Paul Conte interview with Boy Scout Troop 103 and Troop 878 (part two)

The John Burrison Georgia Folklore Archive recordings contains unedited versions of all interviews. Some material may contain descriptions of violence, offensive language, or negative stereotypes reflecting the culture or language of a particular period or place. There are instances of racist language and description, particularly in regards to African Americans. These items are presented as part of the historical record. This project is a repository for the stories, accounts, and memories of those who chose to share their experiences for educational purposes. The viewpoints expressed in this project do not necessarily represent the viewpoints of the Atlanta History Center or any of its officers, agents, employees, or volunteers. The Atlanta History Center makes no warranty as to the accuracy or completeness of any information contained in the interviews and expressly disclaims any liability therefore. If you believe you are the copyright holder of any of the content published in this collection and do not want it publicly available, please contact the Kenan Research Center at the Atlanta History Center at 404-814-4040 or reference@atlantahistorycenter.com. This is the second of a two part recording in which Paul Conte interviews northeast Atlanta Boy Scout troops. First, Conte states the interviews location, Clairmont Hills Baptist Church, and the date, Thursday, November 5, 1970 (two days after the last interview). Afterwards, four interviewees from Boy Scout Troop 103 introduce themselves, and at 1:04, one of the Scouts states that his uncle saw an apparition of a hanged woman beside his bed while staying at an old lodging house in England. At minute 1:54, another interviewee recounts a ghost story entitled The Golden Arm, about a wealthy amputee who has his arm replaced with one made of gold. After his death, his greedy wife removes it from his grave, and his ghost follows her. At 4:32, another Scout tells a scary campfire story that he heard at a YMCA camp in Waco, Georgia. From minute 7:46 to 11:55, two Scouts give separate renditions of the story The Monkeys Paw. Then at 12:25, another boy tells a version of The Golden Arm" in which the arm belongs to the wife. Then, an interviewee summarizes a ghost story about a woman who received multiple abortions, and the unborn spirits grow up without realizing that they are dead. Next, at 17:30, an interviewee recounts a prank that his cousins neighbor pulled on an alcoholic railway signalman; it resulted in the mans death from fright and the placement of the pranksters in juvenile detention. At 19:14, a boy tells an elaborate tale about a prankster named Jimmy Marloff, who loses his sanity when one of his pranks fails during a production of a Shakespeare play. Next, at 23:13, one boy recounts the urban legend The Babysitter and the Man Upstairs, and another interviewee tells a campfire story about a teenage couple that park near a haunted house, where a beast kills the boyfriend. At 27:50, another Scout tells a close variation of the same story, which is similar to the urban legend The Hook. Two boys then recall stories about live burials. The second features a mad scientist who tests an experiment on himself and transforms into a murderous animal. Conte concludes this part of the interview at 35:00. The second part of the recording takes place seven days later at Clairmont Presbyterian Church with Boy Scout Troop 231. At 35:45, a boy tells a comedic tale about a group of cousins who go missing one by one in their late grandfathers house while investigating a rapping sound. At 40:40, another boy recounts The Monkeys Paw, as told to him by his schoolteacher. Then, two versions of The Golden Arm" are retold at minute 46:43. At 52:18, the Scouts briefly discuss a campout. Then, a boy recounts a ghost story from Rod Serlings television series Night Gallery about a man who murders his uncle to gain ownership of his mansion and is subsequently haunted by a figure that moves within a painting. At hour 1:02:30, a Scout tells a story about a married couple that finds a bell at an antique shop in Chinatown, San Francisco, that can resurrect someone in exchange for another persons life. At 1:07:46, another boy recounts a tale based on the real-life feud between the Jones family and the Vandiver family in Tallulah Gorge, Georgia. At 1:15:57, an interviewee tells two comedic tales, Ghost with the One Black Eye and Ghost with the One Bloody Finger. Then, a boy tells a story from Ripleys Believe It or Not!, in which a man and woman take lodging in an old house in the Appalachian Mountains, and later on they discover that the house and its owners perished in a fire 30 years prior. Historical information about Boy Scout Troop 103 and Troop 231 has not been determined. Night gallery (Television program); Ripley's believe it or not! (Comic strip); INTRODUCTION One experience probably common to many young people is the telling and hearing of "ghost stories". I sought out four Boy Scout troops, hoping that there would still be an active tradition of ghost story telling. The four troops were all located in the northeast section of Atlanta, drawing from white,urban and suburban areas. At first I approached the troop leaders with the idea of my going on camping trips to record natural sessions; however, I was informed by all of them that this was no longer a common practice on scout outings, that instead skits were usually presented. Arrangements were then made to establish an induced setting after troop meetings. On each of four nights, I went to one of the troop meetings, and after the regular business met with from five to ten boys who had expressed a knowledge of and interest in ghost stories. We sat in chairs in a circle in a dark room, and I explained to the boys that they were not to worry about t#e recorder, just talk naturally to one another. The Sony portable was used with internal mike and speed of 3 1/4 .I'ps. Once this setting was established, it was usually still necessary for me to prompt the boys. Although this added even more artificial structure to the setting, I felt that after a few minutes the boys relaxed and told the stories fairly naturally. I do not feel that the reactions were completely natural. With a few exceptions, there was little reaction, and it was necessary for me to comment or acknowledge the story just told. 2 A PDF transcript exists for this recording. Please contact an archivist for access. Professor John Burrison founded the Atlanta Folklore Archive Project in 1967 at Georgia State University. He trained undergraduates and graduate students enrolled in his folklore curriculum to conduct oral history interviews. Students interviewed men, women, and children of various demographics in Georgia and across the southeast on crafts, storytelling, music, religion, rural life, and traditions. As archivists, we acknowledge our role as stewards of information, which places us inaposition to choose how individuals and organizations are represented and described in our archives. We are not neutral, andbias isreflected in our descriptions, whichmay not convey the racist or offensive aspects of collection materialsaccurately.Archivists make mistakes and might use poor judgment.We often re-use language used by the former owners and creators, which provides context but also includes bias and prejudices of the time it was created.Additionally,our work to use reparative languagewhereLibrary of Congress subject termsareinaccurate and obsolete isongoing. Kenan Research Center welcomes feedback and questions regarding our archival descriptions. If you encounter harmful, offensive, or insensitive terminology or description please let us know by emailingreference@atlantahistorycenter.com. Your comments are essential to our work to create inclusive and thoughtful description.