Wayland Hand
Encyclopedia
Wayland Debs Hand was an American folklorist.
Hand was born in New Zealand, where his parents had emigrated. A few years after his birth, the family returned to Utah
, where Hand grew up. He attended the University of Utah
, where he received bachelor's and master's degrees in German
in 1933 and 1934. He then earned a Ph.D. at the University of Chicago
in 1936, writing his dissertation on German folk songs.
After spending a year as an instructor at the University of Minnesota
, Hand joined the faculty at UCLA
in 1940, where he established the university's folklore department. From 1961 until his retirement in 1974, Hand was Director of UCLA's Center for the Study of Comparative Folklore and Mythology. He was editor of the Journal of American Folklore from 1947-51 and president of the American Folklore Society
from 1955-56.
Hand is known for his 1964 book Popular Beliefs and Superstitions from North Carolina, considered one of the most complete and well-organized studies of superstition
.
Over the course of his career, Hand collected an Archive of American Popular Beliefs and Superstitions containing over 2 million items. The archive forms the basis for UCLA's ongoing project to produce an Encyclopedia of Popular Beliefs and Superstitions.
Hand received numerous awards and honors including the Giuseppe Pitré Prize for International Folklore (1965) and the Order of the Lion of Finland
(1972).
Hand died of a heart attack on October 22, 1986 at Pittsburgh International Airport
, while on his way to the annual meeting of the American Folklore Society
. His papers and files are at Utah State University
.
Hand was born in New Zealand, where his parents had emigrated. A few years after his birth, the family returned to Utah
Utah
Utah is a state in the Western United States. It was the 45th state to join the Union, on January 4, 1896. Approximately 80% of Utah's 2,763,885 people live along the Wasatch Front, centering on Salt Lake City. This leaves vast expanses of the state nearly uninhabited, making the population the...
, where Hand grew up. He attended the University of Utah
University of Utah
The University of Utah, also known as the U or the U of U, is a public, coeducational research university in Salt Lake City, Utah, United States. The university was established in 1850 as the University of Deseret by the General Assembly of the provisional State of Deseret, making it Utah's oldest...
, where he received bachelor's and master's degrees in German
German language
German is a West Germanic language, related to and classified alongside English and Dutch. With an estimated 90 – 98 million native speakers, German is one of the world's major languages and is the most widely-spoken first language in the European Union....
in 1933 and 1934. He then earned a Ph.D. at the University of Chicago
University of Chicago
The University of Chicago is a private research university in Chicago, Illinois, USA. It was founded by the American Baptist Education Society with a donation from oil magnate and philanthropist John D. Rockefeller and incorporated in 1890...
in 1936, writing his dissertation on German folk songs.
After spending a year as an instructor at the University of Minnesota
University of Minnesota
The University of Minnesota, Twin Cities is a public research university located in Minneapolis and St. Paul, Minnesota, United States. It is the oldest and largest part of the University of Minnesota system and has the fourth-largest main campus student body in the United States, with 52,557...
, Hand joined the faculty at UCLA
University of California, Los Angeles
The University of California, Los Angeles is a public research university located in the Westwood neighborhood of Los Angeles, California, USA. It was founded in 1919 as the "Southern Branch" of the University of California and is the second oldest of the ten campuses...
in 1940, where he established the university's folklore department. From 1961 until his retirement in 1974, Hand was Director of UCLA's Center for the Study of Comparative Folklore and Mythology. He was editor of the Journal of American Folklore from 1947-51 and president of the American Folklore Society
American Folklore Society
The American Folklore Society is the US-based professional association for folklorists, with members from the US, Canada, and around the world. It was founded in 1888 by William Wells Newell, who stood at the center of a diverse group of university-based scholars, museum anthropologists, and men...
from 1955-56.
Hand is known for his 1964 book Popular Beliefs and Superstitions from North Carolina, considered one of the most complete and well-organized studies of superstition
Superstition
Superstition is a belief in supernatural causality: that one event leads to the cause of another without any process in the physical world linking the two events....
.
Over the course of his career, Hand collected an Archive of American Popular Beliefs and Superstitions containing over 2 million items. The archive forms the basis for UCLA's ongoing project to produce an Encyclopedia of Popular Beliefs and Superstitions.
Hand received numerous awards and honors including the Giuseppe Pitré Prize for International Folklore (1965) and the Order of the Lion of Finland
Order of the Lion of Finland
There are three official orders in Finland: the Order of the Cross of Liberty, the Order of the White Rose of Finland and the Order of the Lion of Finland . The President of Finland is the Grand Master of all three orders. The orders are administered by boards consisting of a chancellor, a...
(1972).
Hand died of a heart attack on October 22, 1986 at Pittsburgh International Airport
Pittsburgh International Airport
Pittsburgh International Airport , formerly Greater Pittsburgh Airport, Greater Pittsburgh International Airport and commonly referred to as Pittsburgh International, is a joint civil–military international airport located in the Pittsburgh suburb of Findlay Township, approximately west of...
, while on his way to the annual meeting of the American Folklore Society
American Folklore Society
The American Folklore Society is the US-based professional association for folklorists, with members from the US, Canada, and around the world. It was founded in 1888 by William Wells Newell, who stood at the center of a diverse group of university-based scholars, museum anthropologists, and men...
. His papers and files are at Utah State University
Utah State University
Utah State University is a public university located in Logan, Utah. It is a land-grant and space-grant institution and is accredited by the Northwest Commission on Colleges and Universities....
.
External links
- Frances Cattermole-Tally, "Wayland Debs Hand (1907-1986)", Journal of American Folklore (1989).
- Utah State University profile