Collection Summary

Title: West Central Illinois Duck Decoy Carving Survey (Gregory Hansen) Collection and Schuyler Arts Folk Music Project Collection
Dates: 1987

Creators:

• Illinois Institute of Rural Affairs
• Western Illinois University. College of Fine Arts
• Schuyler Arts Council
• American Folklife Center

Unique Identifier: CSUMC0030-CG

Contents: Western Illinois University Archives and Special Collections: Duck Decoy (Gregory Hansen): 1 notebook, 1 bundle, 36 audiocassettes, 28 contact sheets, 11 photographs, and 1,000 negatives; Schuyler Folk Music: 5 folders, 20 audiocassettes, 83 photographs

Publisher:

Center for the Study of Upper Midwestern Cultures

432 East Campus Mall, Room 332
Madison, Wisconsin 53706
608-262-8180
Web site: http://csumc.wisc.edu

Archival Locations:

Center for the Study of Upper Midwestern Cultures (Map)

Western Illinois University (Map)

Summary:

Western Illinois University Archives and Special Collections houses ethnographic documentation from two publicly-funded folk arts projects that occurred in 1987. They are accessible through the collection designations of “The Gregory Hansen Collection” and “The Schuyler Arts Folk Music Project Collection.” The Gregory Hansen Collection includes documentation of more than 30 duck decoy carvers in West Central Illinois along the lower Illinois and Rock rivers as well as a stretch of the Upper Mississippi River. Folklorist Gregory Hansen conducted the survey for the Illinois Institute of Rural Affairs and the Western Illinois University College of Fine Arts. The documentation includes typescripts of interview information, recorded interviews, photographs and negatives, as well as a photo log with contact sheets. Musician Chris Vallilo, on behalf of the Schuyler Arts Council (Rushville, Illinois) in conjunction with the Illinois Arts Council and the American Folklife Center at the Library of Congress, surveyed Schuyler County's folk music for the Schuyler Arts Folk Music Project. His work resulted in recorded interviews of 19 individuals and 6 performances, and includes notes, logs, photographs, permission forms, and completed interview transcripts.

Language: The records are in English.

URL to cite for this finding aid: http://digital.library.wisc.edu/1711.dl/wiarchives.uw-csumc-csumc0030cg

Quantity	Physical Description	Location
Manuscript Materials
1	fieldwork notebook (Duck Decoy [Hansen])	WIU Archives
1	bundle, 100 pages of field reports (Duck Decoy [Hansen])	WIU Archives
5	folders (Schuyler Folk Music)	WIU Archives
Sound Recordings
36	audiocassettes (Duck Decoy [Hansen])	WIU Archives
20	audiocassettes (Schuyler Folk Music)	WIU Archives
Graphic Materials
28	contact sheets (Duck Decoy [Hansen])	WIU Archives
11	8x10 black-and-white photographs (Duck Decoy [Hansen])	WIU Archives
1000	black-and-white negatives (Duck Decoy [Hansen])	WIU Archives
83	5x7 black-and-white photographs (Schuyler Folk Music)	WIU Archives

Staff/Fieldworkers

Folklorist Gregory Hansen conducted the fieldwork for the duck decoy carver survey, while Fieldworker Chris Vallillo conducted the 1987 survey of folk music in Schuyler County and surrounding areas.

Project History

The Gregory Hansen Collection contains documentation of duck decoy carvers in June-July 1987 that supported creation of the exhibit, “Woodcarving in Western Illinois: Expressions in Attitude,” which showed at Western Illinois University's art gallery, c.1988. The project was created by WIU in conjunction with the Illinois Arts Council. Hansen was hired as a contract fieldworker and documented, through recorded interviews and photographs, more than 30 carvers, including Carmen LeMaster, widow of duck-carving great Richard LeMaster (“The LeMaster Method”). This collection is designated VFM-186.

The Schuyler Arts Folk Music Collection was created by the Schuyler Arts Council in conjunction with the Illinois Arts Council and the Library of Congress. Fieldworker Chris Vallillo documented 19 area singers, fiddlers, guitarists, harmonica players, hammered dulcimer players, instrument makers, and square dance callers, May-July 1987. The folk music survey was done primarily in Schuyler County, with a few interviews held in Fulton, Brown, and Scott counties. This collection is designated VFM-190.

Each collection is in a letter-sized flip-top 0.4 c.f. Hollinger box. Sound recording and photo logs provide details on the collection contents. The Schuyler Arts Folk Music collection (VFM-190) appears to have been processed (notebooks photocopied onto archival bond, metal removed, etc.).

Copies of Schuyler Arts Folk Music Project Collection recorded performances and interviews and photographs are held by the American Folklife Center.

Languages

• English language

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Instruments

• Dulcimer
• Fiddle
• Guitar
• Harmonica
• Singers

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Locations

• Clayville Rural Life Center
• Adams County (Ill.)
• Barry (Ill.)
• Beardstown (Ill.)
• Brown County (Ill.)
• Brussels (Ill.)
• Calhoun County (Ill.)
• Cambridge (Ill.)
• Cass County (Ill.)
• Chillicothe (Ill.)
• Fulton County (Ill.)
• Green County (Ill.)
• Hampton (Ill.)
• Hanna City (Ill.)
• Havana (Ill.)
• Henry County (Ill.)
• Macomb (Ill.)
• Marshall County (Ill.)
• Mason County (Ill.)
• McDonough County (Ill.)
• Milan (Ill.)
• Moline (Ill.)
• Pekin (Ill.)
• Peoria (Ill.)
• Peoria County (Ill.)
• Pike County (Ill.)
• Pleasant Hill (Ill.)
• Quincy (Ill.)
• Rock Island (Ill.)
• Rock Island County (Ill.)
• Rushville (Ill.)
• Schuyler County (Ill.)
• Scott County (Ill.)
• Sparland (Ill.)
• Sterling (Ill.)
• Tazewell County (Ill.)
• Washburn (Ill.)
• White Hall (Ill.)
• Whiteside County (Ill.)
• Woodford County (Ill.)

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Subjects

• Decoys (Hunting)
• Duck shooting
• Folk art
• Folk music
• Musical instruments--Construction
• Square dance calling
• Wood-carving

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Traditional Artists: Duck Decoy Carving Survey (Gregory Hansen Collection)

• Allen, Bob
• Barnett, Jim
• Behymer, Don
• Bradney, Robert
• Bush, Wilfred
• Cheesman, Jack
• Collins, Frank
• Cook, Bob
• Cook, Tom
• Early, Doug
• Elam, John
• Esbeck, Howard
• Gittinger, Jack
• Halcomb, Leon
• Hansen, Gregory, 1962-
• Hatch, Charles
• Heberling, Don
• Hermann, Frank, Jr.
• Hinck, Bud
• Ingram, Ken
• Keiffer, George
• Keith, Leland
• Krohe, Dick
• LeMaster, Carmen
• Long, Jack
• Neuser, Floyd
• Odean, Lenus
• Oltman, Herbert
• Pierce, Mike
• Reller, John Keith
• Schaefer, Don
• Scheres, Mike
• Scheres, Nancy
• Stiner, LeRoy
• Townzen, Wesley
• Traver, Fred
• Van Norman, Bernie

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Traditional Artists: Schuyler Arts Folk Music Project Collection

• Allen, Gordon
• Bedenbender, Homer
• Brierton, Jack
• Brierton, Tom
• Busby, Everette
• Dillard, Terry
• Dormire, Fern
• Ferrel, Virgil
• Ferrel, Virgil, Mrs.
• Hanning, Glenn
• Hanning, Glenn, Mrs.
• Mefford, Genevive
• Miller, David
• Royer, Lawrence
• Smith, Jessie
• Stroops, Harry
• Trone, Ace
• Tyson, Harold
• Vallillo, Chris

Both collections were deposited at the Archives and Special Collections, Malpass Library, Western Illinois University. The Gregory Hansen Collection (VFM-186) contains a note that says the donor should be listed as the Illinois Institute of Rural Affairs and the WIU College of Fine Arts.

Contact the Western Illinois University Archives for access information.

Archives and Special Collections
Western Illinois University Libraries
1 University Circle
Macomb, Illinois 61455-1390
Email: malpass-archives@wiu.edu
Phone: (309) 298-2717
Web site: http://www.wiu.edu/libraries/archives/

Consult the Western Illinois University Archives for specific information.

Please consult the Western Illinois University Archives for guidelines. We suggest the following citation form when using direct quotes from a person documented: [Name of person documented]. [Date]. [Tape/video/other]-recorded interview by [Fieldworker name]. [Place interviewed]. [Name of collection/project]. [Repository, city, state]. When using a specific image: [Identify subject matter/people in caption]. Photo/image by [Photographer/fieldworker name]. [Date]. Courtesy of [repository]. To quote fieldworker, follow bibliographical style.

	Series: The Gregory Hansen Collection (VFM-186)
	Subseries: Manuscript Materials
Box   1	Notebook containing field notes and some photo identification.
Box   1	100-page bundle of field reports that list related documentation, interview date, biographical information, and a narrative description of skills as well as photocopies of research materials for particular artists
	Subseries: Sound Recordings Note: BASF LH-EI 60. All were recorded by Gregory Hansen using binaural equipment, recorded in Dolby.	⇧
Tape   1	Don Heberling, Macomb, Illinois, 1987 June 12
Tape   2	Frank Hermann Jr., Rock Island, Illinois, 1987 June 16
Tape   3	George Keiffer, Rock Island, Illinois, 1987 June 16
Tape   4	Mike Pierce, Moline, Illinois, 1987 June 16
Tape   5	Lenus Odean, Rock Island, Illinois, 1987 June 17
Tape   6	Frank Collins, Milan, Illinois, 1987 June 17
Tape   7	LeRoy Stiner, Cambridge, Illinois, 1987 June 18
Tape   8	Herbert Oltman, Hampton, Illinois, 1987 June 18
Tape   9	Howard Esbeck, Moline, Illinois, 1987 June 18
Tape   10	Jack Long, Rock Island, Illinois, 1987 June 18
Tape   11	Bob and Tom Cook, Macomb, Illinois, 1987 June 23
Tape   12	Bud Hinck, Washburn, Illinois, 1987 June 24
Tape   13-14	Ken Ingram, Peoria, Illinois (both labeled “13”), 1987 June 17
Tape   15	Wilfred Bush, Pekin, Illinois, 1987 June 28
Tape   16	Bernie Van Norman, Hanna City, Illinois, 1987 June 28
Tape   17	Fred Traver, Washburn, Illinois, 1987 June 29
Tape   18	Jack Gittinger, Peoria, Illinois, 1987 June 29
Tape   19	John Elam, Beardstown, Illinois, 1987 July 1
Tape   20	Keith Reller, Beardstown, Illinois, 1987 July 1
Tape   21	Don Schaefer, Beardstown, Illinois, 1987 July 1
Tape   22	Don Behymer, Rushville, Illinois, 1987 July 2
Tape   23	Leland Keith, Havana, Illinois, 1987 July 8
Tape   24	Jack Cheesman, Macomb, Illinois, 1987 July 8
Tape   25	Jim Barnett, Sterling, Illinois, 1987 July 9
Tape   26	Robert Bradney, Quincy, Illinois, 1987 July 9
Tape   27-28	Floyd Neuser, Quincy, Illinois (both labeled “27”), 1987 July 10
Tape   29	Dick Krohe, Beardstown, Illinois, 1987 July 13
Tape   30	Doug Early, White Hall, Illinois, 1987 July 14
Tape   31	Leon Halcomb, Pleasant Hill, Illinois, 1987 July 14
Tape   32	Charles Hatch, Barry, Illinois, 1987 July 15
Tape   33	Wesley Townzen, Brussels, Illinois, 1987 July 15
Tape   34	Bob Allen, Chillicothe, Illinois, 1987 July 16
Tape   35	Mike and Nancy Scheres, Sparland, Illinois, 1987 July 16
Tape   36	Carmen LeMaster, Chillicothe, Illinois, 1987 July 18
	Subseries: Graphic Images	⇧
Folder   1	28 contact sheets
Folder   1	11 8x10 black-and-white prints
Folder   1	1000 black-and-white negative frames
	Series: Schuyler Arts Folk Music Project Collection (VFM-190)	⇧
	Subseries: Manuscript Materials
Folder   1	Field notes
Folder   2	Release forms
Folder   3	Tape log
Folder   4	Photo log
Folder   5	Tape catalog forms - Contains bound report with interview transcripts
	Subseries: Sound Recordings: Audiocassettes	⇧
Tape   1	Genevieve Mefford, 1987 June 10
Tape   2-3	Terry Dillard, 1987 June 12
Tape   4	Everette Busby, 1987 June 24
Tape   5	Lawrence Royer, 1987 May 1
Tape   6	Mr. and Mrs. Glenn Hanning, 1987 May 6
Tape   7	Harold Tyson, 1987 May 7
Tape   7	Mr. and Mrs. Virgil Ferrel, 1987 May 11
Tape   8	Harry Stroops, 1987 May 15
Tape   9	Lawrence Royer and Ace Trone, 1987 May 29
Tape   10	Homer Bedenbender, 1987 June 2
Tape   11	Glenn Hanning, 1987 June 11
Tape   11	Harry Stroops, 1987 June 12
Tape   12	Harry Stroops (continued)
Tape   13	Jack and Tom Brierton, Gordon Allen, Chris Vallillo, 1987 June 13
Tape   14	Jack and Tom Brierton, et al. (continued); and Miss Fern Dormire, 1987 June 25
Tape   15	Mr. Jessie Smith, 1987 July 7
Tape   16	Jessie Smith, continued; and Fern Dormire, 1987 July 8
Tape   17	David Miller, 1987 July 10
Tape   17	Jessie Smith, 1987 July 17
Tape   18	Jessie Smith (continued)
Tape   20	Clayville Rural Life Center, 1987 July 18
	Subseries: Graphic Images	⇧
	83 5x7 black-and-white photographs (item-level paper log available)