pupil behind him each have an eraser (or dumb-bell), and when meeting
at "exchange points," exchange erasers, the leaders giving the second
erasers to the pupils on the starting points, and so on.
SIXTH RELAY
Same as Fifth Relay, except that two handkerchiefs are used instead of
two erasers.
SEVENTH RELAY
Same as Sixth Relay, except that the handkerchiefs may be _thrown_ and
_caught_, instead of being _handed_ or _passed_ to the next pupil.
CAUTIONS
The value of these games lies in two things, _i.e._ in the fact that
after the first two pupils of each team have started and the game is
really under way, there are four pupils on each team actually in
motion, and the game moves so fast that each member of each team has
little time to do anything besides attending strictly to the game; if
his team is to have any chance to make a good showing, he must be
constantly on the alert. The second, and still more important,
valuable feature of the games, lies in the constant exercise of
_inhibition_. Therefore there should be absolutely no "coaching"
except by the teacher during training; care should be taken in the
First Relay to see that all children actually _walk_; no running; when
hands are to be touched, they _must be touched_; when erasers or
handkerchiefs are dropped, they must be picked up by the ones who
dropped them before proceeding with the game; if to be exchanged, they
must be exchanged.
The intermingling of the two teams in aisle IV does not affect the
game in the least.
Diagram 2 is for a schoolroom of seven rows of seats, and six (more or
less) deep. The numbers indicate a convenient division, and the pupils
fall in as before.
A division of the class into three teams may be made if desired, and
if there be sufficient aisles.
These games are suitable for boys or girls or mixed classes.
Diagram 1 should be used for schoolrooms seating 42, if seven deep;
48, if eight deep; 54, if nine deep.
Diagram 2 should be used for schoolrooms seating 42, but facing as
indicated; 49, if seven deep.
Diagram 1 for a schoolroom with five rows and ten deep, using only the
outside and next to the outside aisles.
These games may also be played in the gymnasium or playground.
They were originated by Mr. J. Blake Hillyer of New York City,
and received honorable mention in a competition for schoolroom
games conducted by the Girls' Branch of the Public Schools
Athletic League of New York City in 1906. They are here
published by the kind permission of the author, and of the
Girls' Branch, and of Messrs. A. G. Spalding & Brothers,
publishers of the handbook in which the games first appeared.
DROP THE HANDKERCHIEF
_10 to 30 or more players._
_Indoors; out of doors._
All of the players but one stand in a circle. The odd player runs
around on the outside of the circle, carrying a handkerchief, which he
drops behind one of the circle players. The main idea of the game is
to take the circle players unaware with this. Those who form the ring
must look toward the center, and are not allowed to turn their heads
as the runner passes them. The one who runs around with the
handkerchief will resort to various devices for misleading the others
as to where he drops it. For instance, he may sometimes quicken his
pace suddenly after dropping the handkerchief, or at other times
maintain a steady pace which gives no clew.
As soon as a player in the circle discovers that the handkerchief has
been dropped behind him, he must pick it up and as rapidly as
possible chase the one who dropped it, who may run around the outside
of the circle or at any point through or across the circle, his object
being to reach the vacant place left by the one who is chasing him.
The circle players should lift their hands to allow both runners to
pass freely through the circle. Whichever player reaches the vacant
place first stands there, the one left out taking the handkerchief for
the next game.
This is one of the oldest known games and is found throughout
the world. The writer has heard it described by Cossacks,
Japanese, Italians, and people of many other nationalities.
DUCK ON A ROCK
_5 to 30 or more players._
_Playground; gymnasium._
[Illustration diagram: DUCK ON A ROCK]
Each player is provided with a stone, called a "duck," about the size
of a baseball. A large rock or post is chosen as the duck rock, and
twenty-five feet from it a throwing line is drawn. On this duck rock
one player places his duck and stands by it as guard. This guard is
selected at the outset by all of the players throwing their ducks at
the duck rock from the throwing line. The one whose duck falls nearest
to the rock becomes the first guard. The other players stand behind
the throwing line and take turns in throwing at the guard's duck on
the rock with their stones, trying to knock it from the rock. After
each throw a player must recover his own duck and run back home beyond
the throwing line. Should he be tagged by the guard while trying to do
this, he must change places with the guard. The guard may tag him at
any time when he is within the throwing line, unless he stands with
his foot on his own duck where it first fell. He may stand in this way
as long as necessary, awaiting an opportunity to run home; but the
moment he lifts his duck from the ground, or takes his foot from it,
he may be tagged by the guard. Having once lifted his duck to run home
with it, a player may not again place it on the ground.
The guard may not tag any player unless his own duck be on the rock.
Before he may chase the thrower, he must therefore pick up his own
duck and replace it should it have been knocked off. This replacing
gives the thrower an opportunity to recover his own duck and run home;
but should the duck not have been displaced from the duck rock, the
thrower may have to wait either at a safe distance or with his foot on
his own duck if he can get to it, until some other thrower has
displaced the duck on the rock, and so engaged the time and attention
of the guard. Several players may thus be waiting at once to recover
their ducks, some of them near the duck rock with a foot on their
ducks, others at a distance. Any player tagged by the guard must
change places with him, placing his own duck on the rock. The guard
must quickly recover his duck and run for the throwing line after
tagging a player, as he in turn may be tagged as soon as the new guard
has placed his duck on the rock.
A stone that falls very near the duck rock without displacing the duck
may also prove disastrous to the thrower. Should a stone fall within a
hand span (stretching from finger tip to thumb) of the duck rock
without knocking off the duck, the guard challenges the thrower by
shouting "Span!" whereupon he proceeds to measure with his hand the
distance between the duck rock and the stone. Should the distance be
as he surmises, the thrower of the stone has to change places with
him, put his own duck on the rock, and become the guard. This rule
cultivates expert throwers.
When used in a gymnasium, this game may best be played with bean bags,
in which case one bag may be balanced on top of an Indian club for the
duck on the rock.
The modern Greeks play this game with a pile of stones instead
of the one rock or stake with the duck on top. The entire pile
is then knocked over, and the guard must rebuild the whole
before he may tag the other players. These variations make the
game possible under varied circumstances, as on a flat beach,
or playground where no larger duck rock is available, and add
considerably to the sport.
DUMB-BELL TAG
_5 to 30 or more players._
_Gymnasium; playground; schoolroom._
The players stand, scattered promiscuously, one of their number, who
is It, being placed in the center at the opening of the game. A
dumb-bell is passed from one player to another, the one who is It
trying to tag the person who has the dumb-bell. If he succeeds, the
one tagged becomes It.
A great deal of finesse may be used in this game; in appearing to hand
the dumb-bell in one direction, turning suddenly and handing it in
another, etc. Players may move around freely, and the action is
frequently diversified with considerable running and chasing.
In the schoolroom this may be played either with the players seated or
standing.
EVERY MAN IN HIS OWN DEN
_5 to 30 or more players._
_Playground; gymnasium._
Each player selects for himself a den; a post, tree, or other
objective point may serve for this, or the corner of a building, or if
in a gymnasium, a piece of apparatus.
One player opens the game by running out from his den. The second
player tries to catch (tag) him. The third player may try to catch
either of these two, and so on. The object of the different players is
to make captives of the others, as any player caught must thereafter
join his captor in trying to catch others, thus eventually aggregating
the different players into parties, although each starts separately,
and any one may be the nucleus of a group should he be successful in
catching another player. The players may only be caught by those who
issue from a den after they themselves have ventured forth. For
instance, Number Two goes out to catch Number One. Number Three may
catch either Two or One, but neither of them may catch him. The last
player out may catch any of the other players. At any time a player
may run back to his den, after which his again issuing forth gives him
the advantage over all others who may then be out, as he may catch
them. As the players are gradually gathered into different parties,
the game becomes more concentrated, and the side wins that captures
all of the players.
One player may catch only one opponent at a time.
EXCHANGE
(Numbers Change; French Blind Man's Buff)
_10 to 30 or more players._
_Parlor; gymnasium; playground._
One player is blindfolded and stands in the center. The other players
sit in chairs in a circle around him. It is advisable to have the
circle rather large. The players are numbered consecutively from one
to the highest number playing.
The game may start with the players sitting in consecutive order, or
they may change places at the outset to confuse the blindfold player,
although the changing of places takes place very rapidly in the course
of the game. The blindfold player calls out two numbers, whereupon the
players bearing those numbers must exchange places, the blindfold
player trying meanwhile either to catch one of the players or to
secure one of the chairs. Any player so caught must yield his chair to
the catcher. No player may go outside of the circle of chairs, but any
other tactics may be resorted to for evading capture, such as
stooping, creeping, dashing suddenly, etc.
This game may be one of the merriest possible games for an
informal house party. The writer recalls one such occasion when
a prominent manufacturer was blindfolded and had located two
players whose numbers he called for exchange, one of them a
newly graduated West Point lieutenant, the other a college
senior. The business man stood in front of the chair occupied
by the lieutenant and close to it, taking a crouching attitude,
with his feet wide apart and arms outspread ready to grasp the
victim when he should emerge from his chair. Noiselessly the
lieutenant raised himself to a standing position in his chair,
and then suddenly, to shouts of laughter from the company,
vaulted over the head of his would-be captor, while at the same
moment the collegian crawled between his feet and took
possession of the chair.
FARMER IS COMING (THE)
_10 to 30 or more players._
_Playground; gymnasium._
One player, chosen to be the farmer, is seated. The remaining players,
standing at a distance, select a leader who taps some of them on the
shoulder as an invitation to go with him to the farmer's orchard for
apples. Thereupon they leave their home ground, which has a determined
boundary, and approach as near to the farmer as they dare. The game is
more interesting if they can do this from various sides, practically
surrounding him. Suddenly the farmer claps his hands and all players
must stand still, while the leader calls out, "The farmer is coming!"
The players try to get safely back to their home ground, the farmer
chasing them. He may not start, however, until the leader has given
his warning. Any player caught by the farmer changes places with him.
For the parlor or class room.--This game adapts itself well to
indoor use, the farmer sitting on a chair in the middle of the
room if in a parlor, or at the teacher's desk if in a
schoolroom. The players are home when in their seats, and the
farmer, to catch them, must tag them before they are seated.
This is a particularly enjoyable game for an older person to
play with children, the former enacting the farmer.
FENCE TAG
_4 to 30 or more players._
_Indoors; out of doors; schoolroom._
This game is a great favorite with boys for outdoor play, but may also
be used in the gymnasium, various pieces of apparatus being used in
lieu of a fence.
A certain length of fence is chosen for the game. The one who is It
gives the other players a slight start in which to vault over the
fence, when he immediately vaults over and tries to tag them. This
tagging may be done only when both players are on the same side of the
fence.
The dodging is made almost or quite entirely by vaulting or dodging
back and forth across the fence within the length or boundaries
previously determined. Any player tagged must change places with the
one who is It.
FOR THE SCHOOLROOM.--This game may be used in the schoolroom by
vaulting over the seats. When played in this way, it is not allowable
to reach across seats or desks to tag a player. The tagging must be
done in the same aisle in which the tagger stands.
FIRE ON THE MOUNTAINS
_10 to 30 or more players._
_Playground; gymnasium._
[Illustration diagram: FIRE ON THE MOUNTAINS]
A number of stools are placed in a circle with considerable space
between them, there being two stools less than the number of players.
If played out of doors, a stone may be used to sit on in place of a
stool, or the players may stand, each on a spot or base marked on the
ground. One of the odd players is a leader, and sits or stands in the
center; the remainder are circle men and take each his place on a
stool or base, the other odd man standing anywhere in the circle
between the bases. The object of the game is for the circle men to
change places on a signal given by the leader, each player trying to
secure a stool and avoid being the odd man. The longer the distance
between stools or bases the greater the sport. The running must be
done in a circle outside of the bases, and no crosscuts through the
circle are allowed. The player in the center repeats in rapid time the
following lines:--
"Fire on the mountain, run, boys, run!
You with the red coat, you with the gun,
Fire on the mountains, run, boys, run!"
At any time, at the close of the verse, or unexpectedly, by way of
interruption to it, the center player will call "Stool!" or "Base!"
when all of the players must change bases. There will thus be one odd
player left out. This player then steps one side and is out of the
game, taking with him a stool belonging to one of the players, so that
the number of stools is reduced by one; if bases are used, one is
crossed out to show it is out of the game. The center player, who
remains caller throughout, then repeats the verse and the signal for
changing.
For each round of the game one player and one stool are taken out of
the circle, until but two players and one stool are left. These two
finish the game by circling the stool and some objective point a
couple of yards away; when the signal to change is then given, the
last one of the two to reach the stool becomes the leader for the next
game.
VARIATION.--This game may be played without eliminating a player for
each round. In this form, each player who is left out when stools or
bases are taken must pay a forfeit, but continues actively in the
game. The forfeits are redeemed when each player has been odd man at
least once.
In this form of the game, instead of having one leader throughout, the
leader (center man) should try to secure a stool for himself when the
others change, the odd man becoming leader. There should then be but
one stool or base less than the number of players.
This is a Scotch game, the reference to signal fires on the
mountains, to red coats, and guns, having an obviously historic
origin.
FLOWERS AND THE WIND (THE)
_4 to 30 or more players._
_Indoors, out of doors._
This game is suitable for little children. The players are divided
into two equal parties, each party having a home marked off at
opposite ends of the playground, with a long neutral space between.
One party represents a flower, deciding among themselves which flower
they shall represent, as daisies, lilies, lilacs, etc. They then walk
over near the home line of the opposite party. The opposite players
(who represent the wind) stand in a row on their line, ready to run,
and guess what the flower chosen by their opponents may be. As soon as
the right flower is named, the entire party owning it must turn and
run home, the wind chasing them. Any players caught by the wind before
reaching home become his prisoners and join him. The remaining flowers
repeat their play, taking a different name each time. This continues
until all of the flowers have been caught.
FOLLOW CHASE
_10 to 30 or more players._
_Gymnasium; playground._
The players stand in a circle with arms stretched sideways, resting on
each other's shoulders, thus making a wide distance between. One
player is chosen for runner and one for chaser. The game starts with
the runner in one of the spaces under the outstretched arms of the
players, and the chaser in a similar position on the opposite side of
the circle. At a signal from a leader both start, the runner weaving
in and out between the players or dashing across the circle in any way
that he sees fit; but the chaser must always follow by the same route.
If the runner be caught, he joins the circle; the chaser then takes
his place as runner and chooses another player to be chaser.
The leader (who may be one of the players) may close the chase if it
becomes too long by calling "Time!" when both runners must return to
their places in the circle, new ones taking their places.
For large numbers there may be two or more runners and an equal number
of chasers, or the players may be divided into smaller groups.
With various modifications, this game is found in many
countries. As given here, it is of Italian origin.
FOLLOW THE LEADER
_5 to 60 or more players._
_Playground; gymnasium; parlor; schoolroom._
One player, who is especially resourceful or skillful, is chosen as a
leader. The others all form in single file behind him, and imitate
anything that he does. The leader aims to keep the line moving, and
should set particularly hard tasks for them, such as climbing or
vaulting over obstacles, under others, jumping to touch high points or
objects, going through difficult feats, jumping certain distances,
taking a hop, skip, and jump, walking backward, turning around while
walking, walking or running with a book on the head, etc. Any one
failing to perform the required feat drops out of the game or goes to
the foot of the line; or at the pleasure of the players may pay a
forfeit for the failure and continue playing, all forfeits to be
redeemed at the close of the game.
[Illustration: FORCING THE CITY GATES
_Reprinted from Dr. Isaac T. Headland's "The Chinese Boy and Girl," by
kind permission of Messrs. Fleming H. Revell & Co._
]
FORCING THE CITY GATES
_10 to 30 or more players._
_Playground; gymnasium._
Two captains are selected, who alternately choose players until all
are in two groups. The two sides then line up in two straight lines,
facing each other about ten feet apart, and holding hands, each line
representing the gates of a city. The captains dispose their men in
line as they see fit, but it is advisable to alternate the larger or
stronger players with the smaller or weaker ones, to equalize the
strength at the points of attack. The captain of one side then names
one of his players, who steps forward and tries to break through the
hands of the opposing side, or he may dodge under them. If he does not
succeed in one place, he may try in another, but may not have more
than three trials. Should he succeed in breaking the opposing line or
dodging under, he returns to his side, taking the two whose hands had
been parted or evaded, as prisoners to reënforce his side. Should he
fail in the third attempt, he is to remain on the side of his
opponents. The captains alternate turns in sending forth a man to
"force the city gates." The players taken from the opposing side must
thereafter work for the side to which they are taken captive, each
prisoner being placed in the line between two of the original team.
The side wins which eventually secures all of the opposing players.
The action may be made more rapid where a large number are playing by
sending out two or more players at once.
This is a Chinese game, recorded by Dr. Headland, who has
kindly supplied additional points to the author. Some
modifications for large numbers have been found advisable under
American school conditions.
FORTRESS
_10 to 100 players._
_Out of doors; gymnasium._
This is one of the very strenuous games based on the idea of
warfare. The underlying idea is exactly opposite to that of
Robbers and Soldiers, being a game of attack and defense rather
than of chase and capture.
[Illustration diagram: FORTRESS]
A fortress is marked on the ground, in the shape of a large square or
oblong, the size differing with the area at disposal and the number of
players. It should be not less than twenty-five by forty feet in
dimensions. One or more sides of this may be situated so as to be
inclosed by a wall or fence. A line should be drawn five feet inside
of the fortress boundaries and another five feet outside of it; these
mark the guard lines or limits for making prisoners. Each party
should also have its prison--a small square marked in the center of
the fortress for the defenders, and another at some distant point for
the besiegers.
The players are divided into two equal parties, each under the command
of a general, who may order his men at any time to any part of the
battle. One party of players are defenders of the fortress, and should
scatter over it at the beginning of the attack and keep a sharp
lookout on unguarded parts at any time. The other players, forming the
attacking party, scatter under the direction of their general to
approach the fortress from different directions. This may be done in a
sudden rush, or deliberately before attacking. At a signal from their
general, the besiegers attack the fortress.
The method of combat is entirely confined to engagements between any
two of the opposing players, and is in general of the nature of a "tug
of war." They may push, pull, or carry each other so long as they
remain upright; but wrestling or dragging on the ground are not
allowed. Any player so forced over the guard line becomes a prisoner
to his opponent and is thereafter out of the game. If he be a
besieger, captured by a defender, he is placed within the prison in
the center of the fortress, and may not thereafter escape or be freed
unless the general should make an exchange of prisoners. Should he be
a defender, pulled over the outer guard line by a besieger, he is
taken to the prison of the attacking party, subject to the same rules
of escape. In the general engagement, players of equal strength should
compete, the strong players with strong ones, and _vice versa_. The
commanders should each give general directions for this to their men
before the engagement opens.