Collection number: MC 219
Size: 4 boxes
(1.33 cu.ft.)
About the Monadnock Folklore Society
The Monadnock Folklore Society was founded in 1980 and incorporated as a non-profit organization in 1982. The original purpose was to increase the visibility of folk dance and music events in southern New Hampshire, provide new venues for performers, and provide educational services in the folk arts to the community.
The society is governed by a board of five directors, assisted by interested members of the community for help with special projects. It has been the organizer or associated sponsor for contra dances in Greenfield, Nelson, Fitzwilliam and Peterborough. Currently there are dances on the first Saturday of the month in Peterborough and every Monday evening in Nelson.
With the Nelson Town Hall as the main venue, the Monadnock Folklore Society has presented a wide variety of concerts with an emphasis on different cultural styles, such as Hungarian, Shetland, Breton, Scottish, Cajun, Irish, Balkan, and Scandinavian. There is an annual Irish Pub Night in March, a Cape Breton Festival in September, and a performance in December by Nowell Sing We Clear. Individual singer/songwriter concerts have included Greg Brown, U. Utah Phillips, John Gorka, Connie Kaldor, Patty Larkin, Garnet Rogers, Susie Burke, and Doug Clegg. The first concert presentation was by Malcolm Dalglish and Grey Larsen in 1981.
The Monadnock Folklore Society has also supported local dance performance groups such as the Harrisville Morris Women, Jack in the Green Morris, Midnight Rapper, and the Nelson Village Dancers, while financial support has also been provided to Westmoreland composer Larry Siegel for his local production of Village Store Verbatim, to Dudley Laufman of Canterbury for a project recordings local old-time fiddlers, and to Mary DesRosiers of Harrisville for production assistance on her CD A Little Music on the Prairie.
For a number of years, the society published a bimonthly newsletter containing listings of music and dance events around the area, loosely defined as southern New Hampshire, northern Massachusetts and southeastern Vermont. The newsletter also contained reviews of books and recordings and usually an article focused on some aspect of music and dance. Although the newsletter was received enthusiastically by its readership, financial and time constraints prevented publication beyond its second year. MFS now publishes a quarterly calendar, containing music and dance event listings.
About the Monadnock Folklore Society Archives
The collection contains organizational papers, including meeting minutes, newsletters, contra dance and concert files, material relating to various New Hampshire Folk Festivals, newsclippings and photographs.
Administrative Information
Access Restrictions
This collection is open.
Copyright Notice
Contents of this collection are governed by U.S. copyright law. For questions about publication or reproduction rights, contact Special Collections staff.
Preferred Citation
[Identification of item], [Folder], [Box], Monadnock Folklore Society Archives, 1981-2007, MC 219, Milne Special Collections and Archives, University of New Hampshire Library, Durham, NH, USA.
Acquisitions Information
Donation: Monadnock Folklore Society, January 16, 2009 (Accession number: 2009.01); July 30, 2015 (Accession number: 2015.14)
Collection Contents
Series 1: Organizational Papers, 1982-1994
| Box 1 | ||
|---|---|---|
| Box 1, Folder 1 | By-laws, articles of agreement, 1982 and 2004 and various brief histories-cum-statements of mission | |
| Box 1, Folder 2 | 501(c)(3) status application and amendment, 1982-1983 and 1990 | |
| Box 1, Folder 3 | Operations manual, 1983 | |
| Box 1, Folder 4 | Budget and financial reports, 1982-1983 and 1992-1994 | |
| Box 1, Folder 5 | Membership lists and mailing labels | |
| Box 1, Folder 6 | Dudley Laufman and Mary Desrosiers grant applications | |
| Box 1, Folder 7 | Village Store Verbatim grant application, 1994 | |
| Box 1, Folder 8 | Miscellaneous material, including a copy of the MFS performer contract 1983-1992 | |
| Box 1, Folder 9 | Minutes and notes, 1981-1989 | |
| Box 1, Folder 10 | Minutes, 1993-1996 | |
| Box 1, Folder 11 | Minutes, 2004-2005 | |
| Box 1, Folder 12 | Minutes, 2004-2005 | |
| Box 1, Folder 13 | Minutes, 2006 | |
| Box 1, Folder 14 | Minutes, 2007 | |
| Box 1, Folder 15 | Minutes, 2008 | |
| Box 1, Folder 16 | Minutes, 2009 | |
| Box 1, Folder 17 | Minutes, 2010 | |
| Box 1, Folder 18 | Minutes, 2011 | |
| Box 2 | ||
| Box 2, Folder 1 | Minutes, 2012 | |
| Box 2, Folder 2 | Minutes, 2013 | |
| Box 2, Folder 3 | Minutes, 2014 | |
| Box 2, Folder 4 | Minutes, 2015 | |
Series 2: Newsletters
| Box 1 | ||
|---|---|---|
| Box 1, Folder 1 | Newsletter, Volume 1 #1-Volume 2, #1 and 3 | |
| Box 1, Folder 2 | Newsletter, Volume 2, #5 | |
| Box 1, Folder 3 | Newsletter, Volume 2, #8 | |
| Box 1, Folder 4 | Newsletter, Volume 2, #9 and 10 | |
| Box 1, Folder 5 | Newsletter, Volume 2, #11 and 12 | |
| Box 1, Folder 6 | Newsletter, Volume 3, #1 | |
| Box 1, Folder 7 | Newsletter, Volume 3, #2 | |
| Box 1, Folder 8 | Morgan Llywelyn articles for newsletter | |
| Box 1, Folder 9 | Newsletter subscription list, 1994 | |
Series 3: Concert Files (arranged chronologically), 1981-1989
These files variously contain correspondence, contracts, publicity materials, press releases, and photographs.
| Box 2 | ||
|---|---|---|
| Box 2, Folder 1 | Odds Bodkin, Greenfield, N.H., April 1984 | |
| Box 2, Folder 2 | Lincoln Mountain Bluegrass, Nelson Town Hall, June 15, 1984 | |
| Box 2, Folder 3 | Jim Douglas, house concert, Nelson, N.H., September 14, 1984 | |
| Box 2, Folder 4 | Gill Burn, house concert, Nelson, N.H., October 25 (?), 1984 | |
| Box 2, Folder 5 | Malcolm Dalglish, Grey Larsen and Pete Sutherland, Nelson Town Hall, May 11, 1985 | |
| Box 2, Folder 6 | Baker’s Well (Sean Potts, Sean Og Potts, Kevin Glackin and others), Nelson Town Hall, September 17, 1985 | |
| Box 2, Folder 7 | Gordon Bok and Cindy Kallet, Nelson Town Hall, November 22, 1985 | |
| Box 2, Folder 8 | Spaelimenninir, Nelson Town Hall, June 12, 1986 | |
| Box 2, Folder 9 | Dougie MacLean, Nelson Town Hall, August 26, 1986 | |
| Box 2, Folder 10 | Dab Hand, Nelson Town Hall, October 11, 1986 | |
| Box 2, Folder 11 | Danny McGinley, Nelson Town Hall, March 6, 1987 | |
| Box 2, Folder 12 | Lydia Adams Davis, Nelson Town Hall, May 8, 1987 | |
| Box 2, Folder 13 | Sean Potts and Paddy Moloney, Nelson Town Hall, July 12, 1987 | |
| Box 2, Folder 14 | Green Grass Cloggers, Nelson Town Hall, July 16, 1987 | |
| Box 2, Folder 15 | Gerald Trimble and Satura, Nelson Town Hall, August 20, 1987 | |
| Box 2, Folder 16 | Scartaglen, Nelson Town Hall, February 13, 1988 | |
| Box 2, Folder 17 | The Blackwater Band with Bill Thomas, Nelson Town Hall, March 25, 1988 | |
| Box 2, Folder 18 | Ralph Page Legacy Workshop led by Linda Morley, N.H. State Folklorist, Nelson Town Hall, April 10, 1988 | |
| Box 2, Folder 19 | Patrick Ball, Nelson Town Hall, April 13, 1988 | |
| Box 2, Folder 20 | Baker’s Well (Sean Potts, Ronan Browne, Kevin Glackin and others), Nelson Town Hall, May 1, 1988 | |
| Box 2, Folder 21 | David Bates, Nelson Town Hall, May 15, 1988 | |
| Box 2, Folder 22 | Mustard’s Retreat, Nelson Town Hall, October 6, 1988 | |
| Box 2, Folder 23 | Josephine, Nelson Town Hall, November 13, 1988 | |
| Box 2, Folder 24 | John Gorka, Nelson Town Hall, January 15, 1989 | |
| Box 2, Folder 25 | Metamora (Malcolm Dalglish, Grey Larsen, and Pete Sutherland), Nelson Town Hall, February 14, 1989 | |
| Box 2, Folder 26 | Garnet Rogers, Nelson Town Hall, March 5, 1989 | |
| Box 2, Folder 27 | Eileen McGann, Nelson Town Hall, April 8, 1989 | |
| Box 2, Folder 28 | Patrick Ball, Nelson Town Hall, April 16, 1989 | |
| Box 2, Folder 29 | Seamus Connolly, Nelson Town Hall, May 6, 1989 | |
| Box 2, Folder 30 | Boogaloo Swamis, Nelson Town Hall, May 27, 1989 | |
| Box 2, Folder 31 | Dillon Bustin, Nelson Town Hall, June 10, 1989 | |
| Box 2, Folder 32 | Christopher Shaw, Nelson Town Hall, June 16, 1989 | |
| Box 2, Folder 33 | Bridget Ball, Nelson Town Hall, July 23, 1989 | |
| Box 3 | ||
| Box 3, Folder 1 | Ujstilus, Nelson Town Hall, August 4, 1989 | |
| Box 3, Folder 2 | Greg Brown, Nelson Town Hall, August 13, 1989 | |
| Box 3, Folder 3 | Billy Novick and Guy van Duser, Nelson Town Hall, August 18, 1989 | |
| Box 3, Folder 4 | Bill Morrissey, Nelson Town Hall, September 15, 1989 | |
| Box 3, Folder 5 | John McCutcheon, Nelson Town Hall, October 15, 1989 | |
| Box 3, Folder 6 | Sally Rogers and Howie Bursen, Nelson Town Hall, October 20, 1989 | |
| Box 3, Folder 7 | Ginny Reilly and David Moloney, Nelson Town Hall, November 3, 1989 | |
| Box 3, Folder 8 | John Gorky, Nelson Town Hall, November 11, 1989 | |
| Box 3, Folder 9 | Connie Kaldor, Nelson Town Hall, December 1, 1989 | |
| Box 3, Folder 10 | Peter Ostroushko, Nelson Town Hall, December 8, 1989 | |
| Box 3, Folder 11 | Malcolm Dalglish, Grey Larsen and Tom Sparks, Alouette Iselin, Dublin Community Church, Dublin, N.H., n.d. (1981? This may have been the first concert MFS presented.) | |
| Box 3, Folder 12 | Susie Burke, n.d. | |
| Box 3, Folder 13 | Jez Lowe and Jake Walton, October 14, 1988 (not sure this concert actually happened) | |
| Box 3, Folder 14 | Margaret MacArthur, n.d. | |
| Box 3, Folder 15 | Ossian, n.d. | |
| Box 3, Folder 16 | Fred Small, n.d. | |
| Box 3, Folder 17 | Sukay, n.d. | |
| Box 3, Folder 18 | Artie and Happy Traum, n.d. | |
| Box 3, Folder 19 | Robin Williamson, n.d. (concert income and expenses spreadsheet only) | |
| Box 3, Folder 20 | Various concert press releases and a list of concerts 1918-1988 | |
| Box 3, Folder 21 | Various concert flyers | |
Series 4: Dance Flyers
| Box 3, Folder 22 | Nelson Saturday night dance | |
| Box 3, Folder 23 | Nelson Monday night dance | |
| Box 3, Folder 24 | Greenfield, N.H. dance | |
| Box 3, Folder 25 | Peterborough, N.H. dance | |
| Box 3, Folder 26 | 25th Anniversary dance, November 24, 2006 | |
| Box 3, Folder 27 | Iron Dancer | |
| Box 3, Folder 28 | Nelson Village Dancers | |
| Box 3, Folder 29 | Solstice and Christmas events flyers – dances and concerts, including Nowell Sing We Clear |
Series 5: New Hampshire Folk Festivals Materials, 1983-1986
| Box 4 | ||
|---|---|---|
| Box 4, Folder 1 | Various organizational materials for the 1985 8th New Hampshire Folk Festival: list of performers to be considered; press releases, schematic for layout of festival, advertising rates, list of volunteers, sample tickets, etc. | |
| Box 4, Folder 2 | Information re craft exhibitors at 1985 8th New Hampshire Folk Festival | |
| Box 4, Folder 3 | Organizational materials for the 1986 9th New Hampshire Folk Festival | |
| Box 4, Folder 4 | Programs for the 5th, 7th, 8th and 9th New Hampshire Folk Festivals | |
| Box 4, Folder 5 | Festival layout roughly sketched on white cardboard | |
Series 6: Newsclippings, 1982-2007
| Box 4, Folder 6 | Re Monadnock Folklore Society:
“Folk Society keeps the beat alive” by Jackie Patterson Hooper, Monadnock Ledger, undated; short mention with photo of Monadnock Folklore Society 25th anniversary contra dance at the Peterborough Town House, Keene Sentinel, November 2006; “Folk musicians connect to Monadnock Region” by Grace Lilly, Keene Sentinel, September 6, 2001 (about The Peterborough Folk Society) | |
| Box 4, Folder 7 | Re contra dancing, 1982-2006:
“Contra dancing” by Michael Nix, Monadnock Observer, September 11, 1982; “dance the night away” by Kate Meola, Monadnock Observer, September 28, 1991; “Benefit dance for contra caller” by Nathaniel T. Mitchell, Keene Sentinel, February 28, 2002; clippings of photos of dancing in the Monadnock Ledger, from 2001 and 2006 and Keene Sentinel, 1991 and 2003; clipping announcing Friday night family contra dances at the Keene Public Library, Keene Sentinel, February 2004; clipping advertising the Monadnock Folklore Society, Monadnock Shopper News, March and September 2005; “Lure of the Dance” by John Walters, New Hampshire magazine, March 2006 | |
| Box 4, Folder 8 | Re contra dancing, undated:
“The Beat Goes On” by Christine Schultz, unknown publication, undated; “Labor Day starts contra dance season” by Dave Eisenstadter, Monadnock Ledger, undated; “Fancy footwork on the farm” by Nathaniel T. Mitchell, Keene Sentinel, undated; “the way we were,” Monadnock Ledger-Transcript, undated; “Contra Dancing” by Jessie Salisbury, unknown publication, undated; “Contradance tradition on film” by Grace Lilly, Keene Sentinel, undated; “Nelson dances get people out and moving around – even on chilly nights” by Nicole S. Colson, Keene Sentinel, undated; clipping announcing Friday night dances at Monadnock Country Club, unknown publication, undated | |
| Box 4, Folder 9 | Re Bob McQuillen:
“Writing Tunes” by Peter Anick, Fiddler Magazine, Winter 1996-1997; “He keeps contra dancing moving” by Aaron Bowden, Concord Monitor, November 24, 1999; “National award to Bob McQuillen” by Jane Eklund, Monadnock Ledger [2002]; “N.H. artist one of 15 named as national Heritage Fellow,” unattributed, unknown publication [2002] | |
| Box 4, Folder 10 | Re individuals:
Dudley Laufman (“Laufman is lord of the (country) dance” by Catherine Foster, Boston Globe, April 19, 2002); Ralph Sweet (“‘Like learning new words to a song” by Ralph Sweet, Boston Globe, Fall 1998); Allan Block (“Musician, Busker, Poet And a Craftsman” by Alan Joch, Observer, The Keene Sentinel Magazine, Aug 20-26, 1988); Brendan Carey Block (“He’s no second fiddle” by Jennifer De Paul, Keene Sentinel, July 28, 2005); John Redemske (“He revives old dance form” by Jessie Salisbury, Monadnock Ledger, undated; Gary Sredzienski (“The accordion warrior” by Nicole S. Colson, Keene Sentinel, March 15, 2007); Richard Wood, “Prince Edward Island’s Richard Wood” by Katrina Lee VanTyne, Fiddler Magazine, Spring 2004; Village Harmony, “Village Harmony has passion for song” by Grace Lilly, Keene Sentinel, undated; “Fiddle fest fun” by Erika Cohen, Keene Sentinel, undated | |
| Box 4, Folder 11 | Announcements about upcoming concerts:
Nowell Sing We Clear, 1994, 1996 and undated; Jerry Holland, 2005; Josephine, 1998; Nightingale, 1996 |
Series 7: Photographs
| Box 4, Folder 12 | 10 5×7 color photographs of Bob McQuillen | |
| Box 4, Folder 13 | 16 5×7 color photographs of Susannah La Douceur, Johnny Trombly Memorial Scholarship winner, with Bob McQuillen and others at the 2002 award, Nelson Town Hall, October 2002 | |
| Box 4, Folder 14 | Callers:
David Millstone (2); Mary Desrosiers (2); musicians: Harvey Tolman, 2003? (1); Deanna Stiles and Jane Orzechowski (3); Liz Carroll (2); Sylvia Miskoe, Vince O’Donnell, Mary Paul and others (2); a couple of unidentified people; John Roberts (1); Bill Thomas, Randy Miller and Ken Wilson (1); The Chieftains (8); unidentified couple, guitar and fiddle (2, both b&w 2×2) | |
| Box 4, Folder 15 | 16 5×7 color photographs of dancers, taken at the Nelson Town Hall, October 2002 | |
| Box 4, Folder 16 | 8 x 10 b&w of Liza and Ken Wilson |
