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Interview with Elizabeth Hanover "Lizzie" Anthony Opdycke
Wilmer Strecker
An interview with Lizzie Opdycke of Russell, KS regarding her experiences in early Russell. Mrs. Opdycke graduated with the very first graduating class in Russell. The beginning of the recording is missing.
00:00:00 - Coming to Russell, KS in 1876
00:02:24 - Emma, African-American girl from Ness County
00:04:18 - Early Russell buildings and population
00:04:34 - Town school
00:05:41 - Main Street
00:06:24 - Banker Building
00:06:43 - Mainstreet, continued
00:07:46 - Courthouse
00:08:16 - Driscoll Hotel
00:09:05 - Residences and trees
00:10:11 - Early days on the homestead
00:12:54 - The well and experiences with her mother
00:17:56 - Experiences with Indigenous Americans
00:20:42 - Childhood
00:21:55 - Alma Pratt
00:23:15 - School experiences and growing up during the time
00:26:53 - Churches and first Christmas in Kansas
00:29:42 - Decoration Day
00:33:33 - School vacations and ice cream socials
00:36:47 - Soldier's reunion
00:41:00 - Teaching experience -
Interview with Elizabeth Hanover "Lizzie" Anthony Opdycke and David B. Dumler
Neva Berry and Jeanne Eileen Caldwell
An interview with Lizzie Opdycke and David B. Dumler, both of Russell, KS. Recording includes several songs. The end of the recording contains interviews with unknown persons.
00:00:25 - Song
00:01:45 - History of the song
00:02:30 - Superstitions
00:03:10 - Warding against disease
00:04:21 - Dave B. Dumler, introduction
00:04:49 - Biographical information
00:05:24 - Early Russell County
00:05:53 - Musical influences
00:08:04 - Making instruments
00:11:20 - Song, German waltz
00:14:54 - Song, Adam's Waltz
00:19:30 - Song, Lullaby
00:22:56 - Song, The Old Sod Shanty on the Claim
00:25:25 - Song, Rock of Ages
00:27:20 - Song, One, two, three, four
00:34:14 - Song, Polka
00:36:15 - Song, Adam's Waltz (reprise)
00:41:06 - Song, Piece from a Russian ballet
The recording with Dave Dumler ends here. The remainder of the recording consists of an interview with unknown persons.
00:44:47 - Song, Sing-song Sally
00:46:38 - Superstition, Clearing bad luck
00:47:31 - Old wives tale, planting and the moon
00:48:46 - Recording off a television program
00:49:31 - Interview with Ms. Album -
Interview with Elyie Metcalf
Peg Lewis
Interview with Interview with Elyie Metcalf. This recording is unavailable.
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Interview with Emil H. Zahradnik
Samuel John Sackett 1928-2018
An interview with Emil H. Zahradnik of Wilson, KS relating experiences growing up in a Bohemian-Czech immigrant community in Kansas. Recording begins with two Czech language songs and a Czech language poem. Much of the conversation focuses on social clubs, foods, and customs.
00:00:00 - The Prune Song (Czech language)
00:01:43 - Why Are You So Far Away, Mother? (Czech language)
00:03:25 - Whistle Making nursery rhyme (Czech language with English translation)
00:06:33 - English walnut rattle
00:07:35 - Common toys and games
00:08:05 - Bohemian wedding customs
00:12:04 - Dances
00:12:32 - Foods & refreshments
00:20:38 - Holidays and lodge organizations
00:27:50 - Translation of names -
Interview with Fannie T. Taylor, Eunice Schubert, and Martin A. Stites
Eunice I. Schubert and Elvena Stites
An interview with Fannie T. Taylor, Eunice Schubert, and Martin A. Stites regarding their experiences in rural western Kansas in the early 20th century. Recording includes various poems and folk songs.
00:00:32 - Early experiences in Bourbon County, KS
00:01:12 - Remedies
00:01:54 - Games
00:03:13 - Animals
00:03:46 - Sunday School and Church
00:04:09 - Snakes
00:04:32 - Turkeys
00:04:43 - Harvest
00:06:27 - School experiences and entertainment
00:08:48 - Sunday visits
00:09:21 - Learning about Crawfish
00:09:35 - Preserving food
00:10:03 - Cars
00:10:35 - Relationship with neighbors
00:11:28 - Spelling bees and ciphering matches
00:13:01 - Clothing
00:13:36 - The barn and chores
00:14:50 - Predicting weather
00:16:22 - Proverbs and sayings
00:17:17 - Nursery rhymes
00:17:58 - Picking blackberries and finding baby skunks
00:20:41 - Eunice Schubert, making molasses and taffy parties
00:22:55 - Making sauerkraut
00:24:07 - Playing split proverbs
00:25:27 - Martin S. Stites introduction
00:25:52 - Biographical information and early memories of life on a homestead
00:28:53 - Flood on Sugar Creek in 1878
00:31:26 - Singing experiences
00:33:13 - Moving west in 1886
00:36:33 - Building log cabins and establishing a farm
00:38:12 - Outbreak of typhoid fever in Boulder County, CO
00:38:52 - Move to Graham County, KS in 1910
00:41:20 - Introduction to songs
00:41:48 - Song, Give the Boy a Chance
00:45:08 - Song, Paper of Pins
00:47:00 - Introduction to song
00:47:13 - Song, I Wish I Had My Nickel Back
00:48:32 - Introduction to song
00:48:50 - Song, My Mama Told Me
00:49:15 - Song, My Little Gray Kitty
00:51:06 - Song, The Hunting Song
00:53:10 - Poem, Kansas Land
00:54:28 - Reading, Hans Stufienheimer and His Family Troubles
The Samuel J. Sackett Folklore Collection consists of recordings created by Dr. Sackett and his graduate assistants between the years of 1954 and 1977. Dr. Sackett and his assistants interviewed immigrants, homesteaders, and other community figures in Kansas and beyond, with a specific focus on folk music and folk lore. Subjects covered include folk music, folk stories, immigration and homesteading in the late 1800s through early 1900s, relations with Indigenous Americans and other minorities, Volga-German music, language, and customs, along with a wealth of genealogical information. Some of the recordings include racially sensitive language and as well as accounts of hate crimes. Originally recorded on reel-to-reel media, the collection was migrated to cassette tape in the 1990s and then transferred to digital beginning in 2020. Many of the recordings were in poor condition. The access recordings presented here have undergone audio enhancement in order to improve the user experience where possible, though some recordings remain difficult to understand. Unaltered audio transfers are available for researchers on request. Dr. Sackett served in the Department of English at FHSU for 23 years and founded the Kansas Folklore Society. His research materials were transferred to the University Archives in 1992.
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