School, Church, and Home Games

by George Orrin Draper

CHAPTER VI[ToC]

SCHOOLYARD GAMES

For Advanced and High School Pupils

Dresden Tag

The group forms a circle with at least three feet space between each individual in the circle. One individual is selected to be "It", another to be chased. Those in the circle are to place their hands upon their knees and assume a stooping position, as for leap frog. "It" endeavors to tag the individual he is to chase before said individual can leap over the back of any one forming the circle. Should he leap over the back of some one, the one over whose back he jumped is then subject to being tagged by "It". Should "It" tag the one chased, then "It" must leap over some one's back to escape from being tagged. After leaping over a back, the individual who made the leap takes the position of the one who left that place in the circle.

Fox and Geese

One player is chosen to be fox, another to be gander. The remaining players all stand in single file behind the gander, each with his hands upon the shoulders of the one next in front. The gander tries to protect his flock of geese from being caught by the fox and to do this stretches out his arms and dodges around in any way he sees fit to circumvent the efforts of the fox. Only the last goose in the line may be tagged, unless the line be very long, then the last five or ten players may be tagged, as decided beforehand. It will be seen that the geese all may co-operate with the gander by doubling and redoubling their line to prevent the fox from tagging the last goose. Should the fox tag the last goose or one of the last five or ten, if that be permissible, that goose becomes fox and the fox becomes gander.

Plug the Hole

The players form in a circle with their legs in a stride position, their toes touching those of the next player. The one who is "It" takes his place in the centre of the circle. A partner to "It" takes his place on the outside of the circle. "It" is given a salt bag stuffed with saw dust or an old basketball cover stuffed with rags or some similar object. "It" endeavors to throw the stuffed bag between the legs of any of the players making up the circle. The players in the circle must keep their hands upon their knees until they see the bag coming towards them. They can then intercept it with their hands but are not allowed to move their feet. Should "It" succeed in throwing the bag between the legs of any player, his partner on the outside may capture it and endeavor to throw it back into the circle by the same method by which it came out, while the one between whose legs the bag was thrown takes "It's" place. Should "It's" partner on the outside succeed in throwing the ball into the circle between the legs of any player, that player takes the partner's place on the outside.