Dallas: Southern Methodist University Press, 1963.īoatright, Mody C. New York: Macmillan, 1949.īoatright, Mody C. He was elected a fellow of the Society in 1968, an honor previously accorded to only three other individuals, including Dobie. Boatright coedited several publications with Dobie, eventually serving as secretary-editor of the Society. Frank Dobie asked him to contribute a story to the Society's annual publication.
Other material relates to research on the oil industry and western history and folklore, as well as to his numerous publications.īoatright first became active in the Texas Folklore Society in 1925, when noted folklorist J. The papers contain materials related to Boatright's career as a teacher, chairman of the UT English Department, secretary-editor of the Texas Folklore Society, fellow of the American Folklore Society, and member of numerous organizations. The Mody Coggin Boatright Papers are held by the Dolph Briscoe Center for American History at The University of Texas at Austin.
Following his death in 1970, his friend and colleague Américo Paredes described Boatright as "the most distinguished professional folklorist that Texas has produced." For More about Mody Coggin Boatright Unlike other folklorists, who added literary flourishes to the tales they published, Boatright presented his stories in the unadorned voices of their original tellers.īoatright was a fellow of the Texas Folklore Society and edited its annual publications. Boatwright also recorded the folklore of the Texas oilfields, presenting the hardworking drillers and roughnecks as the mythical figures of a new age in American industry. In 1934, Boatright published his first book, Tall Tales from Texas Cow Camps, which gathered stories from his childhood and from his many students who were also raised on ranches.
With the exception of one year in El Paso, Boatwright taught in Austin until his retirement in 1968. In 1922, he arrived at The University of Texas, where he ultimately earned his PhD.
He grew up immersed in stories of the Texas frontier.īoatright served in World War I and earned his bachelor's degree from what is now West Texas A&M University. Raised in a West Texas ranching family in the early twentieth century, he was descended from pioneers, cattlemen, and merchants. Folklorist and oral history pioneer Mody Boatright was no stranger to the tall tale.
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