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BUTTONING CLOTHING (COLLECTOR,S TITLE)

CLOTHING BUTTONED THE WRONG WAY SHOULD NOT BE CHANGED, BECAUSE YOUR
LUCK WILL ALSO CHANGE.

Submitter comment:

TOLD TO ME AT HOME

Data entry tech comment:

Updated by TRD

Where learned: MICHIGAN ; DETROIT

Keyword(s): BELIEF ; Button ; CLOTHES ; CLOTHING ; Fashion ; LUCK ; Mismatched ; SUPERSTITION

James Callow Keyword(s): HOMEOPATHIC ; MAGIC

Subject headings: BELIEF -- P833 P833.22

Date learned: DATE NOT RECORDED BY COLLECTOR

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THE TURN OF THE CENTURY FOUND A GREAT DEAL OF THE
PRAIRIE LAND OF THE DAKOTAS OPEN FOR SETTLEMENT
THROUGH THE HOMESTEAD ACT. THIS ARID LAND WAS FAR
FROM THE BEST FOR FARMING. MY PARENTS TOOK ADVANTAGE
OF THIS ONLY TO FIND OUT YOU COULD ONLY EXPECT ONE
GOOD CROP EVERY SEVEN YEARS. AFTER THREE YEARS OF
FARMING THE LAND, IT BECAME THEIRS AND THEY SOLD IT
AND MOVED TO THE SMALL TOWN OF LEMON, S. DAKOTA, WHERE
I WAS BORN. ONE OF THE FEW MEMORIES I HAVE OF THE
DAKOTAS ARE THE MANY PRAIRIE FIRES IN THE HOT MONTHS
OF THE YEAR. THESE FIRES WOULD CREEP ALONG THE GROUND
AND TAKE EVERYTHING IN ITS WAY. WHEN A FIRE WAS SPOTTED
EVERY ABLE-BODIED MAN WOULD GO OUT TO FIGHT THE FIRES.
THESE WERE BLAMED ON THE MANY RUSSIANS WHO LIVED IN THE
AREA. I DOUBT IF THERE WAS EVEN ANY PROOF OF THE
RUSSIANS BEING RESPONSIBLE, AS THIS WAS AT A TIME
WHEN WORLD WAR I WAS GOING ON IN EUROPE AND THE U.S.
HAD NOT YET BEEN INVOLVED. A MORE LOGICAL REASON, WHICH
WAS PROVED ON MANY OCCASIONS WAS SPARKS FROM LOCOMO-
TIVES. ON ONE OCCASION, EVERY BODY HAD TO LEAVE TOWN
AS THE FIRE WAS ON THREE SIDES OF THE TOWN AND ONLY ONE
ROAD WAS USABLE AS AN EXIT.
MOVING FROM DAKOTA TO MINNESOTA WAS LIKE TRAVELING
FROM ONE WORLD TO ANOTHER, FOR THE CITY LIFE IN MINN-
ESOTA WAS VERY MODERN. IT WAS EVEN POSSIBLE TO GET ICE
DELIVERED TO THE HOUSE THREE TIMES A WEEK. THIS WAS
SUFFICIENT SERVICE TO KEEP THE ICEBOX COLD ALL OF THE
TIME AND THE VEGETABLE WAGON WITH ITS RINGING BELL
WAS A WELCOME SIGHT FOR THE HOUSEWIFE, AS IT WAS A
CHANCE TO BARGAIN FOR FRESH VEGETABLES AND FRUITS
IN SEASON. AS TIME WENT ON, MODERNIZATION SET IN AND
THE MILKMAN, ICEMAN AND VEGETABLE MAN CHANGED FROM
HORSE DRAWN CARTS TO TRUCKS BEFORE THEY EVENTUALLY
DISAPPEARED ALTOGETHER.
WITH THE ADVENT OF THE CAR, THE MAIL MAN ON THE ROAD
NO LONGER HAD THE RIGHT OF WAY AS A MATTER OF RESPECT.
MY GRANDFATHER ON MY MOTHER'S SIDE NEVER KNEW FOR SURE
JUST HOW OLD HE WAS OR WHEN HIS BIRTHDAY WAS, SO, WHEN
HE MARRIED, HE TOOK HIS WIFE'S BIRTHDAY AS HIS. AS
NEAR AS HE COULD RECALL, HE WAS ABOUT FOUR OR FIVE
YEARS OF AGE WHEN HIS PARENTS WERE MURDERED FOR THEIR
MONEY. HE WAS PLACED IN A CHICAGO ORPHANAGE WITH A
YOUNGER SISTER. HOW MANY YEARS HE SPENT IN THIS
ORPHANAGE IS NOT EXACTLY KNOWN, BUT IN HIS EARLY DAYS
HE WORKED ON A RIVERBOAT BETWEEN NEW ORLEANS AND
MINNEAPOLIS. LATER, HE WAS WORKING AS A FARMHAND
IN SOUTHEASTERN MINNESOTA, WHERE HE MET AND MARRIED
HIS LIFETIME PARTNER. ALL ATTEMPTS TO LOCATE HIS
SISTER WERE OF NO AVAIL, AS ALL RECORDS WERE LOST IN
THE GREAT CHICAGO FIRE.

Data entry tech comment:

Updated by TRD

Where learned: ILLINOIS ; PEORIA

Keyword(s): America ; CROPS ; Dakota ; FARMING ; Homestead Act ; Migration ; Modernization ; Prairie ; Russian ; Settlement ; Wildfire ; World War I ; WWI

Subject headings: PROSE NARRATIVE -- Tale

Date learned: 11-01-1971

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CROATION PREGNANCY BELIEF

A PREGNANT WOMAN SHOULDN'T EAT APPLES BECAUSE IT WILL CAUSE HARM
TO THE CHILD.

Submitter comment:

HER MOTHER-IN-LAW TOLD HER THIS AS IT WAS AN OLD CROATION BELIEF.

Data entry tech comment:

Informant and collector share same surname.

Where learned: MICHIGAN ; DETROIT ; collector's home

James Callow Keyword(s): APPLE AS ORIGINAL SIN SYMBOL ; HOMEOPATHIC

Subject headings: CUSTOM FESTIVAL -- Measure of time Eating For menu, see N222.
BELIEF -- Birth

Date learned: 10-07-1970

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BIRTH BELIEF

AFTER THE BABY IS BORN THE MOTHER IS TO HOLD THE BABY IN HER
ARM AND WALK OVER WHEAT THAT HAS BEEN STREWN ON THE FLOOR OR
GROUND TO INSURE THE CHILD OF A GOOD LIFE TO COME.

Submitter comment:

INFORMANT'S MOTHER DID THIS WITH EACH OF HER CHILDREN SOON AFTER
THEIR BIRTH. DONE IN EGYPT.

Where learned: MICHIGAN ; UNIVERSITY OF DETROIT ; DETROIT

Keyword(s): BABY ; BIRTH ; CHILD ; CUSTOM ; Good ; LUCK ; MOTHER ; Practice ; RITUAL ; Wheat

James Callow Keyword(s): HOMEOPATHIC

Subject headings: BELIEF -- Birth

Date learned: 03-23-1971

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PREGNANCY BELIEF

A BABY WILL LOOK LIKE THE
PERSON THE PREGNANT MOTHER HATES MOST.

Submitter comment:

INFORMANT IS A PUBLIC HEALTH NURSE WHO HAS BEEN TOLD THIS BY SEVERAL PATIENTS.

Data entry tech comment:

INFORMANT SUGGESTS THAT DESERTED MOTHERS ARE BITTER TOWARD THEIR HUSBANDS OR LOVERS; THUS, THEY SEE A RESEMBLANCE IN THE CHILD TO THE FATHER.

Where learned: MICHIGAN

James Callow Keyword(s): HOMEOPATHIC

Subject headings: BELIEF -- Body part Senses
BELIEF -- Birth

Date learned: NOT GIVEN

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PREGNANCY BELIEF

BATHING DURING PREGNANCY WILL DROWN THE UNBORN CHILD.

Submitter comment:

Informant is a public health nurse who has heard this repeatedly from her patients.

Where learned: MICHIGAN

James Callow Keyword(s): HOMEOPATHIC

Subject headings: BELIEF -- Birth

Date learned: NOT GIVEN

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BIRTH

A PREGNANT WOMAN WHO IS CARRYING AN ACTIVE CHILD IS USUALLY
CARRYING A BOY.

Submitter comment:

THIS WAS TOLD TO THE INFORMANT BY HER MOTHER, WHO ACTUALLY
BELIEVES THIS.

Where learned: MICHIGAN ; UNIVERSITY OF DETROIT ; DETROIT ; STUDENT UNION

James Callow Keyword(s): HOMEOPATHIC ; PASSIVE GIRLS?

Subject headings: BELIEF -- Birth

Date learned: 02-20-1971

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FOOD SUPERSTITIONS REGARDING PREGNANCY

IF WHILE A WOMAN IS PREGNANT, AND SHE HAS A CRAVING FOR A
CERTAIN FOOD, AND SHE THEN TOUCHES HERSELF, THE BABY WILL HAVE
A BIRTH MARK ON THAT SPOT THAT THE WOMAN TOUCHED.

Data entry tech comment:

There are several others like this in the archive.
Informant's homeland=Italy?

Where learned: MICHIGAN ; DETROIT ; informant's home ; from informant's homeland

James Callow Keyword(s): HOMEOPATHIC?

Subject headings: Food Drink -- Food
BELIEF -- Body part Senses Specific distinguishing characteristic Dimple, wart, mole, scar, freckle, birthmark, strawberry mark, bruise, spot (on any part of body)
BELIEF -- Birth

Date learned: 03-07-1971

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PREGNANCY BELIEF

IT IS BELIEVED BY SOME THAT IF PREGNANT WOMEN HAVE BEAUTIFUL
THOUGHTS THEY WILL HAVE A BEAUTIFUL CHILD.

Submitter comment:

INFORMANT REMEMBERS THIS TO BE A COMMON PRACTICE IN HER
YOUNGER DAYS AND KNEW OF PEOPLE WHO HAD USED IT,
APPARENTLY WITH SUCCESS.

Where learned: MICHIGAN ; DETROIT ; informant's home

James Callow Keyword(s): HOMEOPATHIC

Subject headings: 840
BELIEF -- Birth

Date learned: 10-03-1971

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THINGS GROW WITH THE MOON

IF A PERSON CUTS THEIR HAIR WHEN THERE'S A NEW MOON, IT'LL
GROW WITH THE MOON. IF YOU CUT YOUR HAIR WHEN THERE'S
A FULL MOON, IT'LL GROW SLOWLY.

Where learned: MICHIGAN ; UNIVERSITY OF DETROIT ; DETROIT ; NORTH QUAD

James Callow Keyword(s): HOMEOPATHIC MAGIC

Subject headings: BELIEF -- Body part Senses Hair, on head, mustache, widow's peak
BELIEF -- Moon
BELIEF -- Product or activity of man or animal

Date learned: 03-24-1970

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NEW MOON BELIEF

GRANDMOTHER AND HER SISTERS HAD THEIR HAIR TRIMMED AT NEW
MOON. IN THIS WAY, IT WOULD GROW WITH THE NEW MOON AND WOULD GROW
FASTER, TOO.

Where learned: MICHIGAN ; DETROIT ; TOLD AT COLLECTOR'S HOME

Keyword(s): HAIR CUTTING ; HAIR GROWTH ; IMITATIVE MAGIC

James Callow Keyword(s): HOMEOPATHIC MAGIC

Subject headings: BELIEF -- Body part Senses
BELIEF -- Body part Senses Hair, on head, mustache, widow's peak
BELIEF -- Moon

Date learned: 03-31-1971

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TOMATO BELIEF

IF YOU EAT TOO MANY TOMATOES, YOUR SKIN WILL TURN RED.

Submitter comment:

Cause of illness.

 

Data entry tech comment:

Informant and collector are the same person.

 

Where learned: OHIO ; NORTH OLMSTED

James Callow Keyword(s): COLOR ; HOMEOPATHIC MAGIC

Subject headings: Food Drink -- Plant food Fruit
BELIEF -- Body part Senses
BELIEF -- Plant

Date learned: 00-00-1968

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