Instead of giving the usual banquet and reception to the seniors,
the juniors in a small school might well plan an outdoor picnic and
supper. It has the possibility of being jollier than the regulation
affair, and is certainly less expensive.
Individual invitations may be sent out to the senior class--quite
unusual and mysterious invitations--for each one may consist of a
colored feather quill with a message written on a slip of paper
wrapped about the end. This reads:
_Greetings from the Tribe of Twenteequas
To the Tribe of Nyneteenwas:
Will the Tribe of Nyneteenwas
Smoke the pipe of friendship
Round the camp-fire of the Twenteequas
On the sixteenth day of the Moon of Roses
One hour before waysawi (sunset)?
One of the Twenteequas will act as your guide_.
As soon as the two classes have gathered at the picnic ground, the
juniors, already decked in head bands of ribbon in their own class
colors, may present the seniors with similar ribbons. The boys may
have feathers stuck in theirs--if they don't object to head bands.
The chief of the Twenteequas may announce the first stunt as a Hunt
for Game, and all must hunt in pairs, matching partners by means of
selecting, blindfolded, colored beads from a basket. Pasteboard bows
and arrows are supplied, and everyone is told to return at the summons
of a beaten tom-tom.
The couples then scatter into the surrounding woods, and hunt for
animal crackers which have previously been hidden by a committee of
juniors.
The prize for the couple getting the most game might be an animal toy.
Next, volunteers to "Run the Gauntlet" may be called for. The others
form in two parallel lines facing each other, armed with pieces of
chalk. The victims must run down between the lines to a goal at the
end, while the cruel Indians on each side reach out to put a chalk
mark on them. The victim who gets the least chalk marks is permitted
to select five of his tormentors to perform a series of stunts,
previously planned by the junior entertainment committee.
Appropriate ones are these: 1. Give an Indian war whoop. 2. Do an
Indian war dance. 3. Give Indian names to five people here. 4. Make a
speech in sign language. 5. Tell an Indian story.
Supper should be eaten around a big camp-fire, and should consist of
coffee cooked over the fire, nut-bread sandwiches, cold chicken and
potato chips, and chocolate ice-cream under individual miniature
tepees of brown paper.
Paint on each tepee in black some symbol apparently mysterious but in
reality characteristic of the owner. Thus, a girl with a beautiful
voice and a talent for singing may have a quaint bird on hers; an
athlete, a pair of Indian clubs; a domestic science girl, a bowl and
spoon or a kettle, and so on.
Redskins and Palefaces complete the menu, Palefaces being cookies with
white icing and features marked in candies, and Redskins being apples.
Toasting marshmallows over the fire and singing school ditties and old
favorites will end this unique party delightfully.