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

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 first of a two part recording in which Paul Conte interviews northeast Atlanta Boy Scout troops. It begins with Conte announcing his name and the date, Thursday, October 29, 1970, as well as the location, Briarcliff Baptist Church in Atlanta after a Scout meeting. He asks members of Boy Scout Troop 547 to share ghost stories, after which the first interviewer introduces himself and recounts the story The Water Ghost of Carnaby Hall." At minute 4:34, another Scout tells a ghost story from North Carolina about a railway accident that resulted in the death of a train conductor. Next, at minute 7:17, another interviewer tells a variation of the Babysitter and the Man Upstairs urban legend, which he entitles The Five Kids. Another Scout at 9:12 recounts a story about a haunted pillar in Rome, Georgia, that prevented the construction of new roads. An unidentified man recounts ghost stories from historian Franklin Garretts book Atlanta and Environs; one takes place on Stewart Avenue and another on the corner of Briarcliff and Ponce de Leon. Then at 17:38, he talks about his grandmother, who he believes experiences precognitive dreams. A few of the interviewees then tell brief ghost stories, which includes one about the actor Clifton Webbs house in Hollywood, California. At minute 22:56, a Scout tells two comedic tales: Stopping the Coffin and The Vinder Viper. Then at 30:20, Conte recounts a ghost story he learned as a Boy Scout about a young man in the Order of the Arrow who died during an initiation ritual at a haunted house. One of the Scouts follows up with another story involving a fraternity hazing. At 42:15, Conte concludes his first interview. The second part of the interview takes place five days later at the Druid Hills First Christian Church. At minute 42:30, Conte interviews the members of Troop 878. First, a teenager recounts a paranormal experience that he shared with his father in a burned-down schoolhouse in Elberton, Georgia. At minute 48:23, two other Scouts share ghost stories they learned from their scout master. At 53:13, a boy tells a "Jack Tale," and another interviewee recounts an absurdist tale about an inmate on death row trying to escape, which he heard on a camping trip in Jasper, Georgia. At hour 1:02:08, another interviewer recalls a story about flying kitchenware in a house in Savannah, Georgia, which he read about in a newspaper. Next at 1:02:58, Scouts tell a story about a mysterious mausoleum and then a haunted house on Bouldercrest Road in East Atlanta. Then at 1:05:47, one of the Scouts recounts a story that involves a Tennessee Tech student who went missing in the Tennessee, Cumberland Caverns, after which the interviewees discuss the story. At the conclusion of the recording at 1:10:10, an unidentified man recalls a night when he was the victim of a scary prank at the abandoned McLemore Plantation house in Montgomery, Alabama. He describes the architectural style of the plantation house, which was repurposed into a school for African American children and later into a nightclub. Historical information about Boy Scout Troop 103 and Troop 231 has not been determined. 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.