Ruth Ann Musick
Encyclopedia
Ruth Ann Musick was an American author and folklorist specializing in West Virginia
. She was the sister of artist
Archie Musick
and niece of author John R. Musick
.
, to Levi Prince Musick and Zada (or Sadie) Goeghegan, Musick received a Bachelor of Science
degree in Education from Kirksville State Teacher's College (now Truman State University
) in 1919. From September 1919 to June 1921 Musick taught at Luana High School, Luana, Iowa
, before moving to Garwin, Iowa
in 1921, where she taught at Garwin High School until June 1922. She then continued her education at the State University of Iowa, graduating with a Master of Science
in mathematics
in 1928. Between 1923 and 1931, Musick taught at Logan High School
, in La Crosse, Wisconsin
. For five years beginning in 1931 she taught at Phoenix Union High School, Phoenix, Arizona
, before returning to the Midwest in 1938 to begin her doctoral study at the State University of Iowa. It was here that her interest in folklore
developed. She was granted a Doctor of Philosophy
in English
in 1943. Her dissertation was a never-published novel, “Hell’s Holler,”http://missourifolkloresociety.truman.edu/Hell%27s_Holler.html dealing with the primitive conditions of her native Chariton River
Valley and its tensions with the college of osteopathic medicine in nearby Kirksville, Missouri
. The novel reflects in some measure her brief and unhappy marriage to an alcoholic artist, a match of which her family disapproved (her mother refused to attend the wedding) and which ended in divorce in the late 1940s.
in 1942; two years later she became a member of the faculty of Iowa Wesleyan College
. In 1946 she moved to West Virginia
to accept a teaching position at Fairmont State College where she continued to teach until her retirement in May 1967. She felt that the Appalachian region surrounding the college was ripe for fieldwork in folklore, and the college in need of courses on folk literature
. She laid out a program of research which was approved by college president George H. Hand, and the college’s first folklore course was inaugurated in 1948. In 1950 she revived the state’s folklore society, dormant since 1917 (two years after its founding), and in 1951 became the founding editor of West Virginia Folklore, serving in that capacity until her retirement in 1967. According to her eulogy by William Hugh Jansen, Folklore Professor at the University of Kentucky, she had become “a public relations agent for West Virginia Folklore.” At the same time, she wrote two folklore columns for West Virginia newspapers: “The Old Folks Say” for the Times-West Virginian in Fairmont and “Sassafras Tea” for the Allegheny Journal in Elkins
and Marlinton, while making numerous conference appearances, publishing regularly in a wide variety of journals, offering workshops and public presentations, and giving talks on radio and television. She was also active as a poet, writer of short stories and dramatist with community theater programs.
Dr. Musick was diagnosed with spinal cancer on November 8, 1973, and died July 2, 1974; in the interests of medical progress, she had allowed herself to be subjected to experimental treatments.
West Virginia
West Virginia is a state in the Appalachian and Southeastern regions of the United States, bordered by Virginia to the southeast, Kentucky to the southwest, Ohio to the northwest, Pennsylvania to the northeast and Maryland to the east...
. She was the sister of artist
Artist
An artist is a person engaged in one or more of any of a broad spectrum of activities related to creating art, practicing the arts and/or demonstrating an art. The common usage in both everyday speech and academic discourse is a practitioner in the visual arts only...
Archie Musick
Archie Musick
Archie Leroy Musick was an American painter. He studied under Thomas Hart Benton, Stanton MacDonald-Wright, and Boardman Robinson.- Early life and family:...
and niece of author John R. Musick
John R. Musick
John Roy Musick was an American historical author and poet best known for his Columbian Historical Novels.-Early life:Born in St. Louis County, Missouri on February 28, 1849, the son of Ephraim and Mary Musick. While a small boy his family moved to Adair County, Missouri where he received his...
.
Youth and education
Born in Kirksville, MissouriKirksville, Missouri
Kirksville is the county seat of Adair County, Missouri, United States. It is located in Benton Township. The population was 17,505 at the 2010 census. Kirksville also anchors a micropolitan area that comprises Adair and Schuyler counties. The city is perhaps best known as the location of Truman...
, to Levi Prince Musick and Zada (or Sadie) Goeghegan, Musick received a Bachelor of Science
Bachelor of Science
A Bachelor of Science is an undergraduate academic degree awarded for completed courses that generally last three to five years .-Australia:In Australia, the BSc is a 3 year degree, offered from 1st year on...
degree in Education from Kirksville State Teacher's College (now Truman State University
Truman State University
Truman State University is a public liberal arts and sciences university in Missouri, United States and a member of the Council of Public Liberal Arts Colleges. About 6,000 students attend Truman, pursuing degrees in 43 undergraduate and 9 Graduate programs. It is located in Kirksville in...
) in 1919. From September 1919 to June 1921 Musick taught at Luana High School, Luana, Iowa
Luana, Iowa
Luana is a city in Clayton County, Iowa, United States. The population was 249 at the 2000 census.The location of a large plant, Luana is located along US Highways 18 and 52 in northern Clayton County...
, before moving to Garwin, Iowa
Garwin, Iowa
Garwin is a city in Tama County, Iowa, United States. The population was 565 at the 2000 census.-Geography:Garwin is located at .According to the United States Census Bureau, the city has a total area of , all of it land....
in 1921, where she taught at Garwin High School until June 1922. She then continued her education at the State University of Iowa, graduating with a Master of Science
Master of Science
A Master of Science is a postgraduate academic master's degree awarded by universities in many countries. The degree is typically studied for in the sciences including the social sciences.-Brazil, Argentina and Uruguay:...
in mathematics
Mathematics
Mathematics is the study of quantity, space, structure, and change. Mathematicians seek out patterns and formulate new conjectures. Mathematicians resolve the truth or falsity of conjectures by mathematical proofs, which are arguments sufficient to convince other mathematicians of their validity...
in 1928. Between 1923 and 1931, Musick taught at Logan High School
Logan High School (La Crosse, Wisconsin)
Logan High School is one of the two public high schools in La Crosse, Wisconsin in the School District of La Crosse. Despite a recent shift in high school attendance area boundaries, Logan High School has not met an enrollment target set for the School District of La Crosse high schools...
, in La Crosse, Wisconsin
La Crosse, Wisconsin
La Crosse is a city in and the county seat of La Crosse County, Wisconsin, United States. The city lies alongside the Mississippi River.The 2011 Census Bureau estimates the city had a population of 52,485...
. For five years beginning in 1931 she taught at Phoenix Union High School, Phoenix, Arizona
Phoenix, Arizona
Phoenix is the capital, and largest city, of the U.S. state of Arizona, as well as the sixth most populated city in the United States. Phoenix is home to 1,445,632 people according to the official 2010 U.S. Census Bureau data...
, before returning to the Midwest in 1938 to begin her doctoral study at the State University of Iowa. It was here that her interest in folklore
Folklore
Folklore consists of legends, music, oral history, proverbs, jokes, popular beliefs, fairy tales and customs that are the traditions of a culture, subculture, or group. It is also the set of practices through which those expressive genres are shared. The study of folklore is sometimes called...
developed. She was granted a Doctor of Philosophy
Doctor of Philosophy
Doctor of Philosophy, abbreviated as Ph.D., PhD, D.Phil., or DPhil , in English-speaking countries, is a postgraduate academic degree awarded by universities...
in English
English studies
English studies is an academic discipline that includes the study of literatures written in the English language , English linguistics English studies is an academic discipline that includes the study of literatures written in the English language (including literatures from the U.K., U.S.,...
in 1943. Her dissertation was a never-published novel, “Hell’s Holler,”http://missourifolkloresociety.truman.edu/Hell%27s_Holler.html dealing with the primitive conditions of her native Chariton River
Chariton River
The Chariton River is a tributary to the Missouri River in southeast Iowa and northeast Missouri.It has been called Missouri's "Grand Divide" because streams west of the Chariton flow into the Missouri and streams east of it flow into the Mississippi River....
Valley and its tensions with the college of osteopathic medicine in nearby Kirksville, Missouri
Kirksville, Missouri
Kirksville is the county seat of Adair County, Missouri, United States. It is located in Benton Township. The population was 17,505 at the 2010 census. Kirksville also anchors a micropolitan area that comprises Adair and Schuyler counties. The city is perhaps best known as the location of Truman...
. The novel reflects in some measure her brief and unhappy marriage to an alcoholic artist, a match of which her family disapproved (her mother refused to attend the wedding) and which ended in divorce in the late 1940s.
Career
Musick began her college teaching career at Iowa's William Penn College, Oskaloosa, IowaOskaloosa, Iowa
Oskaloosa is the county seat of Mahaska County, Iowa, United States. The population was 11,463 in the 2010 census, an increase from 10,938 in the 2000 census. -History:...
in 1942; two years later she became a member of the faculty of Iowa Wesleyan College
Iowa Wesleyan College
Iowa Wesleyan College is a private four-year liberal arts college of the United Methodist Church located Mt. Pleasant, Iowa.Iowa Wesleyan is recognized as a pioneer in higher education in America. Founded in 1842, it ranks as the oldest coeducational college located west of the Mississippi River...
. In 1946 she moved to West Virginia
West Virginia
West Virginia is a state in the Appalachian and Southeastern regions of the United States, bordered by Virginia to the southeast, Kentucky to the southwest, Ohio to the northwest, Pennsylvania to the northeast and Maryland to the east...
to accept a teaching position at Fairmont State College where she continued to teach until her retirement in May 1967. She felt that the Appalachian region surrounding the college was ripe for fieldwork in folklore, and the college in need of courses on folk literature
Folklore of the United States
The folklore of the United States, or American folklore, is one of the folk traditions which has evolved on the North American continent since Europeans arrived in the 16th century. While it contains much in the way of Native American tradition, it should not be confused with the tribal beliefs of...
. She laid out a program of research which was approved by college president George H. Hand, and the college’s first folklore course was inaugurated in 1948. In 1950 she revived the state’s folklore society, dormant since 1917 (two years after its founding), and in 1951 became the founding editor of West Virginia Folklore, serving in that capacity until her retirement in 1967. According to her eulogy by William Hugh Jansen, Folklore Professor at the University of Kentucky, she had become “a public relations agent for West Virginia Folklore.” At the same time, she wrote two folklore columns for West Virginia newspapers: “The Old Folks Say” for the Times-West Virginian in Fairmont and “Sassafras Tea” for the Allegheny Journal in Elkins
Elkins, West Virginia
Elkins is a city in Randolph County, West Virginia, United States. The community was incorporated in 1890 and named in honor of Stephen Benton Elkins , a U.S. Senator from West Virginia. The population was 7,032 at the 2000 census. It is the county seat of Randolph County...
and Marlinton, while making numerous conference appearances, publishing regularly in a wide variety of journals, offering workshops and public presentations, and giving talks on radio and television. She was also active as a poet, writer of short stories and dramatist with community theater programs.
Dr. Musick was diagnosed with spinal cancer on November 8, 1973, and died July 2, 1974; in the interests of medical progress, she had allowed herself to be subjected to experimental treatments.
Books
- Ballads, Folk Songs, and Folk Tales from West Virginia (1960), MorgantownMorgantown, West VirginiaMorgantown is a city in Monongalia County, West Virginia. It is the county seat of Monongalia County. Placed along the banks of the Monongahela River, Morgantown is the largest city in North-Central West Virginia, and the base of the Morgantown metropolitan area...
: West Virginia University Library - The Telltale Lilac Bush and Other West Virginia Ghost TalesTelltale Lilac BushThe Telltale Lilac Bush and Other West Virginia Ghost Tales is a collection of 100 folklore and ghost stories compiled by Ruth Ann Musick.The tales surround ghost stories from around the Marion County area in Northern West Virginia...
(1965), LexingtonLexington, KentuckyLexington is the second-largest city in Kentucky and the 63rd largest in the US. Known as the "Thoroughbred City" and the "Horse Capital of the World", it is located in the heart of Kentucky's Bluegrass region...
: The University Press of Kentucky - Green Hills of Magic, West Virginia Folktales From Europe (1970), Lexington: The University Press of Kentucky
- Coffin Hollow and Other Ghost Tales (1977), Lexington: The University Press of Kentucky
Short stories and articles
- 1946. “A Missouri Dance Call.” Journal of American FolkloreJournal of American FolkloreThe Journal of American Folklore is a peer-reviewed academic journal published by the American Folklore Society. Since 2003 this has been done on its behalf by the University of Illinois Press. The journal has been published since the society's founding in 1888. It publishes on a quarterly schedule...
, 59, 323-34. - 1946. “Three Folksongs from Missouri.” Hoosier Folklore, 5 (March 1946), 29-34.
- 1946. “Iowa Student Tales,” Hoosier Folklore, 5 (September 1946), 103-110.
- 1947. “Folklore from West Virginia,” Hoosier Folklore, 6 (June 1947), 41- 49.
- 1947. “The Old Album of William A. Larkin.” Journal of American Folklore, 60, 201-51.
- 1947. “A Snake Story from West Virginia.” Journal of American Folklore, 60, 301.
- 1947. Review of Ozark Folksongs , Vol. I, by Vance Randolph. Journal of American Folklore, *60, 434-36.
- 1948. “West Virginia Folklore.” Hoosier Folklore, 7 (March 1948), 1-14.
- 1948. “The Tune the Old Cow Died On,” Hoosier Folklore, 7 (December 1948), 105-106.
- 1949. Review of Ozark Folksongs, Vols. II-III, by Vance Randolph. Journal of American Folklore, 62, 453-55.
- 1950. “Children's Rhymes from Missouri.” (written in collaboration with Vance Randolph) Journal of American Folklore, 63, 425-37.
- 1950. “Skeletons from a Homespunner's Closet,” From the Manuscript of James S. Williams. Hoosier Folklore, 9 (October-December 1950), 111-116.
- 1951. “Folksong Hunters in Missouri.” (written in collaboration with Vance Randolph) Midwest Folklore, 1,23-31.
- 1951. “Juggin' Party Tales.” Southern Folklore Quarterly, 15 (September), 211-219.
- 1951. Review of Ozark Folksongs, Vol. IV, by Vance Randolph. Journal of American Folklore, 64, 442-43.
- 1952. “Indiana Witch Tales.” Journal of American Folklore, 65, 57-65.
- 1952. “Omens and Tokens of West Virginia.” Midwest Folklore, 2, 263- 267.
- 1956. “European Folktales in West Virginia.” Midwest Folklore, 6, 27- 37.
- 1957. “Ballads and Folksongs from West Virginia: Part I.” Journal of American Folklore, 70, 247-61.
- 1957. “Ballads and Folksongs from West Virginia: Part II.” Journal of American Folklore, 70, 336-57.
- 1958. “West Virginia Ghost Stories.” Midwest Folklore, 8, 21-28.
- 1960. “The Trickster Story in West Virginia.” Midwest Folklore, 10, 125-132.
- 1974. Witchcraft and the Devil in West Virginia. Appalachian Journal: A Regional Studies Review, 1974. 1, 271-76.
Sources
- Byers, Judy Prozillo, "Ruth Ann Musick — The Show-Me Mountaineer: A Missourian Adopted by West Virginia', Missouri Folklore Society Journal, 1986-87. 8-9, 89-114. http://missourifolkloresociety.truman.edu/prozzillo.html
- Prozzillo, Judy, "Ruth Ann Musick", West Virginia Encyclopedia, Supplemental Vol.25. pp. 230-232.