Finding aid for Folklore collection, 1974-1975. MVC007

Finding aid prepared by staff, 2011. Finding updated by Isabel Kline, 2022.
This finding aid was made possible in part through funding from the County of Ventura and the Heritage Fund at the Ventura County Community Foundation.
Museum of Ventura County
2011, 2022
100 East Main Street
Ventura, CA 93001
library@venturamuseum.org


Contributing Institution: Museum of Ventura County
Title: Folklore collection
Creator: Moorpark College anthropology students, 1974-1975
Identifier/Call Number: MVC007
Physical Description: 1.28 Cubic Feet (1 box)
Date (inclusive): 1974-1975
Abstract: This collection was compiled by students in Charles Seeman's anthropology and music classes at Moorpark College. His students collected items and wrote reports on local folklore. Materials include reports and presentations, a cassette tape, donation forms, and a notebook.
Physical Location: Stored at the MVC Research Library. All requests to access special collections can be made in advance by emailing the Research Library reference desk.
Language of Material: English .

Conditions Governing Access

COLLECTION STORED ON-SITE: Open for research. Advance requests can be made to Research Library staff via email.

Conditions Governing Reproduction and Use

Property rights to the physical object belong to the Museum of Ventura County. Literary rights, including copyright, are retained by the creators and their heirs. It is the responsibility of the researcher to determine who holds the copyright and pursue the copyright owner or his or her heir for permission to publish where the museum does not hold the copyright.
CONTAINS AV MATERIALS: Advance notice required. Researcher may be required to bear the cost of digitization or creation of an access copy.

Preferred Citation

[Identification of item], Folklore collection (Collection MVC007), Museum of Ventura County, Research Library, Ventura, California.

Immediate Source of Acquisition

Moorpark College Anthropology students; gift; unknown date.

Processing Information

Processed by Library Staff in 2011.

Biographical / Historical

Between 1974 and 1977 Charles Seeman taught Anthropology 9B: Folklore II and Music 29 at Moorpark College. He assigned his students projects related to folklore. The student collected material to related to folklore or conducted ethnographic fieldwork. The folklore and customs mostly pertain to Ventura County but do include other regions in Southern California. These materials were all compiled by Seeman's students. The students wrote papers on numerous aspects of folklore, from stories and legends to recipes and local musicians.

Scope and Contents

This collection contains reports and presentations by college students about folklore. Most of the papers are for the class "Anthropology 9B: Folklore II". Items for the class "Music 29" may have cassette tapes attached to them. Other items include donation forms for the Moorpark College Archive.

Arrangement

This collection has no series and has been described at the item level. The papers sub-categories based on the folklore, custom, or practice the paper refers to. The categories are in alphabetical order.

Physical Characteristics and Technical Requirements

COLLECTION CONTAINS AUDIO MATERIALS: Special equipment or further processing may be required for viewing. Requests to use audio materials must be made in advance. Please contact the Research Library at library@venturamuseum.org.

Subjects and Indexing Terms

Folklore -- Ventura County (Calif.)
Storytelling -- Ventura County (Calif.)
Anthropology students
Manners and customs -- Ventura County (Calif.)

Box 1

Notebook: A Collection of American Folklore Humor compiled by Roger W. Whitaker 1974 October - 1975 January

Creator: Whitaker, Roger W.

Scope and Contents

These collected items were compiled between October 1974 and January 1975, although some of the cartoons date to the 1960s. The compiler made attempts to find the original authors of the works, but were unable to do so. However, a note is attached stating where the items were found. This notebook contains explicit material.
Box 1, Folder 1

Crafts

Box 1, Folder 1

"Folk Crafts" by Kitty MacLeod 1975 December 15

Scope and Contents

This report is an overview of various folk crafts and drawings of quilt patterns.
Box 1, Folder 2

Customs

Box 1, Folder 2

"Early Norwegian Folklore and Traditions in America" by Ron Sundeen undated

Box 1, Folder 2

"Traditional practices and customs of an American family" by Bonnie Edwards 1974 November

Box 1, Folder 2

"Two Jewish Holidays" by Cynthia Closson 1975 November

Box 1, Folder 3

Family Stories

Box 1, Folder 3

"A collection of family experiences: Peidmont, Wyoming circa 1930-1940" by Renee Byrne 1975 November

Box 1, Folder 3

"Stories They Tell" by Nancy Ambrose 1975 December

Box 1, Folder 4

Festivals

General

Folder is empty.
Box 1, Folder 5

Folk Medicine

Box 1, Folder 5

"Folk Medicine" by Robert L. Malone 1975 Fall

Box 1, Folder 5

"Folk Medicine" by Richard Campbell and Vern Parish 1975 January

Box 1, Folder 5

"Folk Medicine" by James D. Smith 1975 January 1

Box 1, Folder 5

"American Folklore" by John Vickers undated

Box 1, Folder 5

Moorpark College Folklore Archive forms filled out by Thomas Olszewski 1975 January 1

Box 1, Folder 5

"Folk Medicine" by David Steeber 1975 May 6

Box 1, Folder 5

"Home Remedies and Recipes" by Katherine Peters 1975 May

Box 1, Folder 6

Folk Music

Physical Characteristics and Technical Requirements

COLLECTION CONTAINS AUDIO MATERIALS: Special equipment or further processing may be required for viewing. Requests to use audio materials must be made in advance. Please contact the Research Library at library@venturamuseum.org.
Box 1, Folder 6

"Square Dance History and Interview with a Caller" by Thelma Bunker 1975 January

Box 1, Folder 6

"Music for Brown Baggers" by Charles T. Lamar undated

Scope and Contents

This report is attached to a cassette tape containing recordings of music created by the artists interviewed.

Physical Characteristics and Technical Requirements

COLLECTION CONTAINS AUDIO MATERIALS: Special equipment or further processing may be required for viewing. Requests to use audio materials must be made in advance. Please contact the Research Library at library@venturamuseum.org.
Box 1, Folder 6

"The Late Reverend George E. Hoggatt 1975 March

Box 1, Folder 7

Foodways

Box 1, Folder 7

Recipe for Rocky Mountain Oysters undated

Box 1, Folder 7

"Recipes and Remedies" by Francine Cox and Virginia Martin undated

Box 1, Folder 8

Games

Box 1, Folder 8

Game collection forms 1977 November

Box 1, Folder 9

Graffiti

Box 1, Folder 9

"Placas" by George Peterman 1974

Box 1, Folder 9

Moorpark College folklore archive forms filled out by Robert Lester 1975 January

Box 1, Folder 9

"Graffiti of mostly Ventura County" by Sandi Caplan 1975 Fall

Box 1, Folder 10

Jokes

Box 1, Folder 10

"Polack Jokes" by John C. Ayers 1974 Fall

Box 1, Folder 10

"Children's Jokes and Rhymes" by Brent E. Saunders 1974 April

Box 1, Folder 10

"Polish Jokes" by Robert Waterrose undated

Box 1, Folder 10

"Jokes" by Jay Molder 1977 May

Box 1, Folder 10

"Jokes" by Robin VanNorman undated

Box 1, Folder 11

Legends

Box 1, Folder 11

"Folklore" by L. Jane McReynolds 1974 October

Box 1, Folder 11

"Brentwood Folklore: True stories from psychiatric hospitals" 1974 December

Scope and Contents

This item is a photocopy of original report.
Box 1, Folder 11

"Legend of Peter Lebeck" by Mark Phillips 1977 October 19

Box 1, Folder 11

"The Black Cult" by Margaret Powell undated

Box 1, Folder 11

"Drug Tales" collected by Donna M. Wilson 1975 December 7

Box 1, Folder 11

"Llorona" undated

Box 1, Folder 11

5 legend assignments 1977

Box 1, Folder 11

"Ghost Stories" by Phyllis Steeber 1975 May 6

Box 1, Folder 11

Folklore midterm assignment by Hugo A. Gordillo 1977 April 4

Box 1, Folder 12

Legends

Box 1, Folder 12

"The Ghost at Conejo Playhouse" by Robert H. Tubbs 1974-1975

Box 1, Folder 12

"The Ghost at the Stage Coach Inn" by Valerie L. Tubbs 1974

Scope and Contents

This report includes photographs of the Stage Coach Inn.
Box 1, Folder 12

"Stories without Explanation" by Lorraine L. Jones 1976-1977

Box 1, Folder 12

"Stories of the Supernatural" by Steven L. Porter 1975 December 15

Box 1, Folder 12

"Scarey Stories for a Rainy Night" by Jeananne Mapes 1977 May 4

Box 1, Folder 13

Memorates

Box 1, Folder 13

"Paper on Folklore" by Bill Coffey 1974

Box 1, Folder 13

"Folklore of Simi Valley" collected by Lynn A. Honsinger 1975 January

Box 1, Folder 13

"American Folklore: True Family Stories" by Vickie McNally undated

Box 1, Folder 13

"Unusual Experiences" by Betty Chala 1977 May 4

Box 1, Folder 13

"Folktales of Simi Valley" by Mark Phillips 1977 December

Box 1, Folder 13

Moorpark College folklore archive forms filled out by Pete Hurst undated

Box 1, Folder 13

Moorpark College folklore archive form filled out by Joe Gonzalez 1977 October 16

Box 1, Folder 14

Names

Box 1, Folder 14

"Folklore: The Dinkey Creek Paper" by E.R. Cwiklinski undated

Scope and Contents

This report includes a California road map with the location of Dinkey Creek circled.
Box 1, Folder 14

Untitled report by Joseph C. Russo undated

Box 1, Folder 14

"Nicknames" by N. Bruce Follette 1975 January 2

Box 1, Folder 14

"Nicknames" by Randy LaCosta undated

Box 1, Folder 15

Occupations

Box 1, Folder 15

"Horseshoeing" by Ian Hall undated

Box 1, Folder 15

"Cowboys" by James D. Smith 1975 March

Box 1, Folder 15

Untitled report on Inglewood Fire Department by Richard Kissam undated

Box 1, Folder 15

Untitled report on experiences as a fireman by Richard Kissam undated

Box 1, Folder 15

"Folklore and the U.S. Navy" by J.F. Mahoney 1976 December 14

Box 1, Folder 15

"Navy Folklore" by Richard Smith undated

Box 1, Folder 16

Poetry

Box 1, Folder 16

"Autographs" by Dale Calvert and Karen Cedergreen undated

Box 1, Folder 16

Report on epitaphs by Don Wade undated

Box 1, Folder 16

"Nursery and Bedtime Stories" by Lorraine Jones 1976 December 16

Box 1, Folder 16

Ballads, poems, and rhymes collected by Robert Waterrose 1974

Box 1, Folder 16

Report on yearbook signatures collected by David Steeber undated

Box 1, Folder 16

Moorpark college folklore archive forms 1974-1975

Box 1, Folder 16

"Wednesday Evening Folklore" collected by Joan Karp 1977 October - December

Box 1, Folder 17

Printed Folklore

Box 1, Folder 17

"Collection of T-Shirt Prints and Bumper Sticker Sayings" by Georgia J. Meyer 1977

Box 1, Folder 17

Untitled report by S.H. Kleffman 1974-1975

Box 1, Folder 17

"Industrial Jokes" by Daniel A. Nelson undated

Box 1, Folder 18

Riddles

Box 1, Folder 18

Moorpark College folklore archive forms filled out by Katherine E. O'Dell 1975 December

Box 1, Folder 18

Moorpark College folklore archive form filled out by Robin Van Norman circa 1975

Box 1, Folder 19

Speech

Box 1, Folder 19

"Collections of Sayings or Expressions Used in Junior High School Age Social Situations" by Bruce Follette 1975 April 30

Box 1, Folder 20

Superstition

Box 1, Folder 20

"Superstitions" by Karen Jack 1975

Box 1, Folder 20

"Folk Beliefs and Superstitions" by Jose R. Meza 1977

Box 1, Folder 20

"Superstitions at Sea" by Bob Maass undated

Box 1, Folder 20

"Superstition in Sports" by Richard Conhiser undated

Box 1, Folder 20

"Superstitions" by Eilliam H. Smale 1977 December 14

Box 1, Folder 20

Moorpark College folklore archive forms filled out by Lynn Honsinger 1974

Box 1, Folder 20

Midterm collecting project by Michael W. Powell 1975 May 6

Box 1, Folder 20

Term paper by Ralph Sardon 1977 January

Box 1, Folder 20

Superstitions collected by D. Minor 1975 January

Box 1, Folder 20

Moorpark College folklore archive forms filled out by Gilbert Rosales 1975 April

Box 1, Folder 20

Data sheets for belief assignment 1977 November

Box 1, Folder 20

"Folklore Concerning Weather Phenomena" by Ron Smith 1975 May 6