University Archives Photographs Database.

Administrative Information

Acquisition Information
Accession: 2010/065
Usage Restrictions
Copyrights for records originating with Indiana University administrative units, departments, and other offices are held by the Trustees of Indiana University. For more information, please contact the Indiana University Archives staff.

The Indiana University Archives respects the intellectual property rights of others and does not claim any copyrights for non-university records, materials in the public domain, or materials for which we do not hold a Deed of Gift. Responsibility for the determination of the copyright status of these materials rests with those persons wishing to reuse the materials. Researchers are responsible for securing permission from copyright owners and any other rights holders for any reuse of these materials that extends beyond fair use or other statutory limitations.

Digital reproductions of archival materials from the Indiana University Archives are made available for noncommercial educational and research purposes only. If you are the copyright holder for any of the digitized materials and have questions about its inclusion on our site, please contact the Indiana University Archivist.

Preferred Citation
[Item], Indiana University Folklore Institute's Handbook of American Folklore records, Collection C594, Indiana University Archives, Bloomington.
Provenance
Transferred from the Indiana University Folklore Institute, July 12, 2010.
Appraisal
A number of duplicate files have been recycled. These did not include vital information about the initiation and completion of this project. Files containing the Social Security Numbers of project organizers and participants have been shredded. Reviews of drafted chapters have been discarded.
Processing Information
Processed by Chad Edward Buterbaugh.

Completed in 2015

Container List


Series: Box 1 Project background and administrative files, 1971-1983,  undated 

Budget, 1978-1980 

Contributors' Materials, undated 

Editorial Board, 1976-1978 

Greenwood Press, 1978 

Handbook Assignments & Requests (outstanding), undated 

Handbook Contracts, 1978-1981 

Handbook letters, 1978-1979,  undated 

Handbook of American Folklore Advisory Board - Progress Report, 1980,  undated 

Handbook of American Folklore history statement, 1978,  undated 

Handbook of American Folklore - Indiana University Press, 1976-1982,  undated 

Handbook of American Folklore Recent correspondence, 1976-1982,  undated 

Handbook of American Folklore Status Outlines, 1979-1980 

Handbook of American Folklore notes, staff memos, etc., 1978-1980,  undated 

Handbook outline, 1977-1979,  undated 

Handbook: American Folklore Society Panel 1978, 1978,  undated 

Internal correspondence, 1978-1980,  undated 

(RESTRICTED)


Letters--Mailing Lists - Handbook: Sharing Our Lives, 1980-1983 

Misc. Letters (not sent), 1978 

National Endowment for the Humanities Encyclopedia - NEH Drafts, 1975-1978,  undated 

National Endowment for the Humanities - Washington 12/15/75, 1972-1978 

Reminders to Contributors, 1978-1980,  undated 

43-264-59 Reports and Correspondence, Handbook of American Folklore, 1978-1983 

Requests for Misc. Information, 1978-1979,  undated 

Research Agencies & Programs, 1977-1978 

Richard M. Dorson Correspondence, 1978-1980,  undated 

Rosenbaum, Robert; Quinn, Thomas/McGraw-Hill, 1971-1982 

Standard procedures, 1978,  undated 

Series: Box 1 Inquiries and initial author correspondence, 1976-1983,  undated 

Aaron, Daniel, 1978 

Abrahams, Roger, 1976-1980 

Baker, Ronald, 1978-1979 

Bauman, Richard, 1976-1978 

Bell, Michael, 1978,  undated 

Blaustein, Richard, 1978-1983 

Brunvand, Jan, 1976-1982 

Camp, Charles, 1978-1983 

Carey, George, 1977-1979 

Clark, Thomas D., 1978-1980 

Clements, William, 1978-1979,  undated 

DeCaro, Frank, 1978-1979,  undated 

Deetz, James, 1978-1979 

Dundes, Alan, 1976-1980 

Evans, David, 1978-1979 

Far, George - National Endowment for the Humanities Extension, 1978-1981 

Fleischhauer, Carl, 1978-1982 

Glassie, Henry, 1976-1980,  undated 

Green, Archie, 1978-1983 

Green, Rayna, 1978-1982,  undated 

Gunn, Giles, 1979-1982 

Gutowski, John, 1978-1979 

Hickerson, Joseph, 1978-1980 

Hufford, David, 1978-1980,  undated 

Ives, Edward, 1978-1980 

Ivey, Saundra, 1977,  undated 

Jabbour, Alan, 1976-1980 

Jahner, Elaine, 1977-1978,  undated 

Jansen, William, 1978-1979 

Jones, Michael Owen, 1978 

Kirshenblatt-Gimblett, Barbara, 1977-1983 

Klymasz, Robert B., 1979-1982 

Kotkin, Amy, 1978-1983 

Langlois, Janet, 1977-1982 

Lankford, George, 1978-1982,  undated 

Leary, James, 1977-1982 

Levine, Lawrence, 1978-1982 

Levine, Stuart, 1978-1979 

Lightfoot, William, 1978-1982 

Limon, José, 1979-1980,  undated 

Lomax, Alan, 1978 

Loomis, Ormond, 1978-1982 

Maniak, Angela, 1980 

McDowell, John, 1978 

McNeil, William, 1977 

Marcell, David, 1978 

Mitchell, Roger 1978-1982 

Montell, W. Lynwood, 1977-1978 

Moore, Willard, 1978-1983 

Mullen, Patrick, 1977 

Nickerson, Bruce, 1978,  undated 

Nye, Russ, 1978 

Paredes, Americo, 1978-1979,  undated 

Piersen, William, 1979-1982 

Renwick, Roger De J., 1978 

Reuss, Richard, 1976-1982 

Roberts, Leonard, 1976-1982 

Seelye, John, 1978 

Seward, Adrienne, 1980 

Sherman, Sharon, 1978-1982 

Slotkin, Richard, 1978 

Smith, Henry Nash, 1978 

Smith, Ronald, 1978-1982 

Stahl, Sandra, 1978 

Stoeltje, Beverly, 1978,  undated 

Thill, Richard, 1978 

Toll, Robert C., 1978-1983,  undated 

Trachtenberg, Alan, 1978 

Vlach, John, 1978-1979,  undated 

Walker, Robert, 1978-1982 

Warshaver, Gerald, 1979-1983 

Washburn, Wilcomb, 1978 

Weigle, Martha, 1978-1982 

Wiggins, William, 1978 

Wilgus, D.K., 1978-1982 

Wilson, William, 1978-1982,  undated 

Wise, Gene, 1978 

Yerkovich, Sally, 1978,  undated 

Series: Box 1 Manuscripts and author correspondence, 1978-1982,  undated 

Subseries: Richard M. Dorson contributions, undated 

Dorson, Richard M.: "A Historical Theory for American Folklore," undated 

Dorson, Richard M.: "Folktale Performers," undated 

Dorson, Richard M.: Handbook Foreword, undated 

Dorson, Richard M.: Headnotes, undated 

Dorson, Richard M.: "Teaching Folklore to Graduate Students: The Introductory Proseminar,” undated 

Dorson, Richard M.: "The Publication of Research," undated 

Subseries: Box 1 General, 1978-1982,  undated 

Abrahams, Roger: "Interpreting Folklore Ethnographically and Sociologically," 1979-1980 

Baker, Ronald L.: "The Folklore of Students," 1979-1980 

Baker, Ronald L.: "Teaching Folklore in American Colleges and Universities," undated 

Box 2 Bauman, Richard: "Collecting Folklore in Context," 1978-1979,  undated 

Bell, Michael E. "Indexing a Folklore Collection," undated 

Blaustein, Richard: "Using Video in the Field," 1979-1980 

Brunvand, Jan Harold: "Folk Speech & Sayings," undated 

Camp, Charles: "Developing a State Folklore Program," 1978-1979,  undated 

Carey, George: "Filming the Folk," undated 

Clark, Thomas D.: "The Westward Movement," 1978-1979,  undated 

Clements, William H.: "The Folk Church," 1978,  undated 

DeCaro, Francis: "Studying American Folklore in Printed Sources," 1979,  undated 

Dundes, Alan: "How to Collect and Study Paperwork Folklore," 1980,  undated 

Evans, David: "Folk Singers and Musicians," 1978,  undated 

External reviews, 1977-1982,  undated 

(RESTRICTED)


Fleischhauer, Carl: "Sound Recordings and Still Photography in the Field," 1979-1980,  undated 

Glassie, Henry: "Folkloristic Study of the American Artifact," undated 

Green, Archie: "Sound Recordings," 1980,  undated 

Green, Archie: "Interpreting Folklore Ideologically," 1978,  undated 

Green, Rayna: "Folk is a Four Letter Word: Dealing with Traditional **** in Fieldwork, Analysis, and Presentation," 1980,  undated 

Gunn, Giles: "The Myth of the American Adam," 1980-1982,  undated 

Hickerson, Joseph C.: "Developing a Folklore Archive," 1980,  undated 

Hufford, David: "Folk Healers," 1978-1980,  undated 

Internal reviews, 1978-1980,  undated 

(RESTRICTED)


Ives, Edward D.: "The Study of Regional Songs and Ballads," 1978-1980,  undated 

Jahner, Elaine: "Finding the Way Home: The Interpretation of Native American Folklore," 1979-1980,  undated 

Jansen, William Hugh: "The Ethics of the Folklorist," 1978,  undated 

Kirshenblatt-Gimblett, Barbara: "Studying Immigrant and Ethnic Folklore,” 1980,  undated 

Klymasz, Robert B.: "Folklore of the Canadian-American Border," 1979,  undated 

Kotkin, Amy & Zeitlin, Steve: "Family Folklore," 1979,  undated 

Box 3 Langlois, Janet, & LaRonge, Philip: "Using a Folklore Archive,” 1978-1980,  undated 

Lankford, George: "The Unfulfilled Promise of North American Indian Folklore," 1978-1982,  undated 

Leary, James: "Hangouts," 1977-1982 

Levine, Lawrence: "Interpreting American Folklore Historically," 1978-1982 

Levine, Stuart: "Folklore in American Literature," 1978-1979 

Lightfoot, William E.: "Regional Folkloristics," 1978-1982 

Limon, Jose: "Anglo-American Folklore and the United States-Mexican Border," 1979-1980,  undated 

Loomis, Ormond: "Organizing a Folklore Museum," 1978-1982 

Maniak, Angela J.: "The Library of American Folklore Research," 1980 

Marcell, David: "Fables of Innocence," 1978 

McDowell, John H.: "Children's Folklore," 1978 

Mitchell, Roger: "Occupational Folklore," 1979,  undated 

Mitchell, Roger: "American Possessions and Territories," 1978-1982 

Montell, Lynwood: "Using Folklore to Interpret Ethnic Regions Ethnohistorically," 1978-1979,  undated 

Moore, Willard B.: "Folklore Research and Museums," 1979-1980,  undated 

Nickerson, Bruce: "Factories," 1979,  undated 

Peterson, Betsy: "American Sports and Folklore," undated 

Piersen, William D.: "Colonizing a New Society," undated 

Reuss, Richard A.: "Suburban Folklore," 1980,  undated 

Roberts, Leonard: "A Family's Repertoire," 1982,  undated 

Seward, Adrienne Lanier: "The Legacy of Early Afro-American Folklore Scholarship," undated 

Sherman, Sharon: "Studying American Folkloric Films," 1978-1979,  undated 

Smith, Ronald: "Afro-American Folk Music," undated 

Stahl, Sandra K.D.: "Personal Experience Stories," 1980,  undated 

Stahl, Sandra K.D.: "Studying Folklore and American Literature,” undated 

Stern, Stephen: "Survey of Ethnic/Immigrant Folklore Scholarship," 1978-1982,  undated 

Stoeltje, Beverly J.: "Festival in America," undated 

Toll, Robert: "Folklore on the American Stage," undated 

Box 4 Vlach, John Michael: "American Folk Craftsmen," 1978,  undated 

Walker, Robert H.: "Rags to Riches," 1978,  undated 

Washburn, Wilcomb E.: "The Noble and Ignoble Savage," 1979,  undated 

Warshaver, Gerald: "Urban Folklore," 1978-1979,  undated 

Weigle, Marta: "The Southwest," 1978,  undated 

Wiggins, William: "The Black Folk Church," undated 

Wilgus, D.K.: "Collecting Musical Folklore and Folksong," 1979,  undated 

Wilson, William A.: "Mormon Folklore," 1980,  undated 

Yerkovich, Sally: "Gems of Conversation," 1978-1980 

Series: Box 5 Audiovisual materials, undated 

Handbook of American Folklore photos, undated 

Unidentified Audio-cassettes (2), undated 

Box 6 RESTRICTED FILES

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