Dr. James T. Callow publications
Browse by
Questions or comments on this site? Please email davidsor@udmercy.edu.
The James T. Callow Folklore Archive
Your search for M845 returned 41 results.
JEWISH PEOPLE SHOULD ALWAYS HAVE A MEZUZAH ON THEIR MAIN DOOR
FRAME. THERE SHOULD BE ONE ON EVERY ENTRANCE, BUT THERE MUST
BE ONE ON THE MAIN DOOR. INSIDE THE MEZUZAH IS A TINY SCROLL
WITH THE TEN COMMANDMENTS WRITTEN ON IT. A GOOD JEW IS
SUPPOSED TO KISS THE MEZUZAH ON THEIR WAY INTO THE HOUSE.
THIS PRACTICE IS MENTIONED IN THE BIBLE.
Where learned: MICHIGAN ; WEST BLOOMFIELD
Subject headings: | CUSTOM FESTIVAL -- Home CUSTOM FESTIVAL -- Street Trip Relations between relatives, friends, host and guest Social class Rank ART CRAFT ARCHITECTURE -- Wall Partition Door Window |
On the stroke of twelve (on New Year's Eve) every door
in the house has to be opened to allow the spirit of
the old year to leave.
Submitter comment:
Her best friend's family did it when she was a little
girl, and she never forgot it.
Where learned: MICHIGAN ; SAINT CLAIR
Keyword(s): GHOST
Date learned: 00001930S
When it is exactly midnight, on New Year's Eve, someone
has to be outside, and they must go in by the back door
and out through the front door, and round, and in again
by the back.
Submitter comment: Her family has done that as far back as she can remember.
Where learned: MICHIGAN ; JACKSON
Keyword(s): tradition
Subject headings: | CUSTOM FESTIVAL -- January 1 New Year's CUSTOM FESTIVAL -- December 31 New Year's Eve ART CRAFT ARCHITECTURE -- Wall Partition Door Window BELIEF -- Good luck |
Date learned: 00001970S
Money on the inside of your door on New Year's Eve will bring
you money all the year long.
Submitter comment: Gladys learned this from her mother and passed it down to me.
Where learned: DETROIT
Subject headings: | CUSTOM FESTIVAL -- December 31 New Year's Eve ART CRAFT ARCHITECTURE -- Wall Partition Door Window BELIEF -- Maturity P544.2 BELIEF -- Measure of quality Monetary systemMoneyWealth |
Date learned: 00001960S
Beads can be used as a door. String beads length wide from
top of door opening to the floor.
Submitter comment:
I asked my sister why she was buying so many strings of
beads. She said, "Because I going to used them as a door to my
laundry room." She said many people used beads for door
decoration.
Where learned: MICHIGAN ; DETROIT
James Callow Keyword(s): lengthwise?
Subject headings: | ART CRAFT ARCHITECTURE -- Seed Bead Shell Tooth ART CRAFT ARCHITECTURE -- Wall Partition Door Window |
Date learned: 00-00-1989
You should always keep your door ledges clean, because that's
where thoughts are held.
Where learned: LOUISIANA ; New Orleans
Date learned: 00-00-1971
If you don't care for a person, and they come to your house
and you never want them to return to your home again. You should
sprinkle salt down and sweep it out the front door.
Where learned: MICHIGAN ; DETROIT
James Callow Keyword(s): Visitor
Date learned: 00-00-1990
Enemies
A woman who practices "who-do" told her this when she visited
relatives in Chester County, Tennessee. To get rid of someone
that is no longer welcomed in your home, one should pour salt on
the doorway when the person leaves and sweep the salt out on the
ground.
Where learned: MICHIGAN ; Lansing
James Callow Keyword(s): Hoodoo
Date learned: 02-10-1992
People used curtains as doors to separate rooms.
Where learned: GEORGIA
Keyword(s): Walls
Subject headings: | ART CRAFT ARCHITECTURE -- Wall Partition Door Window |
BLOCKING A WINDOW (SUCH AS MAKING A WALL WHERE A
WINDOW ONCE WAS) WILL BRING BAD LUCK TO THE
HOUSEHOLD.
Where learned: MICHIGAN ; WARREN
Subject headings: | ART CRAFT ARCHITECTURE -- Wall Partition Door Window BELIEF -- Bad luck Activities |
Date learned: 03-24-1970
WHEN ANYTHING HANGS ON A DOORKNOB, BAD LUCK WILL
OCCUR.
Submitter comment: FROM HER AUNT.
Where learned: MICHIGAN ; UNIVERSITY OF DETROIT ; DETROIT
Subject headings: | ART CRAFT ARCHITECTURE -- Wall Partition Door Window BELIEF -- Bad luck Activities |
Date learned: 00-00-1968
IT IS BAD LUCK TO MAKE A NEW OPENING IN AN OLD
HOUSE.
Where learned: MICHIGAN ; WARREN
Subject headings: | 686 Properties attributed to specific numbers or numerals individually. ART CRAFT ARCHITECTURE -- Wall Partition Door Window BELIEF -- Bad luck Activities |
Date learned: 01-03-1970
PUT A HORSESHOE OVER YOUR FRONT DOOR TO KEEP OUT
BAD LUCK.
Where learned: MICHIGAN ; DETROIT
Subject headings: | ART CRAFT ARCHITECTURE -- Wall Partition Door Window BELIEF -- Conversions Horseshoe |
Date learned: 01-17-1972
IT IS CONSIDERED GOOD LUCK IF YOU KILL A SPIDER
GOING UP A WALL, BUT IF IT IS GOING DOWN A WALL
AND YOU KILL IT, THEN BAD LUCK.
Where learned: MICHIGAN ; DETROIT
James Callow Keyword(s): POSITION DIRECTION
Subject headings: | ART CRAFT ARCHITECTURE -- Wall Partition Door Window BELIEF -- Good luck Animals BELIEF -- Bad luck Animals BELIEF -- Conversions Animals |
Date learned: 11-02-1969
IF A SMALL PIECE OF BLESSED PALM IS TIED AROUND
EVERY OUTSIDE DOORKNOB OF THE HOME, IT WILL BE
PROTECTED FROM STORMS OR ANY DAMAGE FROM THE
ELEMENTS.
Where learned: MICHIGAN ; DETROIT
Subject headings: | 663 Palm Sunday ART CRAFT ARCHITECTURE -- Wall Partition Door Window BELIEF -- Weather sign or control |
Date learned: 10-26-1969
WHEN BUILDING, NEVER MAKE A WINDOW OUT OF A DOOR OR A DEATH
WILL OCCUR.
Where learned: NOT GIVEN
Subject headings: | ART CRAFT ARCHITECTURE -- Wall Partition Door Window BELIEF -- Death Funeral Burial |
Date learned: 07-00-1972
IF YOU MOVE INTO A FINISHED HOUSE AND CUT WINDOWS, SOMEONE
WILL DIE WITHIN A YEAR.
Where learned: MISSOURI ; PUXICO
Subject headings: | 686 Properties attributed to specific numbers or numerals individually. ART CRAFT ARCHITECTURE -- Wall Partition Door Window BELIEF -- Death Funeral Burial |
Date learned: 07-28-1968
IT IS BAD LUCK TO LEAVE A HOUSE THROUGH A WINDOW.
Submitter comment: I DO NOT REMEMBER WHERE I FIRST HEARD THIS SUPERSTITION.
Where learned: TENNESSEE ; NASHVILLE
Subject headings: | ART CRAFT ARCHITECTURE -- Wall Partition Door Window BELIEF -- Bad luck Leaving Entering Returning home Travel |
Date learned: 07-29-1968
THE CROSS CARVED INTO DOORS WAS TO KEEP OUT EVIL SPIRITS.
Where learned: TENNESSEE ; MADISON
Subject headings: | ART CRAFT ARCHITECTURE -- Wall Partition Door Window BELIEF -- Devil Demon BELIEF -- Sign Geometric figure Cross and its various modifications |
Date learned: 11-11-1973
A RED DOOR MEANS A GIRL IS AVAILABLE IN THE HOUSE.
Where learned: TENNESSEE, ASSUMED ; MADISON
Subject headings: | ART CRAFT ARCHITECTURE -- Wall Partition Door Window BELIEF -- Marriage Signs of availability BELIEF -- Color |
Date learned: 06-21-1973