Dr. James T. Callow publications
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The James T. Callow Folklore Archive
Your search for P660 returned 59 results.
TO CALL BACK SOMEONE YOU LOVE FROM THE DEAD
PLACE A LETTER WRITTEN TO A DECEASED MEMBER OF THE FAMILY ON TOP
OF A GLASS OF WATER AND PLACE IT UNDER YOUR BED. YOUR BELOVED ONE
WILL COME AND VISIT YOU IN PEACE. BEWARE: NEVER PERFORM THIS TASK
ON A FULL MOON NIGHT OR EVIL SPIRITS WILL HAUNT YOU.
Where learned: DETROIT ; NORWEST THEATER
James Callow Keyword(s): CONJURATION
| Subject headings: | BELIEF -- Devil Demon BELIEF -- Ghost Spirit Phantom Specter BELIEF -- Moon BELIEF -- Word Letter |
Date learned: 01-30-1984
WHENEVER YOU TAKE A TEST ONE
SHOULD PLACE IN THE LEFT HAND
CORNER, IN SMALL LETTER, J.M.J.
THIS STANDS FOR JESUS, MARY AND
JOSEPH.
Submitter comment:
THE NUNS TAUGHT MICHAEL THIS, IT
IS SUPPOSED TO BRING GOOD LUCK TO
THE TEST TAKER.
Where learned: MICHIGAN ; DETROIT
| Subject headings: | BELIEF -- Religious hero BELIEF -- School BELIEF -- Prayer BELIEF -- Word Letter BELIEF -- Good luck |
Date learned: 00001970S
THE GIRLS AT THE OUR LADY STAR OF THE SEA GRADE SCHOOL
WOULD PUT THE INITIALS J, M, AND J ON ALL THE CORNERS
OF THEIR TEST PAPERS FOR GOOD LUCK. J, M, AND J STANDS FOR:
J JESUS
M MARY
J JOSEPH
Where learned: MICHIGAN ; GROSSE POINTE WOODS
| Subject headings: | BELIEF -- School BELIEF -- Word Letter BELIEF -- Good luck |
Date learned: 00-00-1974
Whenever you eat an apple, twist the core, saying a letter
of the alphabet on each turn. Whatever letter the core
breaks off is the letter of the last name of the person
you will marry.
Submitter comment:
This is done in many of the grade schools, especially
grades two through six.
Where learned: MICHIGAN ; DETROIT
| Subject headings: | BELIEF -- Marriage BELIEF -- Word Letter BELIEF -- Use of Object |
Date learned: 00001970S
IN THE GYM AT MY ELEMENTARY SCHOOL WE USED TO HAVE A ROPE
ABOUT THIRTY FEET LONG THAT HUNG DOWN FROM THE CENTER OF
THE CEILING. EVERY YEAR EACH PERSON WAS REQUIRED TO TRY TO
CLIMB THE ROPE AS FAR AS THEY COULD FOR GYM CLASS. EVERY
BOY THAT TRIED CARRIED A PENCIL IN HIS MOUTH. IT WAS BELIEVED
THAT IF YOU GOT TO THE TOP AND WROTE THE NAME OF THE GIRL YOU
LIKED ON THE CEILING, SHE WOULD LIKE YOU BACK. THE TEACHERS
USUALLY ENCOURAGED THIS PRACTICE AND EVERY YEAR THE CEILING
WAS CLEANED TO MAKE ROOM FOR THE NEXT YEAR'S CLASS.
Where learned: MICHIGAN ; SAGINAW
| Subject headings: | Favorites CUSTOM FESTIVAL -- School BELIEF -- School BELIEF -- Marriage BELIEF -- Word Letter |
Before you eat an apple, take the stem and twist it around
until it comes off. Every time you make a twist, say a letter of
the alphabet, and the last letter that you say when the stem
breaks will be the first letter of the name of your husband.
Submitter comment:
Christine did this with her friends when she was younger to
see what her husband's name would be.
Where learned: MICHIGAN
| Subject headings: | BELIEF -- Plant BELIEF -- Marriage BELIEF -- Word Letter BELIEF -- Use of Object |
Date learned: 00001970S
If you want to contact a deceased love one, you can write
them a letter and they will come to see you.
Where learned: LOUISIANA ; New Orleans
James Callow Keyword(s): Conjuring
| Subject headings: | BELIEF -- Ghost Spirit Phantom Specter BELIEF -- Word Letter |
Date learned: 00-00-1975
J.M.J.
A GIRLFRIEND OF MINE ALWAYS USED TO PUT J.M.J. ON THE
TOP OF HER TESTS AND PAPERS IN HIGH SCHOOL. THIS
STOOD FOR JESUS, MARY AND JOSEPH AND WAS BELIEVED TO
GIVE THIS GIRL GOOD LUCK, OR SO SHE THOUGHT!
Where learned: MICHIGAN ; GROSSE POINTE WOODS
| Subject headings: | BELIEF -- Word Letter BELIEF -- Good luck P881.2 |
Date learned: 10-08-1971
BETTY RECEIVED A CHAIN LETTER IN HER MAIL AND SHE SEEMED
QUITE SERIOUS WHEN SHE ASKED WHAT WOULD HAPPEN TO HER IF SHE
DIDN'T CARRY IT ON. SHE ADMITTED THAT SHE WAS TERRIBLY
SUPERSTITIOUS AND BELIEVED SOMETHING AWFUL WOULD HAPPEN
BECAUSE SHE WAS NOT GOING TO FOLLOW THROUGH ON IT.
Submitter comment: CHAIN LETTER IS ATTACHED
Where learned: TENNESSEE ; PEABODY COLLEGE ; NASHVILLE
| Subject headings: | BELIEF -- Word Letter BELIEF -- Bad luck |
WHEN TWO PEOPLE SAY THE SAME WORD OR PHRASE AT THE SAME TIME,
THEY SHOULD IMMEDIATELY CLASP LITTLE FINGERS OF EACH PERSON
TOGETHER AND MAKE A WISH.
Where learned: NASHVILLE ; TENNESSEE, ASSUMED
| Subject headings: | BELIEF -- Body part Senses Hands, palms, fingernails BELIEF -- Street Trip Relations between relatives, friends, host and guest Social class Rank BELIEF -- Word Letter |
MY FRIEND, MRS. BOWMAN, AND HER FRIENDS WHEN THEY WERE IN
COLLEGE, THEY HAD A OUIJA BOARD. ONE NIGHT, THEY WERE
PLAYING WITH IT AND THEY ASKED IT IF THEY ALL WOULD GET
MARRIED, BUT IT WOULDN'T WORK, SO THEY SET IT ON THE BED
AND STARTED PLAYING CHECKERS. ONE OF THE GIRLS WAS ON THE
OTHER BED AND THE OUIJA BOARD STARTED MOVING. THEY ALL
JUMPED UP AND WATCHED IT AND IT SPELLED "YES" WITHOUT ANY
HANDS ON IT AND THEY ALL GOT MARRIED.
Where learned: TENNESSEE ; NASHVILLE
| Subject headings: | BELIEF -- Street Trip Relations between relatives, friends, host and guest Social class Rank BELIEF -- Marriage BELIEF -- Word Letter |
Date learned: 03-07-1969
MY GRANDPA'S BROTHER WAS DROWNED IN A LAKE NEAR MY HOME-
TOWN. MY GRANDPA AND SOME OF HIS BROTHERS AND SISTERS HAD
A OUIJA BOARD. THEY ASKED IT WHAT WERE THEIR BROTHER'S
LAST WORDS BEFORE HE DIED. THE OUIJA BOARD MOVED BY
ITSELF AND SPELLED OUT "MOTHER."
Where learned: TENNESSEE ; NASHVILLE
| Subject headings: | BELIEF -- Street Trip Relations between relatives, friends, host and guest Social class Rank BELIEF -- Death Funeral Burial BELIEF -- Word Letter |
Date learned: 03-07-1969
IF YOU SEE A BLACK CAT CROSSING IN FRONT OF YOUR CAR, PUT
AN X ON THE WINDSHIELD.
Where learned: TENNESSEE ; NASHVILLE
| Subject headings: | PROSE NARRATIVE -- Mammal BELIEF -- Word Letter BELIEF -- Sign Geometric figure Cross and its various modifications |
Date learned: 06-16-1973
WRITE SOMETHING ON YOUR FOREHEAD SO IT WILL BE REMEMBERED
Data entry tech comment: UNDER NAME D. B. GONYER ARE INITIALS "KZ"
Where learned: NOT GIVEN
| Subject headings: | BELIEF -- Body part Senses Forehead BELIEF -- Word Letter |
Date learned: NOT GIVEN
TWISTING APPLE STEMS--SAYING SUCCESSIVE LETTERS IN THE
ALPHABET UNTIL THE STEM FALLS OFF. THE LETTER SAID
LAST IS THE FIRST LETTER OF THE FIRST NAME OF FUTURE
SPOUSE.
Where learned: NOT GIVEN
Date learned: NOT GIVEN
WHEN YOU AND A FRIEND ARE WALKING TOGETHER AND PASS ON EITHER
SIDE OF AN OBJECT, YOU ON ONE SIDE AND HE ON THE OTHER,
YOU SAY "BREAD AND BUTTER." HE FOLLOWS WITH "PINS AND
NEEDLES." YOU SAY "WHAT GOES UP THE CHIMNEY." HE
ANSWERS "SMOKE." YOU BOTH THEN SAY, "MAY THIS WISH
NEVER BE BROKEN." THIS GRANTS YOU ONE WISH AND INSURES
YOUR EVERLASTING FRIENDSHIP.
Where learned: TENNESSEE ; NASHVILLE
| Subject headings: | BELIEF -- Street Trip Relations between relatives, friends, host and guest Social class Rank BELIEF -- Word Letter SPEECH -- Formula |
Date learned: 08-09-1968
IN MAINE, I ALWAYS HEARD THAT IF YOUR INITIALS SPELLED A
WORD, YOU HAD A GOOD CHANCE TO BE SUCCESSFUL AND
PROSPEROUS.
Where learned: MAINE
| Subject headings: | BELIEF -- Word Letter BELIEF -- Sign Color |
Date learned: 08-06-1968
WHENEVER YOU HAVE AN APPLE WITH A STEM, YOU TAKE THE STEM
AND BEGIN TO TWIST IT. EACH TIME YOU TWIST THE STEM
YOU SAY A LETTER OF THE ALPHABET--THE LETTER THAT THE STEM
TWISTS OFF ON WILL BE THE FIRST LETTER OF THE LAST NAME
OF THE MAN YOU WILL MARRY.
Where learned: NASHVILLE ; TENNESSEE, ASSUMED
| Subject headings: | Ballad Song Dance Game Music Verse -- Special Object or Implement BELIEF -- Plant BELIEF -- Marriage BELIEF -- Word Letter BELIEF -- Use of Object |
Date learned: 06-27-1972
TWIST THE STEM OF AN APPLE, AND WITH EACH TWIST, SAY A
LETTER OF THE ALPHABET. THE LETTER THAT YOU ARE SAYING
WHEN THE STEM BREAKS IS THE INITIAL OF THE LAST NAME
OF THE MAN YOU WILL MARRY.
Where learned: TENNESSEE ; PEABODY COLLEGE ; NASHVILLE
| Subject headings: | BELIEF -- Plant BELIEF -- Word Letter BELIEF -- Use of Object SPEECH -- FamilyGroup |
Date learned: 05-04-1969
BEFORE YOU GO TO BED, PEEL AN APPLE ALL IN ONE PIECE, THROW
THE PEELING OVER LEFT SHOULDER, AND IT WILL FALL IN THE
FIRST LETTER OF THE BOY YOU ARE GOING TO MARRY. LEARNED
WHILE GROWING UP IN WALES, BUT IT IS NOT REALLY BELIEVED
ANY MORE.
Submitter comment: HALLOWEEN CUSTOM.
Where learned: WALES
James Callow Keyword(s): POSITION DIRECTIION
| Subject headings: | 686 Properties attributed to specific numbers or numerals individually. BELIEF -- Marriage BELIEF -- Measure of time Sleeping BELIEF -- Word Letter BELIEF -- Use of Object |
Date learned: NOT GIVEN