Domestic Arts
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Spring–Summer 2007 Volume 33: 1–2 The Journal of New York Folklore Domestic Arts Interns in the Bronx Absentminded Professors A College-Town Theater Playing Hoops Museums and Festivals From the Director Ser vices to the The New York Folklore Society re- responding to a NYfolk-list query ask- feld are at the core ceived a grant from this program for ing folklorists to identify women whose of the New York services to folk and traditional artists. unique contributions to the feld had Folklore Society’s With this support, we have launched a inspired others. Subsequent columns will mission. Our ser- series of professional development introduce the nominees, incorporating vices include our workshops that will continue in 2007. In the praises offered by colleagues. This longstanding men- addition, we will develop enhanced web issue’s profle of Vaughn is based on a toring and profes- services, which will serve as a resource December 2006 interview with her hus- sional development about folk and traditional musics in New band and colleague, George Ward. program and our forum series, which York State. Please stay tuned for more “The Story of My Dolls,” which docu- invites informal discussion about issues details in the coming months. ments the life and needlework of Al- of current concern to the feld of folk- berta Nell Romano, represents the frst lore. With funding from the New York Ellen McHale, Ph.D. contribution to a new regular feature, State Archives we have offered symposia Executive Director “Artist Profle.” We hope that readers and other activities for archives and New York Folklore Society will send us profles, so that Voices can collections professionals. This year, [email protected] continue to recognize the work of the with support from the New York State many talented folk artists and citizens Music Fund, we are able to expand our of New York State. From the Editor professional development activities to Please continue to keep us in mind for serve musicians and other folk artists The breadth of your research, your reports, your stories, working in New York State. articles in this is- and your poems. Our journal is only as The New York State Music Fund is sue is extraordi- good as the writing you submit to us. a program of Rockefeller Philanthropy nary, ranging from Advisors, created when the Offce of a description of a Felicia Faye McMahon, Ph.D. the New York State Attorney General college-town the- Acquisitions Editor resolved investigations against major ater’s culture, to an New York Folklore Society music companies that had violated state academic legend [email protected] and federal laws prohibiting “pay for cycle, an intern [email protected] play,” also called “payola.” The settle- program for inner-city youth, the story ment agreement stipulated that funds of “this crazy American jumping” (bas- paid by music businesses would support ketball), and the use of personal narra- music education and appreciation for tives in Smithsonian Institution folklife the beneft of New York State residents. festivals. The attorney general’s offce enlisted the In this issue we are pleased to intro- services of Rockefeller Philanthropy duce a new column by Eileen Condon. Advisors to develop and manage the “In Praise of Women” will focus on the grant program. Many different musical work of women in folklore and folk arts forms, including folk and traditional in New York State. Eileen’s frst column musical performances throughout New highlights the work of Vaughn Ramsey York State, should beneft in the com- Ward (1939–2001), one of a number of ing year. women nominated last summer by those “Folklore helps us to form and express identity in the midst of an always complex, sometimes confusing social context, in which our sense of who we are is frequently questioned and challenged.” —Martha C. Sims and Martine Stephens, Living Folklore (2005) Contents Spring–Summer 2007 3 Features 10 The Absentminded Professor: A Case Study of an Academic Legend Cycle by Michael Taft 16 Mind-Builders: Training Youth Interns as Beginning Folklorists by Deirdre Lynn Hollman 25 Hoops, Hebrews, and the Hudson River League by John Thorn 32 Voices of Others: 16 Personal Narratives in the Folklife Festival by Barbara Cohen-Stratyner 40 Peeling the Pop: Exploring a Tradition in Orkney by Michael A. Lange Departments and Columns 2 Announcements 3 Creative Ethnography by Meg Nicholas 8 Upstate 25 by Varick A. Chittenden 9 Downstate by Steve Zeitlin 14 Creative Writing by Edward DeZurko 14 Letter to the Editor 15 E-Resources by Kathleen Condon 30 Good Spirits 32 by Libby Tucker 31 Foodways by Lynn Case Ekfelt 37 Artist Profle: Alberta Nell Romano Cover: Alberta Nell Romano, 38 In Praise of Women Maple Downs Retirement by Eileen Condon Community. Photo: John M. McMahon. 39 Play by John Thorn 46 Reading Culture by Tom van Buren 47 Books to Note Spring–Summer 2007, Volume 33: 1–2 1 S Land of Make Believe AMHS, also in Upper Jay, works to With your permission, AMHS will share The mid–twentieth century was a time of preserve the legacy of Arto Monaco, who your material with the New York Folklore great change in America and the Adiron- was the designer of the country’s earliest Society to help preserve a twentieth-century dacks. The growth of children’s theme parks children’s theme parks, located in the eastern American story. was central to the development and evolution Adirondacks. Monaco designed the Land of children’s entertainment and tourism dur- of Make Believe and then operated the ing this period. park from 1954 to 1979. He was also a toy EMENT The New York Folklore Society and the designer and builder and owned a toy fac- C Arto Monaco Historical Society (AMHS) tory in Upper Jay from about 1947 to 1954. are working together to locate people who Monaco died at age ninety in 2003. visited the Land of Make Believe theme park If you have memories or photos to share, in Upper Jay, New York, in the 1950s, ’60s, please write to the Arto Monaco Historical or ’70s. AMHS is particularly interested in Society at [email protected] or P. O. fnding photographs taken during visits and Box 102, Upper Jay, New York 12987. A gathering the recollections of visitors, includ- staff member will contact you to arrange ing those who were children at the time. to record your memories for the archive. Spring–Summer 2007 · Volume 33: 1–2 Acquisitions Editor Felicia Faye McMahon ANNOUN Managing Editor Sheryl A. Englund Design Mary Beth Malmsheimer Printer Eastwood Litho Editorial Board Varick Chittenden, Lydia Fish, Nancy Groce, Lee Haring, Libby Tucker, Kay Turner, Dan Ward, Steve Zeitlin Voices: The Journal of New York Folklore is published twice a year by the New York Folklore Society, Inc. 133 Jay Street P.O. Box 764 Schenectady, NY 12301 New York Folklore Society, Inc. Executive Director Ellen McHale Web Administrator Patti Mason Voice (518) 346-7008 Fax (518) 346-6617 Web Site www.nyfolklore.org Board of Directors President Dr. Sherre Wesley Vice President Kevin White Secretary-Treasurer Karen Canning Eric Ball, Austin Fisher, Hanna Griff, William Jones, Elena Martinez, Rathi Raja, Greer Smith, Libby Tucker, Mary Zwolinski Advertisers: To inquire, please call the NYFS (518) 346-7008 or fax (518) 346-6617. Voices is available in Braille and recorded versions. Call the NYFS at (518) 346-7008. The New York Folklore Society is committed to providing ser- vices with integrity, in a manner that conveys respect for the dignity of the individuals and communities the NYFS serves, as well as for their cultures, including ethnic, religious, occupational, and regional traditions. The programs and activities of the New York Folklore Society, and the publication of Voices: The Journal of New York Folklore, are made possible in part by funds from the New York State Council on the Arts. Voices: The Journal of New York Folklore is indexed in Arts & Humanities Citation Index and Music Index and abstracted in Historical Abstracts and America: History and Life. Reprints of articles and items from Voices: The Journal of New York Folklore are available from the NYFS. Call (518) 346-7008 or fax (518) 346-6617. ISSN 0361-204X © 2007 by The New York Folklore Society, Inc. All rights re- served. 2 VOICES: The Journal of New York Folklore C Don’t Anyone Walk ETHNOGRAPHY REATIVE Around Barefoot: Life in a College Town’s Second-Run Theater BY MEG NICHOLAS t’s 8:30 p.m. on Friday the thirteenth in watching from the safety of the concession other, there is little noise. Occasionally, a Ithe lobby of University Mall Theatres, stand, they are wearing jeans, button-down shout of exuberance or a grunt of pain the second-run theater across from George shirts, ties, and aprons bearing the insignia will rise when a hit is scored or when the Mason University in Fairfax, Virginia. Dur- of University Mall Theatres. The only thing plastic blades strike a sensitive area. Finally, ing the break between the sevens and the that crosses the boundary of normal is the the elf-eared combatant gets hit in the arm, nines, two Jedi warriors are locked in a pair of horns on the top of one fghter’s and the horned warrior moves in for the ferce battle with plastic light sabers. While head, and the delicately pointed elf ears pro- kill. The fght is over, punctuated by an they both seem to be intent on striking a kill truding from under the hair of the other. elaborate death scene from the vanquished or lopping off an arm, neither looks very Apart from the “authentic” noises the knight.