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MOTHER'S DAY
GOING TO MASS ON MOTHER'S DAY AT OUR POLISH
CHURCH, ALL THE MOTHERS WOULD BE WEARING
FLOWERS, ESPECIALLY CARNATIONS. THERE WAS
A SIGNIFICANCE TO THE COLOR OF THE CARNATION
FOR THE MOTHERS: IF A MOTHER'S OWN MOTHER AND
MOTHER-IN-LAW WERE ALIVE, SHE WOULD WEAR A
RED FLOWER, IF ONE OF THEM HAD DIED, SHE WOULD
WEAR A PINK FLOWER, AND IF BOTH HER MOTHERS
HAD DIED, SHE WOULD WEAR A WHITE FLOWER.
Where learned: MICHIGAN ; DETROIT
Keyword(s): SYMBOLS
| Subject headings: | CUSTOM FESTIVAL -- May CUSTOM FESTIVAL -- Church |
Date learned: 00-00-1950
TO: ALL EMPLOYEES
FROM: PERSONNEL
SUBJECT: ABSENTEEISM DATE: 5/25/70
SICKNESS: NO EXCUSE. WE WILL NO LONGER ACCEPT YOUR DOCTOR'S
STATEMENT AS PROOF, AS WE BELIEVE THAT IF YOU ARE WELL
ENOUGH TO BE ABLE TO GO TO THE DOCTOR, YOU ARE ABLE AND WELL
ENOUGH TO COME TO WORK.
DEATH (OTHER THAN YOUR OWN): THIS IS NO EXCUSE. THERE IS
NOTHING YOU CAN DO FOR THEM, AND WE ARE SURE THAT SOMEONE
ELSE WITH A LESSER POSITION CAN ATTEND TO THE ARRANGEMENTS.
HOWEVER, IF THE FUNERAL CAN BE HELD IN THE LATE AFTERNOON,
WE WILL BE GLAD TO LET YOU OFF ONE HOUR EARLY PROVIDED THAT
YOUR SHARE OF THE WORK IS AHEAD ENOUGH TO KEEP THE JOB GOING
IN YOUR ABSENCE.
LEAVE OF ABSENCE (FOR AN OPERATION): WE WILL NO LONGER ALLOW
THIS PRACTICE. WE WISH TO DISCOURAGE ANY THOUGHTS THAT YOU
NEED AN OPERATION, AS WE BELIEVE AS LONG AS YOU ARE AN
EMPLOYEE YOU WILL NEED ALL OF WHATEVER YOU HAVE AND YOU
SHOULD NOT CONSIDER HAVING ANYTHING REMOVED. WE HIRED YOU
AS YOU ARE, AND TO HAVE ANYTHING REMOVED WOULD CERTAINLY
MAKE YOU LESS THAN WE BARGAINED FOR.
DEATH (YOUR OWN): THIS WILL BE ACCEPTED AS AN EXCUSE, BUT
WE WOULD LIKE A TWO WEEK NOTICE. WE FEEL IT IS YOUR DUTY
TO TEACH SOMEONE ELSE YOUR JOB.
ALSO, ENTIRELY TOO MUCH TIME IS BEING SPENT IN THE REST
ROOM. IN THE FUTURE, WE WILL ALLOW THE PRACTICE OF GOING
IN ALPHABETICAL ORDER. FOR INSTANCE, THOSE WHOSE NAMES
BEGIN WITH "A" WILL GO FROM 8:00 TO 8:10 A.M., "B" WILL
GO FROM 8:15 TO 8:30 A.M. AND SO ON. IF YOU ARE UNABLE
TO GO AT YOUR TIME, IT WILL BE NECESSARY TO WAIT UNTIL
THE NEXT DAY WHEN YOUR TURN COMES AGAIN.
Submitter comment:
THIS SHOULD BE TYPED ON COMPANY LETTERHEAD, USING THE
CURRENT DATE.
Where learned: MICHIGAN ; DETROIT
Keyword(s): PERSONNEL ; POLICY
James Callow Keyword(s): HUMOR ; XEROX LORE
| Subject headings: | Favorites CUSTOM FESTIVAL -- Work Commerce Business CUSTOM FESTIVAL -- Entertainment Diversion |
Date learned: 00-00-1970
(sung to the tune of "The Battle Hymn of the Republic")
Glory, glory, halleluia
Teacher hit me with a ruler.
So I hit her in the bean
With a rotten tangerine
And that's the end of school!
Submitter comment:
I learned this same song in Cincinnati, Ohio during the
1950's, and when I asked people to recall the silly
school songs of their youth, this was usually the first one
they would sing.
Where learned: ILLINOIS ; SKOKIE
Keyword(s): parody, humor, mock violence
| Subject headings: | Ballad Song Dance Game Music Verse -- Children |
Date learned: 00001950S
It is unlucky for someone who is not a Scorpio to
wear an opal.
Submitter comment:
Elinor's great aunt was a Scorpio (Oct. 23 - Nov. 21),
and owned a lovely opal ring. Her daughter, Nettie, wanted
the ring, but her mother cautioned her against wearing it,
as it would bring bad luck. Nettie wore the ring anyway. The
first time she wore it, she was almost hit by a car. The
second time that she wore the opal, she had a mishap,
mangling the ring beyond repair, and losing the opal. After
that, Nettie believed what her mother had told her.
Nettie told this to Elinor as a warning, because they are both
Sagittarius. Elinor also was told by one of her students,
Molly, that she had a terrible string of bad luck for a
whole week, until she gave away her opal ring.
Where learned: MICHIGAN ; FRASER
Keyword(s): Horoscope, proscription, advice, astrology, gems, jewelry
Date learned: 00001960S
Wearing opals when you are not a Scorpio is only bad
luck if you are single; if you are married they won't
harm you.
Submitter comment:
Jane, a friend of Elinor's, states that wearing an opal if
you are not supposed to interferes in the finding of
a husband. She then told Elinor that she could wear
an opal if she wanted to, since she was married.
Where learned: MICHIGAN ; SOUTHFIELD
Keyword(s): horoscope, astrology, spinster, advice, reassurance, gems
James Callow Keyword(s): JEWELRY
Date learned: 00001987ca
Every old crow
Thinks its baby white as snow.
Submitter comment:
This proverb was told to Maryann by her Italian father,
as a way of dismissing praise given to children by
their own parents.
Where learned: ILLINOIS ; SKOKIE
Keyword(s): sarcasm, humor, parental pride
James Callow Keyword(s): ANIMAL METAPHOR ; BIRD ; COLOR
| Subject headings: | Ballad Song Dance Game Music Verse -- Proverb PROVERB -- Proverbial Metaphor |
Date learned: 00001960S
On the feast of St. Barbara (Dec.4), artillerymen wear
red socks.
Submitter comment:
Ray was not sure how this custom came into being, but says
that St. Barbara is the patron saint of artillerymen. Perhaps
because she is the saint to be prayed to for protection from
lightening and fire, the artillerymen feel that she has an
affinity with the explosive power of their weapons.
Where learned: OHIO ; CINCINNATI
Keyword(s): Military, soldiers
| Subject headings: | CUSTOM FESTIVAL -- F120 CUSTOM FESTIVAL -- Typical Elements of a Festive Pattern BELIEF -- Religious hero BELIEF -- Work Commerce Business |
SEASHELL
SEASHELL TACOBELL EASY IVORY OVER.
NOW HERE COMES THE TEACHER WITH ARITHMETIC.
TWO AND TWO EQUAL FOUR AND FOUR EQUAL EIGHT.
NOW LET'S DO OUR EXERCISE.
JUMP UP AND TURN AROUND
TOUCH THE GROUND.
JUMP ROPE RHYME.
Where learned: MICHIGAN ; DETROIT
James Callow Keyword(s): MODERN FOLKLORE
| Subject headings: | Favorites Ballad Song Dance Game Music Verse -- Game Verse Game Verse |
Date learned: 00001980S
LEMON AND LIME
LEMON AND LIME GOTTA BE ON TIME.
CUZ ORANGE AND GRAY SAY DON'T BE LATE.
JUMP-ROPE RHYME.
Where learned: MICHIGAN ; DETROIT
James Callow Keyword(s): COLORS
| Subject headings: | Ballad Song Dance Game Music Verse -- Game Verse Game Verse |
Date learned: 00001980S
When I was a child our family used to prepare for the
Easter holy days with six weeks of sincere fasting
and denying ourselves simple pleasures. When Easter
Sunday arrived we celebrated the Resurrection of
Christ with an abundance of food. On the Saturday
afternoon before this holy day we took our baskets of
food to the church and had them blessed by the priest.
Where learned: MICHIGAN ; DETROIT
Keyword(s): Lent
James Callow Keyword(s): Holy Saturday
| Subject headings: | CUSTOM FESTIVAL -- Spring Planting Easter Sunday CUSTOM FESTIVAL -- Spring Planting F663.2 CUSTOM FESTIVAL -- Spring Planting Holy Saturday |
Date learned: 00001930S
"On top of spaghetti, all covered with cheese,
I lost my poor meatball, when somebody sneezed.
It rolled off the table, and onto the floor,
And then my poor meatball, rolled right out the door.
It rolled in the garden, and under a bush,
And then my poor meatball, was nothing but mush."
Where learned: NEW YORK ; Kenmore
James Callow Keyword(s): Parody of "On Top Of Old Smokey"
| Subject headings: | Ballad Song Dance Game Music Verse -- Ill humor Ridicule Mockery |
Date learned: 00001973 ca.
Kill the Belgian
This game is played just like "Hide and Seek," with
one person (called the Belgian) hiding and the others
hunting and then chasing him to the goal.
Submitter comment:
This game was played by non-Belgians, who
used the term Belgian for Swabian or Pole.
Where learned: MICHIGAN ; DETROIT
James Callow Keyword(s): German, Polish
| Subject headings: | Ballad Song Dance Game Music Verse -- Hiding Searching SPEECH -- Game Pastime Sport |
Date learned: 00001940CA
Red Light, Green Light
This is a children's game in which one child is designated as
the Light. He stands at one end of the yard with his back to
the other players, who are lined up at the other end of the
yard. He yells "Green Light!" and everyone sneaks up toward
him. At any time he may spin around to face the runners, so
long as he yells "Red Light" first. Anyone he sees moving
must go back to start. Whoever touches the Light's back first
takes his place.
Where learned: MICHIGAN ; GROSSE POINTE WOODS
James Callow Keyword(s): COLOR
| Subject headings: | Ballad Song Dance Game Music Verse -- Racing Chasing Fighting |
Date learned: 00001975CA
WHEN WASHING BRIGHT COLORS, IF SALT IS ADDED INTO THE WASH
WATER, THE COLORS WON'T RUN OR BLEED.
Where learned: MICHIGAN ; DETROIT
James Callow Keyword(s): HOUSEHOLD HINT
| Subject headings: | CUSTOM FESTIVAL -- Measure of time Working BELIEF -- Mineral |
Date learned: 00001984CA
ICE COLD BEER MAKES YOU WANNA CHEER,
ICE COLD GIN MAKES YOU WANNA WIN,
ICE COLD DUCK (CLAP THREE TIMES)
MAKES YOU WANNA SCORE.
Where learned: MICHIGAN ; UNIVERSITY OF DETROIT ; DETROIT ; BASKETBALL GAME
James Callow Keyword(s): ALCOHOLIC DRINKS ; INITIAL ITERATION ; INTERNAL RHYME
| Subject headings: | Ballad Song Dance Game Music Verse -- Custom Festival Custom Festival |
Now I lay me down to study.
I pray the Lord I don't go nutty.
And if I die before I wake,
That's one less test I'll have to take.
Where learned: MICHIGAN ; HEMLOCK
James Callow Keyword(s): Academic folklore
| Subject headings: | Ballad Song Dance Game Music Verse -- Belief Belief |
Date learned: 00001980S
If you hang wolfbang (an herb) above the
kitchen door all will be well in your house.
Where learned: MICHIGAN ; DETROIT
James Callow Keyword(s): POSITION DIRECTION ; wolfbane?
| Subject headings: | BELIEF -- Plant BELIEF -- Home BELIEF -- Magic of Speech, Sign, Color |
Date learned: 00001985ca
Yo have mo front 'n Katie Ben.
Submitter comment:
You have more "gumption" than Katie Ben. The story goes back
to the 1940's in Saint Thomas when there was a problem with
the congregation of a Methodist church. Everyone was afraid
to talk about it, including the minister, even though all knew
a problem existed. Katie Ben, a child, got up in church and
spoke out or took the "front." The informant has no idea what
the problem was at the time but that is where this saying came
from.
Where learned: VIRGIN ISLANDS ; Saint Thomas
Keyword(s): 'n = than ; mo = more ; Yo = you
James Callow Keyword(s): Effrontery Boldness Audacity ; Personal name in proverb
| Subject headings: | Favorites PROVERB -- Proverbial Apothegm Maxim PROVERB -- Proverbial Comparison |
Date learned: 03-00-1991
Yo is a White Sam.
Submitter comment:
A White Sam is a stupid person or one that does the
unnecessary. The story goes that White Sam
wanted to ride to town 8 miles away but he didn't have a
saddle and the occasion demanded that he be dressed in his
finest. White Sam walked 14 miles to West End
(7 miles there and 7 back) to borrow a saddle, then rode to
town in high style.
Where learned: VIRGIN ISLANDS ; Saint Thomas
Keyword(s): Yo = you
James Callow Keyword(s): Fool Numskull
| Subject headings: | SPEECH -- Formula PROVERB -- Proverbial Metaphor |
Date learned: 03-00-1991
When yo' dig up ol' graves, dem smell stink.
Submitter comment:
When you bring up old grievances and quarrels you can expect
for the unpleasant results to arise as well.
Where learned: VIRGIN ISLANDS ; Saint Thomas
Keyword(s): dem = them ; ol'= old ; Yo = you
James Callow Keyword(s): OBSERVATION
| Subject headings: | PROVERB -- Proverbial Metaphor |
Date learned: 03-00-1991