TY - GEN T1 - Dead Ends: Obstacles Facing Local Historians, the Effects of Folklore on Communities, and the Ghostly Legends of South Georgia State College. AU - Pridgen, Emily AB - Dead Ends: Obstacles Facing Local Historians, the Effects of Folklore on Communities, and the Ghostly Legends of South Georgia State College. Folklore consists of knowledge and stories passed down through generations, and its purpose is generally to entertain, instruct, and bring people together. According to American Folklorist Rodger D. Abrahams, “Folklore . . . has no justification except as it enables us to better understand ourselves and others”. In this presentation, I explain the difficulties I faced while researching the folklore and legends of South Georgia State College (SGSC), encourage others to see the importance of folklore, and provide detailed, first-hand accounts of supernatural sighting at SGSC. From my research, I learned the challenge that comes with being the first, or one of the few, to do deep research on an obscure topic. This is especially true when the factual evidence cannot be proved, such is the case with supernatural occurrences. I also learned that even though my research couldn’t be proved, the results and subsequent presentation still have value as a piece of entertainment. After providing accounts of supernatural encounters I uncovered in my research, I argue that these stories, though not able to be proven accurate, still are an integral part of the character and color of SGSC. Ultimately, I claim Folklore is a central thread in the fabric of society. DA - 2019-3-22 PY - 2024 PB - unav N1 -

Acknowledgements:

Michael Rifenburg

ER -