Dr. Mark Hamilton, associate dean for the graduate of theology, will be the first ACU alumni speaker of the 3rd annual George W. Ewing Folklore Lecture. The event will take place at 7.p.m. on April 19 in Room 117 in the Onstead-Packer Biblical Studies Building.

“It’s called the George W. Ewing Folklore Lecture because Dr. Ewing taught Folklore at ACU before passed and this is a way of honoring him,” said Dr. Steve Weathers, professor of English and event coordinator. “He was a great man and a very gentle person who served in WWII.”

Last year’s event had a very successful outcome, Dr. Phyllis Bridges a recipient of Texas Women’s University and folklorist specialist was the speaker at last year’s event. She had workshops in the afternoon for students to learn more about folklore diaries, the Oregon Trail, orphan trains, and mail-order brides.

“It went really well last year. Dr. Bridges was really fascinating, and tied folklore with mythology to get a better understand of the two,” said Mikee Delony, assistant professor of English and event coordinator.

This year’s event should have another successful outcome. The goal of this event is to show the importance of folklore studies. In this event, Dr. Hamilton will be discussing certain passages in the Old Testament that are kind of strange and hard to understand. Using folklore, he will help show a better understanding of the passages.

“Folklore is a belief, custom, or superstition by some people of a particular culture that has been passed down orally by one family member to another but has some type of fictional belief that teaches a lesson,” Delony said.