RECESS AND THE GAMES WE PLAYED!

Recess has always been a favorite part of school, now and years ago. The games we played were the only difference.

On nice days, we would go out and play "Crack the Whip'. This game is where the older kids would be first in line and us younger ones would be on the tail end. They would crack the whip and the younger ones had to run faster and usually would be cracked off of the line first. The one last standing would be the winner.

We would play "Mother May I" a lot. I'm sure you have played it. You all stand in line and the leader would tell how many places you could hop, skip, jump, walk. If you didn't say "Mother May I" first, you had to go back to the start. The one that got to the finish line first, would then be the leader.

We played "Hide and Seek".

On good days, we would play ball. You took turns to pick who you want on your team. Somehow, I never was in great demand to be on someone's team. There seemed to be older children and they were much better players. The community was getting older and babies were being born less and less, so I was one of the tail-end of the children in our community.

"Fox and the Geese" were played in the snow. One person was the fox and the others were the geese and if the Fox tagged you, you would go to his den in the center. This was a great game to play on a new fallen snow as you could mark off the pattern in the snow.

"Andy I Over" was played. They divided the group up in 2 and threw the ball over the school house, and if the other team caught it, they could run around and tag anybody on the other team. Then that person would be on their team. The goal is get everyone from one side caught and they would be on the other side.

We also, did cartwheels and other stunts. When we started standing on our heads, the teacher brought us girls in and the teacher lectured us about being "lady like". Well, that squelched that talent in a hurry!!!

Another thing we would do is jump rope and this hasn't changed at all through the years.

When I was in about the 6th grade, I think this is when the school had money for some slides, and swings, etc to play on.

On rainy days, we set up the girls cloak room to be a bank. We made our paper money and we were ready for business. Too bad, we can't just make our money now, we would all be rich. I guess that is the governments job today (Printing more paper money). This play prepared me to work at the bank at a later date. (Not really)

Another thing we would do would rope off a section of the school room and play darts with paper darts made like an airplane. The person that was "it" would tag others and they were out of the game. Well, this lasted a little while, until the teacher did not think this was an appropriate game to play. Oh well, she was my favorite teacher of all, anyway. I think she was my favorite because she was our neighbor down the road and her parents were good friends with mine. One day, we were visiting her house, and she brought out a box of scrap construction paper, etc. and gave it to me. You would have thought she had given me a "Gold Mine", as I was so-oooooo excited with these bits and pieces. My creative juices were starting to flow right there on the spot. Later in life, she congratulated me on an Appointed Position that I received at my work after reading about it in the newspaper. She was a true teacher at heart and never forgot her students!!!!! Her brother was in my sister class in high school and later got his doctorate, and was a professor at the University of Illinois.

Wisdom today--It is said, "All work and no play makes Jack a dull boy!" I guess, we did have a balance and had our share of fun. Sometimes probably at times, too much fun!!!