First Timers and Old Timers
English
The Texas Folklore Society has been alive and kicking for over one hundred years now, and I dont really think theres any mystery as to what keeps the organization going strong. The secret to our longevity is simply the constant replenishment of our body of contributors. We are especially fortunate in recent years to have had papers given at our annual meetings by new membersyoung members, many of whom are college or even high school students.
These presentations are oftentimes given during sessions right alongside some of our oldest members. Weve also had long-time members whove been around for years but had never yet given papers; thankfully, they finally took the opportunity to present their research, fulfilling the mission of the TFS: to collect, preserve, and present the lore of Texas and the Southwest.
Youll find in this book some of the best articles from those presentations. The first fruits of our youngest or newest members include Acayla Haile on the folklore of plants. Familiar and well-respected names like J. Rhett Rushing and Kenneth W. Davis discuss folklore about monsters and the classic `widows revenge tale. These worksand the people who produced themrepresent the secret behind the history of the Texas Folklore Society, as well as its future.Kenneth L. Untiedt