Pi/37 
 
 7 
 
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AMUSEMENTS 
 
 WORCESTER SCHOOL CHILDREN 
 
 A. DISSERTATION 
 
 Submitted to the Faculty of Ci,ark University, Worcester, Mass. 
 
 in partial fulfilment of the requirements 
 
 for the degree of 
 
 DOCTOR OF PHILOSOPHY 
 
 AND ACCEPTED ON THE RECOMMENDATION OF 
 
 WM. H. BURNHAM 
 
 THOMAS R; CROSWELIv 
 
 Reprinted from the Pedagogical Seminary 
 Vol. VI, September, 1899 
 
> A 
 
r 
 
 ^ 
 
 Imusementg of Woroe^ter School Children. 
 
AMUSEMENTS OF WORCESTER SCHOOL CHILDREN. 
 
 By T. R. Croswei.1,. 
 
 Educators are coming more widely to recognize that develop- 
 ment following nature's laws is not always a steady growth in 
 one direction, but often by sudden starts and rapid shoots at 
 what are termed the nascent periods. They also recognize that, 
 to guide the formation of true men and women, they must 
 know more of what these nascent periods are, of what the 
 natural tendencies of the child are in the normal process of his 
 development. Such beliefs have led to the many attempts to 
 study in a variety of ways the natural interests of children. 
 The present study is but another such attempt based on the 
 belief that the spontaneous activity of the child affords the 
 best opportunity for the investigation of interest. It is not 
 expected that the most careful study of the outward expression 
 of the life of a limited number of children can settle the 
 problem of children's interests; but we believe that this study, 
 touching as it does the lives of several thousand children now 
 attending our public schools, may serve some as a rough cri- 
 terion of their work, confirming in many cases the results of 
 general observation and honest experimentation, and in other 
 directions pointing just as directly toward vital errors. Not 
 only will it serve as a criterion of value, but will also contain 
 many hints to the thoughtful teacher for special devices and 
 methods of teaching. 
 
 This paper, originally intended as a preparation for a more 
 extended study (which may yet follow), is based almost entirely 
 upon the answers of some two thousand children in the public 
 schools of Worcester, Massachusetts, to questionnaire No. VIII, 
 issued in the fall of 1896 at Clark University. But these an- 
 swers have been confirmed, as far as possible, by comparison 
 with similar studies of about the same number of pupils from 
 other localities, by the extended reading along this line, and 
 by general observation. For the generous aid received, the 
 writer feels under the greatest obligation to all contributors, 
 and especially to the hearty co-operation and encouragement 
 of Supt. C. F. Carroll, and of those principals and teachers 
 who so kindly furthered the work in Worcester. 
 
 These returns, in round numbers, from about one thousand 
 of each sex, include all grades from the kindergarten up to 
 
 Gift 
 The UniTersit-" 
 
AMUSEMENTS OF WORCESTER SCHOOL CHILDREN. 3 
 
 and into the high school. They are from seven different schools, 
 so selected that about a third of the children are of Swedish 
 parentage, one-fourth of American parentage, and the rest are 
 about equally divided between the French Canadians and 
 Irish, with a slight sprinkling of other nationalities. The 
 questions were intended to recall as far as possible each child's 
 own experience without suggesting particular answers. In 
 order to call out the various reactions of the child, the ques- 
 tions were put from a number of slightly different stand- 
 points. For the most part the answers bear the stamp of 
 originality and truthfulness. 
 
 In collating this material three general heads have been fol- 
 lowed : 
 
 1. A study of the variety and character of \^q. games, toys, and 
 other amusements of the child. In brief a tabulation and study 
 under a general head of all the things mentioned in the an- 
 swers to the following questions. 
 
 TOPICAL SYLLABI FOR CHILD STUDY. 
 
 (Series for Academic Year 1896-7.) 
 
 VIII, SpontaneousIvY Invented Toys and Amusements. 
 
 A. For Children. (Teachers are requested to ask their pupils to 
 answer this part of the syllabus.) 
 
 Write your (a) name, {b) age, {c) sex, and {d) state whether you 
 live in city or country. 
 
 I. What toys or playthings do you use most (a) in winter, {b) in 
 spring, {c) in summer, {d) in fall? 
 
 II. What games and plays do you play most (a) in winter, {b) in 
 spring, {c) in summer, {d) in fall? 
 
 III. Which of these are («) your favorite playthings, (b) your 
 favorite plays? Do you use most the toys and games you like best? 
 If not, why not? 
 
 IV. Name other (a) games, and {b) playthings which you used 
 when younger. Give age at which each was used most. Show 5'our 
 choice as above. 
 
 VIII. Describe any games j/ou or your friends have invented. How 
 long did you play them betore giving them up? To what extent did 
 other children imitate them? 
 
 IX. What do you play, or how do you amuse yourself (a) when 
 alone? {b) When only two or three are together? (^) When more 
 than three? 
 
 X. What do you do for amusement evenings? 
 
 XI. What games do you play on Sunday? What else do you do to 
 amuse yourself? 
 
 2. A more careful study of question IX, i. e., a study of 
 the influence which special conditions of environment may 
 exert. ♦ 
 
 3. A study of the creative work of the child when left to 
 himself. Based upon answers to the following questions : 
 
 V. Describe any plaything, no matter how poor, which {a) you 
 have ever made, (d) your friends have made. 
 
4 AMUSEMENTS OF WORCESTER SCHOOL CHILDREN. 
 
 VII. Describe anything you have repeatedly attempted to make, 
 or wanted to do, but did not know how. 
 
 Below the fourth grade, owing to the difficulty in written 
 expression, little was attempted beyond the answers to the 
 first three questions. Those from the kindergarten and first 
 grade were obtained by careful inquiry on the part of several 
 teachers who very kindly took upon themselves the labor of 
 writing down the statements of their pupils. 
 
 The 2,000 children mention over 700 difierent means of 
 amusement.^ 
 
 About 100 of these are sedentary games (chiefly cards), and 
 150 are with t03's and common objects used as toys, which 
 would tend to sedentary habits; 225 are active games or sports; 
 85 are such pastimes or employment as do not belong distinct- 
 ively to any of these classes; while the writer was unable to 
 find out even the nature of 130. 272 of these amusements 
 were common to both sexes, 182 are mentioned by the boys 
 alone, and 197 by the girls alone. 
 
 It has seemed best, however, to attempt to classify the amuse- 
 ments according to their most prominent function in the de- 
 velopment of the child, ^ and to present the list at the beginning 
 
 ^ Space does not permit a description of these various amusements, 
 but the works referred to at the close of this article describe the ma- 
 jority of those which are neither original or purely local. 
 
 -Although the classification given in Groos's The Play of Animals 
 seemed to me very unsatisfactory and incomplete, that in his later 
 work, Die Spiele der Menschen, is by far the most philosophical that 
 I have seen, and had it appeared earlier it certainly would have influ- 
 enced greatly my own work. However, as my manuscript was already 
 in the hands of the printer, it seemed best to call attention merely ta 
 the main points of his classification. Assuming, as I have done, that 
 the function of play is development, Groos has made two main divisions 
 of the play activities : In the first, those instincts tending toward the 
 physical and mental development of the individual, find expression ; 
 in the second, those tending toward social development. (I. Triebe 
 erster Ordnung oder spielendes Experimentiren. Solchen Trieben, 
 durch deren Einiibung das Individuum zunachst einmal die Herrschaft 
 iiber seinen eigenen psycho-physischen Organismus gewinnt, ohne 
 dass dabei schon die Riicksicht auf sein Verhalten zu anderen Indi- 
 viduen in Vorgrund stande. II. Die spielende Bethatigung der Triebe 
 zweiter Ordung. Solchen Trieben, -die gerade darauf ausgehen, das 
 Verhalten des Debenwesens zu anderen Lebenwesen zu regeln). The 
 first division is subdivided into three main groups, treating respectively 
 of the exercise through play, of the sensory, the motor, and the higher 
 psychic instincts of the individual. The second division has four 
 main groups : Contests, Love Plays, Imitation Plays, and Social Plays. 
 The last group, however, seems to me to be rather an extra emphasis 
 given to the main characteristic of the preceding three, than an exclu- 
 sive group. Although, perhaps Groos's classification is more logical 
 and philosophical than my own, the reader would, I think, find greater 
 difiiculty in applying it successfully to the list of activities here pre- 
 sented. 
 
AMUSEMENTS OF WORCESTER SCHOOL CHILDREN. 5 
 
 of this study. Accordingly, in one main class are placed those 
 activities, aiding most directly in the motor development; in the 
 other class those productive of ge?ieral idea not distinctively 
 ■motor. These main divisions have been subdivided into 
 groups more or less artificial, but serving to place before 
 us kindred activities of the child, and thus affording a means 
 of mass comparison. After every attempt at identification 
 more than 125 different games must be left iinclassified. How- 
 ever, as the most of these are not mentioned by more than one 
 or two different persons, they have little bearing on the com- 
 parison of groups, though as indicating the great variety of 
 amusements found among children similarly environed, they 
 have considerable interest. A separate division is also made 
 for those amusements reported by the childen as played o?ily 
 when they were you7tger. 
 
 The general form of presenting each group is in three para- 
 graphs; the first containing amusements mentioned by both 
 boys and girls, the second by boys alone, the third by girls 
 alone. In these paragraphs the amusements are arranged for 
 the most part in the order of times mentioned in the returns, 
 and after each game are numerals giving its standing, thus : 
 Tag B 356-73, G 442-93, shows that 356 boys out of a total of 
 1,000 speak of playing tag, and 73 of these 356 considered it 
 a favorite, while 442 girls out of 929 play it, and with 93 it is 
 a favorite. 
 
 A. Amusements Productive of General Ideas. 
 
 I. Original Make-believe Games. 
 
 Play House B 59-5, G 365-54; Play School B 69-1, G 257-32; Play 
 Horse B 166-26, G 47-3; Play War B 55-3, G 8-1; Play Fire B 41-9, G 
 3; Play Church B 4, G 9; Play Sunday School B 4, G 10; Santa Claus B 4, 
 G 3-1; Salvation Army B 4, G 6; Dress Up B 3, G 6; Policeman B 15-1, 
 G 2; Farmer B 3, G i; Milkman B i, G 3; Doctor B i, G i; Indians 
 B lo-i, G i; Bear B 13 "when younger," G 13; Pig, including "Pig 
 Pen " and " Pig Stabbing" B 4, G 3; Fish B i, G i; Toll Gate B 3, G 
 i; Show, Circus, etc. B 4, G 7; Horse Car B i, G i. 
 
 By Boys Alone. Play Ice Cart 10, Ragman 3, Peddler i. Judge 4-1, 
 Mail Car 2, Shoemaker i, Library i, Dutchy-Greenhorn i, Clown i. 
 Daddy i. Dungeon i, Clubroom i, Robbers 2, "Deliver your Goods" 
 2, " There's a Burglar in the Parlor " i, Wildmen and Tiger i, Buffalo 
 I, Indians and Wild Horse i, Indians and Cowboys 4, Indians and 
 Robbers i, Monkey 3, Training i. 
 
 By Girls Alone. Play Parties, Tea Party, Doll Party 5, Theater 5, 
 Giant 2, Postman, Stage Coach, Fairy Queen, Prince, I^ady, Dress- 
 maker, Milliner, Marching, Band, Queens, one each. 
 
 2. Play with Toys. 
 
 Dolls B 39-6, G 621-233; Teaset B 8, G 242-73; Doll Carriage B 5, G 
 233-80; Doll Furniture B 3, G 79-30; Doll Cradle B i, G 131; Doll Table 
 B I, G 15-1; Stove B I, G 15-3. 
 
6 AMUSEMEJNTS OF WORCESTER SCHOOI. CHII.DREN. 
 
 By Girls Alone. Doll Bureau 16-4, Doll Piano 8-4, Dolls' Clothes 
 3, Flatiron 5, Washing Set i, Sewing Box 3, Doll House 3-1, Doll 
 Swing 2, Doll Slippers i. 
 
 Horse B 17-1, G 4; Sheep B 2, G i; Dog B 2, G i. The following 
 are mentioned by Boys alone, although several girls speak of having 
 played with such toys at an earlier age. Elephant, Crocodile, Mon- 
 key, Wooden Pig, one each. Wagon, Express, and Dump Cart B 
 188-35, G 7; Train, Engine, Cars, B 21-5, G 8; Blocks B 37-7, G 9; Pea 
 Blower B 15-1, G i; Balloons B 4, G i; Windmill B 2-1, G 2; Whistles 
 B 35-6, G 3; Drum B 31-8, G 3; Harmonica B 15-5, G 4; Horn B 9, G 
 3; Rattle B I, G I. 
 
 By Boys Alone. Guns (wooden) 17-3, Knives 17-6, Swords 12-11, 
 Whip 7, Reins 5, Toy Soldiers 2, Flag i, Cannon i. Boat, Ship 35-3, 
 Water Wheel 4-1, Water Hammer 2-1, Jumping Frog 3-1, Fighters 
 (clothespin) 3, Jumping Jack 2, Pop Gun i. Squirt Gun i, Dice 7-1, 
 Clapper 7. 
 
 By Girls Alone. Jack-in-the-Box 2, Toy Watch i, Wooden Ham- 
 mer I, Horse Car i. 
 
 j>. With Commo7i Objects Used as Toys. 
 
 Dog B 36-5, G 11-3; Cat B 17-2. G 9-1; Horse B 4. G 3; Baby B 2-1, G 
 3; Leaves B 75-2, G 112-6; Flowers B 32-1, G 102-1; Horse Chesnuts, 
 "Horse Cobbles" B 85-5, G 7; Nuts, Nutting B 48-r, G 28; Trees, 
 Climbing Trees B 25-1, G 11; Apples B 18, G 8; Berries, Berrying B 16, 
 G 6; Picking Fruit B 5; Acorns B 3, G 19; Sap B i, G i; Eat Food B i, 
 G i; Hot Cross Buns B i, G i; Hay, Playing in Hay B 20-3, G 18; Grass 
 B 31, G 8; Sand Dirt B 21, G 18; Sticks B 18, G 12-1; Stones B 12, G 13; 
 Water B 8, G 3; Fire B 5, G i; Tin Cans B 9, G 7, Tin Dishes B 3; 
 Trunk B 4-1, G 3-1; Bells B 3, G 3; Box B i, G 3; Buttons B 3, G 2; 
 Matches B 4, G 3; Pail B 3, G 3; Soap Bubbles B i, G 3; Clothespins 
 B I, G i; Broom B i, G i. 
 
 By Boys Alone. Pigeons 5, Pigeon Flying i, Birds 2, Parrot i. 
 Poultry Show i, Toads 4, Frogs i, Rabbits 4-1, White Rats 2, Cows 2, 
 Goats 2, Living Animals 2, Pigs i. Lanterns 9, Valentines 8, Jack- 
 lanterns 7-1, Fireworks 4, Pot 2, Bench, Bicycle Buttons, Blank Cart- 
 ridges, Crowbar, Boots, Cartwheel, Wheel, Dust-pan, Fork, Toothpick 
 House, Strops, and Spool of Thread, one each. 
 
 By Girls Alone. Mud, Mud Pies, etc., 24-2, Clover, Oakballs, Oranges 
 and Pears, one each; Lamp, Candles 5, Basket 4, Rocking Chair 4, 
 Jacket 2, Parasol 2, Spoons 2, Stamps 2, Bottles, Cap, Coal-hod, Fans, 
 Mother's Skirt, Pillow, Screen, one each. 
 
 ^. Occupations Common Among Children. 
 
 IN-DOOR. 
 
 Books, Reading B 83-7, G 108-22; Studying B 2, G 3; Camera B 7-2, G 
 i; Drawing, Painting, etc., B 22-2, G 9; Blackboards 2, G 13; Pencil B 
 2, G3; RulerBi.Gi; Slate B 6, G 15; Paper, Paper Cutting, Colored 
 Paper B 4-1, G 4; Desk B i, G 3-2; Talking B 7, G 7; Tell Stories B 4, 
 G 12; Riddles B 4, G 7; Singing B ii-i, G 22; Musical Instruments B 
 20-4, G 60-10; (of these the following are mentioned specifically, Piano 
 B 6-1, G 51-9; Violin B 5, G i; Banjo B r, G i; Flute B 3; Music Box, 
 Melodeon, Harmonica, Accordion, and Zither, by one boy each; Ap- 
 poUo Harp, Autoharp, Mandolin, by one girl each;) Dance B 4-2, G 
 15-3; Parties, Social B 4, G 6; Carpentry, Tools, Tool-box, Saw, Ham- 
 mer and Axe, etc., B 41-6, G 3; Jack-knife B 12-2, G i. 
 
 By Boys Alone. Printing Machine 5-1, Typewriter 3; Debating Club, 
 
AMUSEMENTS OP WORCESTER SCHOOL CHILDREN. 7 
 
 Go to Public Lectures, Library, French Book, Bookkeeping, one each; 
 Jig Saw 5, Leather and knives i, Building Log Cabins i; Electric Bat- 
 tery 3, Electric Toys 2, Electric Pulley, Experiments in Electricity or 
 Chemistry, Telephone, Run a Stationary Engine, one each. 
 
 By Girls Alone. Writing, Writing Letters 5, Assume Characters and 
 Charades 4-1, Practice Reading, Recite Poetry, Spell, Study Catechism, 
 one each ; Microscope, Scales, Theater, Opera 3, Play with Boys i. 
 Fancy Work 15-1, Crochet 15, Sew 19-1, Patch Work i-i. Make Candy 
 4, Pop Corn 2, Stove 2, Clean and do Chores i. Collecting Tintypes. 
 
 OUT-DOOR. 
 
 Shovel, Hoe, B 61, G 12-1; Rake B 12, G 3; Wheelbarrow B 18-1, G2; 
 Gardening, "Tend my Plants," "Plant things in Spring," B 6, G6". 
 Walks, "Go to Walk" B 14-2, G 25-2; "Go to the Woods to have a 
 Good Time," " Romping in the Woods" B 2, G i; Camping Out B 2, 
 G 2-1; " Fresh Air," " Shovel Snow for an excuse to get out " B i, G i. 
 
 By Boys Alone. Butterfly Net 2, Catch Bugs 2, Whooping 2, Col- 
 lecting Eggs I, Peddle Papers i. 
 
 By Girls Alone. Lawn Mower and Hose 2, Picnicing 2, Play in the 
 Sun 2, " I go away for amusement," Go out with the Baby, Dig Pota- 
 toes, Look at Birds, Go Shopping, one each. 
 
 CARDS. 
 
 Cards B 163-34, G 151-51; Old Maids B 38-12, G 73-20; Authors B 28-2, 
 G 50-10; Peter Coddles B 2, G 15-3; Robinson Crusoe B 8-3, G 7-3; Snap 
 B 6-2, G 8; Anagrams, Letters, Spelling Game B 8, G 5; Napoleon B 6, 
 G i; Lost Heir B 7-1, G i; Chicopee B 7, G i; Bible Game B 2, G 5-1; 
 Dr. Busby B 3, G 3; Christmas Goose B i-i, G 5-4; 'Cinderella B 3-1, 
 G 3; House That Jack Built B 3, G 2; Jack the Giant Killer B 3, G i-i; 
 Mail Express B i, G i-i; Pussel B i, G 3-1, Whang B i, G 2-1; U. S. 
 Puzzle B 3-1, G i-i; Shopping Game B i, G 3; Waterloo B 2, G 2-1; 
 Literature Game G 3-r; Literary Women B i; Noted Men of America 
 G i; Solitaire B 2, G i; New Market B i, G i; Speculation G 3; Pen- 
 ock G I. 
 
 By Boys Alone. Cock Robin, Columbus Base Ball Team, Bluff Cards, 
 Delagoa's Travels, Hispaniola, Princeton and Yale Foot Ball Game, 
 Slap, Massachusetts Puzzle, one each. 
 
 By Girls Alone. Louisa 7-3, History Game 4, Auction 3, Flag Game 
 2-r, Muggins 2, Heedless Tommy 2, Give Away, Everlasting, Geograph- 
 ical Games, Cities of Our Country, Goose Gander, Golden Locks, 
 Game of Progress, Star Game, Desperation, Flower Game, Fortune 
 Teller, Prisoner of Zenda, Ranee. 
 
 TABLE GAMES. 
 
 Checkers B 277-87, G 189-34; Dominoes B 185-42, G 133-26; Chess B 
 25-3, G i; Puzzles B 21-3, G 13-1; Lotto B 21-4, G47-8; Go Bang B 11-2, 
 G 11-4; Tic-tac-too B ii-i, G 10-2; Fox and Geese B 4, G 14-1; Halma 
 B 2, G 5-1; Crocinole B 7-1; .Parchesi B 17-2, G 40-17; Messenger Boy, 
 Errand Boy, Telegraph Boy, Newsboy, Office Boy B 31-10, G 16-4; 
 Nellie Bly, A Trip Around the World, A Race Around the World, 
 Around the World in 80 Days B 17-3, G 7; Backgammon B 12-2, G 15-3; 
 Old Mother Goose B 3, G 14-2; William Tell B i, G 13; Cuckoo B 4-1, 
 G 6; Yacht Race B 5-1, G 2; Steeple Chase B 2, G 4-1; Cash B 3-1, G 
 i; India B 2, G 2; Innocents x\broad B 3, G i; Jack and the Beanstalk 
 B 2, G i; Little Miss Mufht B i, G 3; Zigzag Kangaroo B 2, G i; Bobb 
 B I, G 2; Arena B i, G 2. 
 
 By Boys Alone. Toboggan Slide Game 2, County Fair, Sailor Boy, 
 Three Horse Race, one each. 
 
8 AMUSEMENTS OF WORCESTER SCHOOL CHILDREN. 
 
 By Girls Alone. Crossing the Alps 3-3, Drummer Boy 2, Bicycle 
 Game 2-1, Little Bo-Peep 2-2, Crossing the Ocean, Lost in the Woods, 
 King Quoits, Stick Game, one each. 
 
 PARLOR GAMES. 
 
 Hide the Button B 14, G 55-7; Hide the Thimble B 15, G 26-2; Quaker 
 Meeting B 5, G 10; Guessing Games B 10, G 2; Post Office B 3-1, G 6-3; 
 Shouting Proverbs B i, G 3. 
 
 By Boys Alone. Send my Ship to China 2, My Cook doesn't like 
 Peas I, Jedkins Up i, Ghost i. Kiss the Pillow i. One, Two, Three, 
 Go Back I. 
 
 By Girls Alone. Donkey Game 4, Strike an Attitude 4, My Ship 
 Comes Laden with 2, Clap In and Clap Out 2, Buff with the Wand, 
 Fortune Telling Games, Adjective Stories, Hunt the Slipper, My Lady's 
 Toilet, Nonsense, Simple Simon, The Miller, Peek-a-boo. 
 
 B. Amusements Productive of Motor Development, 
 
 I. Traditio7ial Ritig Gaines. 
 
 On the Green Carpet B 6, G 62-10; Grandmother Grey B 5, G 53-10; 
 Go In and Out the Windows (" Winrows") B 4-2, G 40-5; Lazy Maid, 
 Lazy Mary, Lazy Bessie B 2, G 33-2; Water, Water wild Flowers B i, 
 G 33-2; Ring Around the Rosy B 5, plus 10 at an earlier age, G 31-5, 
 plus 10 earlier; Farmer in the Dell B 8-2, G 26-5; London Bridge B 3 
 (plus II earlier) G 23-3; Round the Mulberry Bush, "Round the 
 Barley Bush " B 2, G 14; Billy, Billy Button B 5, G i; Three Kings B 
 I, G 4; Jack and Jill B i, G 4; Tin Tin a Poppy Show, or Pin, Pin," 
 etc., B I, G 4. 
 
 By Boys Alone. Bushel of Wheat, Bushel of Rye 2, Fly Kitty 
 through Peals i. 
 
 By Girls Alone. Jennie a Jones, Jemima Jones 24-3, Poor Tommy 
 is Dead 14-2, Little Sally Waters 12 (plus 6 earlier). Forty Girls go 
 Round the Ring, "Merry Girls, etc. 11-3, Draw a Pail of Water 4, 
 Here come an Old Woman from " Farmerland " (or Cumberland) 5, 
 Here comes one King i, Here's the Way we Wash our Clothes i, Have 
 you any Bread and Wine? 2, Lady Bug, Fly, Fly ! i. 
 
 2. Games of Chase. 
 
 Tag B 356-73, G 442-93; Hide-and-Seek B 241-74, G 427-132; Relievo 
 B 356-126, G 194-48; Black Tom and Black Jack B 102-26, G 97-14; Drop 
 the Handkerchief B 22-2, loi-ii; Lion in the Den B 4, G 80-22; Puss 
 in the Corner B 35-3, 73-9; Steps B 9, 65-9; Hare and Hound, Hunt the 
 Hare B 65-13, G 6; Blindman's Buff B 42-2, G 64-13; Hill Dill B 45-6; 
 47-4; Run, Sheep Run, or Sheep Lie Still B 58-10, G 36-11; Bull in the 
 Ring B 42-7, G 13; Bar Up B 42-6, G 20-2; Snap the Whip B 41-3, 50-2; 
 Colors B 6, G 40-4; Duck on the Rock B 37-5, G 36-6; Stealing Fggs B 
 35-3. G 9-1; Birds B 9-1, G 25; Trade B 6, G 23-2; Old Witch ("Oh, 
 Mother the Kettle is Boiling over," "Sunday, Monday," etc., "Old 
 Man") B 6, G 19; Pig Tail B 5, G 18-1; Pinch Me, Oh! B 13-2, G i; 
 Last Couple Out B i, G 12-5; Bonney B 6, G 3; Rachel and Jacob B 6-1, 
 G 3; Chase the Squirrel B 6-1, G 2; Chase the Fox B 2, G 2; Gypsy B 
 3, G 3; The King (I'm on the King's Land) B i, G 2; Lead, Leadman 
 B 2, G 12-1, " Pond, Pond Pull Away," " Pump, Pump Pull away " B i, 
 G i; Rush B 4, G i; Pound the Back B 2-1, G 6-1; Fox, Fox and Goal 
 B 2, G i; Grand Daddy Long Legs (An Original Game of Chase on 
 Stilts) B 2, G I, Skip B 3, G I. 
 
AMUSEMENTS OF WORCESTER SCHOOL CHILDREN. 9 
 
 J. Contests with Objects. 
 
 Ball B 679-241, G 409-67; Marbles B 608-115, G 130-21; Football B 
 455-151, G i; Jackstones B 28-2, G 341-63; Hockey, Shinney, Polo B 
 313, G 8; Top B 176-28, G 11; Hop Scotch B 16, G 154-21; Croquet 
 B 62-3, G 148-52; Hoop B 71-3, G 1 10-14; Stilts B 70-7, G 12; Bean Bag 
 B 4, G 72-7; Pick Kuife B 57-4, G 3; Tenpins B 53-10, G 6; Tennis B 
 51-10, G 31-10; Tip Cat B 33-1, G 10-2; Tiddledy Winks B 22-6, G 
 31-3; Pillow Dex B 16-2, G 21-4; Horse Shoes, Quoits B 19-2, G i; Fish 
 Pond B 12-1, G 15; Pool, Billiards, B 13-2, G 2; Jackstraws B 4, G 11; 
 Golf B 4-1, G i; Cricket B 4, G i; Battledore B i, G 3; Bagatelle B 2, 
 G 3; Parlor Ring Toss B i, G i. 
 
 By Boys Alone. — Boxing 36-7, Fight for fun i. Fencing i. Sling Shot 
 22, Bow and Arrow 15-2, Hand Ball 4, Basket 2, Tug of War 5, Vault- 
 ing Pole 2, Shovel Board i, Tivoli i, Roly Poly i; 
 
 By Girls Alone. — Shooting Game i. 
 
 /. Other Athletic Pastimes. 
 
 Racing, Running B 51-13, G 8; Leap frog, " Foot and Half " B 48-8, 
 G i; Jumping B 44-4, G 8; Gymnasium, Gymnasium Apparatus, 
 Dumb bells, Indian Clubs, etc., B 22, G 11; Poison B 2, G 16-1; Swing- 
 ing B 13-1, G 22-4; Hurdles B i, G 2; Wall Fences B 2, G i; Bicycle, 
 Tricycle, Velocipede B 160-78, G 91-46; Swimming B 119-26, G 15-2; 
 Kite, Parachute B 107-5, G 12; Fishing B 80-19, G- 7-1; Boats, Canoes, 
 Rafts, B 78-18, G 27-4; Guns, Rifles, Hunting B 64-14, G 3; Tents B 
 33-2, G 14-1; Horseback Riding B 7-1, G 4; Carriage, Sleigh, Buck- 
 board, Tally-ho B 16-5, G 22-3; Sled B 555-100, G 498-69; Skates B 538- 
 168, G 412-113; Snow Balling B 123-14, G 98-3; Snow Shovel B 65-1, G 
 19; Snow Shoes, Skees B 58-3, G 10; Snow Man B 36-3, G 26-1; Snow 
 House B 28-3, G 23-2; Snow Forts B 20-3, G 14; Toboggan B 2, G 2. 
 
 By Boys Alone. — Punching Bag 6-1, Wrestling 3, Vaulting 2, Last 
 Dare i, Roller Skates i. Traps 4, Ice Boat i. 
 
 By Girls Alone. — ^Jump the Stick 15, Hopping 2, Walk on Cans 2, 
 Sliding on Feet i. Somersaults i, Merry-Go-Round i, Snow Plough 2. 
 
 2. Practical Jokes. 
 
 Kings and Queens B i, G 2. 
 
 By Boys Alone. — Digging for Gold 7, Pee-wea-mo-yet 2, Knight of 
 the Whistle i. Let 'er Fly i. 
 
 I. Games Mentioned 07ily as Ozitgrown. 
 
 By Boys Alone. — Cuckoo, Devil in the Band Box, Filling bar of 
 soap with tacks, House that Jack Built, Play in the Tubs, Stealing 
 Chickens. 
 
 By Girls Alone. — Barker, Drumming on Tin Pans and Marching, 
 Five Little Rabbits, Fox and Cat, Little Boy Blue, Pea Porridge Hot, 
 Peek-a-boo, Peter and Rachel, Roll Your Hands, Selling Birds, Steal- 
 ing Chickens, The Cobbler, This is the mother good and dear. 
 
 J. Unclassified. 
 
 Attack, Farmer Jones's Pigs; Ducks and Geese, "The Geese, The 
 Geese," Goose in the Garden, Hide the Gig, Happy Family, Mash, 
 Pilgrim's Progress. 
 
 By Boys Alone. — AUart, Bombay, Boston Ring, Bug-a-Boo Bill, 
 Catch my Bear, Catch the Wild Bull by the Horns, Catch the Fox by 
 
lO AMUSEMENTS OF WORCESTER SCHOOL CHILDREN. 
 
 the Tail, Croweck, Coast in the Well, Dickey Dick, Duckrick, Four 
 Famous Fuuny Fellows, Four Louse Eaters, Free the Ring, Full 
 Force, Galic, Gig, Mash the Gig, Muzzle the Gig, Gold Bank, Half 
 Eagle, Have you ever seen a nigger, High Giggles, Hill Climbers, 
 Kymo, Lilostillgo, Log Cabin, Man in the Moon, Pat, Peter Pumpkin 
 Eater, Pike's Pike or Bust, Plume, Plump, Pooh, Range, Soldier on 
 the Road, Six and Four are Ten, The Spear, Spole, Stag, Tarhand, 
 Tat, The Capitol at Washington, The King Quoth, Three Mice, 
 Tvt'enty-three Fishers, Twiddles. 
 
 By Girls Alone. — All Nations, Are you in it? Babes in the Woods, 
 Bean Stalk, Bean Stalk Stay, Black Jill, Boots without Shoes, Build 
 the Bridge, Cut the Cheese, Demotion, Everlasting March, Feather 
 Deck, Fly little boy. Forfeit, Four and Twenty Blackbirds, Golden 
 Eggs, Gold Spoon, " Halo my children," Happiness, Happy Go 
 Lucky, Have you ever? Hillock, Hunter, King Cole, I'm posted, I 
 went to Paris, Jack-of-All-Trades, "John, John, I'll tell your daddie," 
 Jumbo, Luck, Milk Maid, Minute Man, Mother Hubbard, Musks, 
 Needle and Thread, Pall, Parlor Mantelle, Paws and Claws, Pick me 
 out. Poor Farmer, Princess, Punch and Judy, Rain, rain, rain. Riding 
 Hood, Road to Washington, Rock-a-Bye Bab}-, Sheep and Dog, Six 
 Sticks, Snake Game, Squirrel, Strategy, Sunshade, The Poor Cat, 
 Telka, Ticket Office, Tom Old Apple-tree, Tug Away, Twenty-three 
 Dishes, Ward Game, What Katy did at School, Who'll go to heaven 
 first? 
 
 III. General Function and Characteristics. 
 
 What are the characteristics of such typical amusements as 
 ball, marbles, jumping rope, tag, checkers, cards, dolls, play- 
 ing horse, cycling, playing with leaves, stones, reading, etc. ? 
 Certain of these are marked by active physical exertion, but 
 this cannot be said of all. Some are dramatic ; some call for 
 the exercise and display of varying degrees of skill. Some 
 demand the co-operation of numbers and so necessitate a social 
 communit}', others are adapted to the individual alone. Some 
 plays are deliberative, others appear to be entirely impulsive. 
 Some amusements satisfy if the individual has the opportunity 
 merely to exercise his own skill, his mastery over self and over 
 inanimate objects, while others necessitate the subordination or 
 mastery of another. In most games the element of chance is 
 present, the risk of not securing the desired end adding zest 
 to the other attractive features of the games. 
 
 Most theories offered to explain the play of children begin 
 by assuming a " play impulse " sharply differentiated from all 
 other activities, yet the serious character of much play is a fact 
 of common observation. The necessity of accounting for such 
 an impulse has led many to assume again, as the basis of all 
 play, an exceptional state of neural activity which is termed 
 the condition of " overflow energy. " ^ This, perhaps, is the 
 
 1 Friedrich Schiller : Letters upon the Esthetic Education of Man. 
 See letters 25 and 26. 
 
 Herbert Spencer : The Principles of Psychology. N. Y., 1897. 
 Vol. II, p. 627 ff. 
 
AMUSEMENTS OF WORCESTER SCHOOL CHILDREN. II 
 
 most widely accepted theory, but it confines plaj' to such 
 physiological conditions as produce an excess of vital energy 
 and also necessitates looking further for an explanation of the 
 character of the resulting activity. It is the theory of animal 
 rather than o,f human play. It does not give sufiicient weight 
 to the fact that both children and animals participate in certain 
 games after a condition of extreme fatigue has been induced. 
 To explain the varying character of the activity, Spencer adds 
 " imitation " of some external act, serving as an extra stimulus 
 at the moment when the pent-up energy is about to discharge.^ 
 Groos, accepting this theory as explanatory merely of a con- 
 dition favorable to play, adds and emphasizes the part played 
 by " instinct : " " Thus we see that the explanation of play 
 by means of the ' overflow-of-energy ' theory proves to be un- 
 satisfactory. A condition of superabundant nervous force is 
 always, I must again emphatically reiterate, a favorable one 
 for play, but it is not its motive cause, nor, as I believe, a 
 necessary condition of its existence. Instinct alone is the real 
 foundation for it. Foundation, I say, because all play is not 
 purely instinctive activity. On the contrary, the higher in the 
 scale of existence, the richer and finer becomes the psycho- 
 logical phenomena that supplement the mere natural impulse, 
 ennobling it, elevating it, and tending to conceal it under 
 added detail." -^ According to his theory " the animals do not 
 play because they are young, but they have their youth because 
 they must play." ^ Others, too, have emphasized "instinct," 
 and through it sought a teleological explanation for the variety 
 in play, while the recapitulation theory helps us to explain 
 movements which seem to have but little to do with later life, 
 on the ground that the child in the process of his development 
 must of necessity reproduce the early history of the race.'' 
 
 Nevertheless, as we consider all the amusements of the child 
 we may, I think, assume that all his activity, be it physical or 
 mental, is always an expression of his psychic life, and that it 
 always reacts upon that life. Such a view of play seems to have 
 been taken by Froebel, James and Wundt. The first sees in 
 pla)^ the " self- active representation of the inner — representa- 
 tion of the inner from inner necessity and impulse."^ Wundt 
 finds, in the process of ' ' association of immediate impressions 
 with earlier ideas," the beginnings of an active imagination 
 
 ^ Ibid., VoL II, p. 709. 
 
 2 Karl Groos: The Play of Animals, translated by Elizabeth L. 
 Baldwin. N. Y., 1898. p. 24. 
 
 ^ Ibid., p. 77. 
 
 ** Burk, Frederic L. : Teasing and Bullying. Ped. Setn., Vol. IV. 
 
 5 Froebel: Education of Man. International Education Series, N. 
 Y., 1896. p. 55. 
 
12 AMUSEMENTS OF WORCESTER SCHOOI. CHILDREN. 
 
 which ' ' shows itself with an impulsive force that the child is 
 unable to resist,"^ and this force being unchecked by inhibiting 
 ideas, expresses itself in the varied activities of childhood. 
 How varied this activity may be, when unchecked by inhibiting 
 ideas such as influence adult life, may be apprehended by 
 weighing the following words of James: " Where there is no 
 blocking, there is naturally no hiatus between the thought 
 process and the motor discharge. Moveme?it is the natural 
 immediate effect of feelings irrespective of what the qtiality of the 
 feeling rnay be. It is so in reflex actio7i, it is so in e?notional 
 expression, it is so i?i the voluntary life."''^ The italics are from 
 the original text. 
 
 In whatever way Froebel may have conceived his ' ' inner 
 necessity and impulse," it seems impossible of translation into 
 any terms, consistent with modern psychology, which do not 
 also include ' ' the association of immediate impressions with 
 earlier ideas, ' ' and with ' ' the thought processes ' ' which form 
 the initiative to action. In this sense the occasion for activity 
 would not be confined to the discharge of motor cells, due ex- 
 clusively to the general superabundance of neural energy ; but 
 would include such a discharge occasioned by great local activi- 
 ty in some psychic center, due to any stimulating agency, though 
 this agency might be merely the stimulating effect of some 
 metabolic process. The latter is the most plausible explanation 
 which we have at present of many of the seemingly impulsive 
 movements in the young, as for example of the vigorous but 
 aimless kicking of the infant, or of the frolicking movement 
 seen in the young animal. But a similar psychic activity with 
 its accompanying motor discharge may be occasioned by varied 
 external stimuli, and may continue far beyond the limits of 
 healthy exercise — examples of which are far too frequent in 
 many forms of nervous disease; and all who have ever ex- 
 perienced the state of ' ' being too tired to rest, ' ' will readily 
 recall the almost uncontrollable impulse to motion, although 
 fully realizing the necessity of rest, and being irritated by the 
 slightest disturbing influence. 
 
 This explanation of activity does not roughly separate that 
 of the child from that of the adult. In both is found the im- 
 pulse to action, due to metabolic processes or to the immediate 
 reaction to some objective stimulus, and the deliberate action 
 having some definite end in view. That the one form of stimu- 
 lus is more frequent at one period of life, does not stamp all 
 the activities of that period as different from those of the other, 
 
 ^Wundt: Outlines of Psychology, p. 293. 
 
 ^James: The Principles of Psychology. New York, 1890. Vol. II, 
 p. 526. 
 
AMUSEMENTS OP WORCESTER SCHOOL CHILDREN. 
 
 13 
 
 it only changes the emphasis. Such a view does not consider 
 the child simply as a child to be treated as a child; but as a 
 member of the human race who has already begun to take his 
 place in the world where he lives. The school is no longer a 
 mere drill-room — a vestibule to the life which is to follow; 
 but life has already begun there, under conditions very similar 
 to those which affect the teacher and the parent. In adult and 
 child alike there is the psychic life struggling for expression, 
 and in every expression reacting upon the psychic centers, and 
 modifying them. The character of this expression is of the 
 greatest importance, nor is it changed when the child has left 
 the public school; whether he cares for knowledge or not, he 
 will be a learner throughout his entire life. 
 
 With this general statement of the function of amusements 
 as at once the expression and the means of psychic develop- 
 ment, and without attempting to differentiate the explanation 
 of the play activity from that of general activity, we will return 
 to the consideration of the characteristics of children'' s amuse- 
 ments as seen in these returns. 
 
 The main classification was based on the motor development. 
 The list of amusements calling for active physical exertion is 
 
 Amuseme7its te^iding tozvard Physical Development. 
 
14 AMUSEMENTS OF WORCESTER SCHOOL CHILDREN. 
 
 SO prominent as to lead to the placing first among the prominent 
 characteristics the desire for physical activity. Man has this in 
 common with all animal life. The foregoing chart indicates 
 relativel}^ the strong ascendency of the physical exercises over 
 all other forms of amusement; at every age after the ninth 
 year it is represented as almost 2 to i , and in the sixteenth year 
 rising among the boys to 4 to i. 
 
 The proportion which those amusements tending chiefly to- 
 ward physical development bear to all other amusements, is 
 shown for each year from 6 to 18 by curves A B and C D. 
 Curves a b and c d are the respective complements of A B and 
 C D, and show the relative proportion of all other amusement. 
 
 From another standpoint the same characteristic is brought 
 
 The Twenty-Five Leading Amusements. 
 
 Total, 1,000 Boys, 929 Girls. 
 
 
 
 BOYS. 
 
 GIRLS. 1 
 
 
 GIRLS. 
 
 BOYS. 
 
 
 >, 
 
 .c 
 
 >^ 
 
 X 
 
 >% 
 
 X 
 
 >> 
 
 s> 
 
 
 
 .0 
 
 -ti 
 
 U3 
 
 
 
 x> 
 
 
 .0 
 
 ^ 
 
 
 
 ■a 
 
 ^ 
 
 -0 
 
 '% 
 
 
 -0 
 
 '% 
 
 -a 
 
 & 
 
 
 BOYS. 
 
 1/ 
 n 
 .2 
 
 <u 
 
 a 
 
 
 v 
 
 GIRI,S. 
 
 V 
 
 a 
 
 
 u 
 
 H 
 
 
 (U 
 
 
 
 
 
 > 
 
 
 
 > 
 ca 
 
 
 (LI 
 
 
 
 > 
 
 CO 
 
 
 
 > 
 
 CO 
 
 I 
 
 Ball, 
 
 679 
 
 241 
 
 409 
 
 67 
 
 Dolls, 
 
 621 
 
 356 
 
 39 
 
 6 
 
 2 
 
 Marbles, 
 
 603 
 
 115 
 
 130 
 
 21 
 
 Sled, 
 
 498 
 
 69 
 
 555 
 
 IIO 
 
 3 
 
 Sled, 
 
 555 
 
 JIG 
 
 498 
 
 69 
 
 Jump Rope, 
 
 480 
 
 60 
 
 13 
 
 I 
 
 4 
 
 Skates, 
 
 538 
 
 168 
 
 412 
 
 "3 
 
 Tag, 
 
 442 
 
 93 
 
 356 
 
 73 
 
 5 
 
 Football, 
 
 455 
 
 157 
 
 I 
 
 
 Hide and Seek, 
 
 427 
 
 132 
 
 241 
 
 74 
 
 6 
 
 Tag, 
 
 356 
 
 73 
 
 442 
 
 93 
 
 Skates, 
 
 412 
 
 113 
 
 538 
 
 168 
 
 7 
 
 Relievo, 
 
 336 
 
 126 
 
 194 
 
 48 
 
 Ball, 
 
 409 
 
 67 
 
 679 
 
 241 
 
 8 
 
 Hockey, Polo, ~l 
 Shinney, J 
 
 313 
 
 53 
 
 8 
 
 
 Play House, 
 
 365 
 
 54 
 
 59 
 
 5 
 
 9 
 
 Checkers, 
 
 277 
 
 87 
 
 189 
 
 34 
 
 Jackstones, 
 
 341 
 
 63 
 
 28 
 
 2 
 
 10 
 
 Hide aud Seek, 
 
 241 
 
 74 
 
 427 
 
 132 
 
 Play School, 
 
 257 
 
 32 
 
 69 
 
 I 
 
 II 
 
 Wagon, Express, 
 
 188 
 
 35 
 
 7 
 
 
 Doll Tea Set, 
 
 242 
 
 73 
 
 8 
 
 
 12 
 
 Dominoes, 
 
 185 
 
 42 
 
 133 
 
 26 
 
 Doll Carriage, 
 
 233 
 
 80 
 
 5 
 
 
 13 
 
 Top, 
 
 176 
 
 28 
 
 II 
 
 
 Relievo, 
 
 194 
 
 48 
 
 336 
 
 126 
 
 14 
 
 Play Horse, 
 
 166 
 
 26 
 
 47 
 
 3 
 
 Checkers, 
 
 189 
 
 34 
 
 277 
 
 87 
 
 15 
 
 Cards, 
 
 163 
 
 34 
 
 151 
 
 51 
 
 Hop Scotch, 
 
 154 
 
 21 
 
 16 
 
 
 16 
 
 Bicycle, 
 
 160 
 
 78 
 
 86 
 
 45 
 
 Cards, 
 
 151 
 
 51 
 
 163 
 
 34 
 
 17 
 
 Snow Balling, 
 
 123 
 
 14 
 
 98 
 
 3 
 
 Croquet, 
 
 148 
 
 52 
 
 62 
 
 3 
 
 18 
 
 Swimming, 
 
 119 
 
 26 
 
 15 
 
 2 
 
 Dominoes, 
 
 133 
 
 26 
 
 i85 
 
 42 
 
 19 
 
 Kite, 
 
 107 
 
 5 
 
 12 
 
 
 Marbles, 
 
 130 
 
 21 
 
 603 
 
 21 
 
 20 
 
 Black Tom and \ 
 Black Jack, / 
 
 102 
 
 26 
 
 97 
 
 14 
 
 Leaves, 
 
 112 
 
 6 
 
 75 
 
 2 
 
 21 
 
 Horse Cobbles, 
 
 88 
 
 5 
 
 7 
 
 
 Hoop, 
 
 IIO 
 
 14 
 
 71 
 
 3 
 
 22 
 
 Books, Reading, 
 
 87 
 
 7 
 
 108 
 
 22 
 
 Books, Reading, 
 
 108 
 
 22 
 
 87 
 
 7 
 
 23 
 
 Fishing, 
 
 80 
 
 19 
 
 7 
 
 I 
 
 Flowers, 
 
 102 
 
 I 
 
 32 
 
 I 
 
 24 
 
 Boat, 
 
 78 
 
 18 
 
 27 
 
 4 
 
 Drop the Hand- \ 
 kerchief, J 
 
 lOI 
 
 II 
 
 22 
 
 2 
 
 25 
 
 Leaves, 
 
 75 
 
 2 
 
 112 
 
 ' 
 
 Snow Balling, 
 
 98 
 
 3 
 
 123 
 
 14 
 
AMUSKMENTS OF WORCESTER SCHOOI. CHILDREN. 1 5 
 
 out in the Table of the Twenty-Five Leading Amusements 
 (p. 226) 9 out of the first 10, 17 out of the first 25, and 39 out 
 of the 50 amusements mentioned the greatest number of times 
 by the boys, are from this class; while from among the girls 6, 
 15, and 32 amusements belong respectively to this class. 
 
 Closely associated with the pleasure in physical exercise pure 
 and simple, is that in the developmejit and exercise of skill. It 
 enters nearly all competitive games, where the conscious desire 
 of mastery is likely to be the strongest motive, as seen in the 
 little girl of eleven who liked to play tag best because she 
 could " run fastest." It is one of the most prominent features 
 in many athletic exercises, as in walking stilts and skating; 
 also in games requiring manual dexterity, as marbles, and ball; 
 it appears as mental skill in cards and puzzles. Every child 
 likes '• ' to make something. ' ' The wise direction of this in- 
 stinctive desire, to accomplish something and to receive credit 
 for it, is one of the strongest motives to which a teacher can 
 appeal in guiding a pupil: 
 
 "With skill 
 Goes love to show skill for the sake of skill." 
 
 Akin to this characteristic is the desire of emulation. Bight 
 of the first 10 amusements of the boys, 15 of the first 25, and 
 30 of the first 50 are of a distinctively competitive character. 
 
 If anything is needed to supplement general observation on 
 the child's pleasure in the society of others, it will be enough 
 for the present to call attention to the fact that many of the 
 amusements and most of the games mentioned require the par- 
 ticipation of several persons. This is particularly true of the 
 common ring games, games of chase and parlor games, and of 
 most dramatic games. The reader will recall from his own 
 experience the increased pleasure derived from the bicycle 
 when he is not compelled to ride alone. However, we shall 
 see later on that this is not an essential characteristic of the 
 child's amusements at all ages; in fact, that in his desire to 
 satisfy his curiosity, or his desire to realize his mastery over 
 some obstacle, or to create something, the child becomes 
 oblivious to all except the immediate task before him. Hence 
 there is a long list of toys and objects, used either as toys or 
 other means of passing away time, where the social instinct 
 seems entirely in abeyance. The toy makes for individual 
 development, the game for social. 
 
 The love of dramatic expression is most marked in the many 
 make-believe games, and in the traditional song games of early 
 childhood; in many games of chase in which the children 
 become bears, lions, Indians or policemen; in most toys, e. g., 
 the doll and toy horse; in the animistic use of many objects, 
 as flower babies, and pebbles used as animals. 
 
i6 
 
 AMUSEMENTS OF WORCESTER SCHOOL CHII^DREN. 
 
 Effect of Age. 
 
 Thus far the discussion has been of children e7i masse, with 
 little distinction between the child of six and the young man 
 of fifteen, and without regard to the different stages of devel- 
 opment. Such treatment is almost inevitable in a studj^ of 
 this kind, but a few curves showing the general tendencies in 
 children's amusements at different ages can be presented. Is 
 there a pla)'^ age ? A time at which the child is more devoted 
 to play than at any other age? The Curve of Interest in 
 Traditional Amusements is a partial answer to this question. 
 
 Curve of Interest in Traditional A?nusements . 
 
 The basis of this curve is the average number of different 
 amusements mentioned by the children at each age. Thus the 
 children of six and seven mention on an average only five or 
 six different amusements, but those of ten and eleven mention 
 nearly fifteen. It is possible to give several interpretations of 
 this. Were it not for the constant fall after the twelfth year, 
 the form of the curve might be explained as due to increased 
 facility of expression. There is still the possibility that the 
 rise at nine and ten may in part be so explained, and the later 
 fall may be due to the self-conscious restraint at the dawn of 
 adolescence; but more probably it indicates, though somewhat 
 vaguely, the period in which games predominate. From the 
 eighth to the fourteenth j^ear the average child knows more 
 and plays more of the common traditional games than at any 
 other period of life; and between ten and eleven interest in 
 these is at its highest limit. Those who know from obser- 
 vation how fully the time of younger children is occupied with 
 purely spontaneous play may at first question this curve. Let 
 there be no misunderstanding; it does not say that the general 
 play impulse culminates here, but that at this time the interest 
 
AMUSEMENTS OF WORCESTER SCHOOL CHILDREN. 
 
 17 
 
 in traditional games is strongest. The curves for Relievo and 
 Hide and Seek, characteristic games of this period, indicate 
 more specifically the nature of these games and the relative 
 
 Curves for Relievo and Hide-and-Seek. 
 
 7 
 
 9 /o II jx J3 /^ /^ /^ /y 
 
 A 
 
 interest in them at different ages. Thus only eight per cent, 
 of the boys of seven and eight years of age mention Hide and 
 Seek, but fifty-five per cent, mention it in the tenth year. 
 
 A glance at the charts of Relative Interest at different ages 
 will show in a general way that this is also the age at which 
 different interests meet and blend ; here for the last time the 
 toy interest is considerable; it is the beginning of extreme in- 
 terest in contests; it is the center of interest in games of chase. 
 
 The Curves of Relative Interest trace the growth of special 
 interests, indicating the nascent periods in a number of groups. 
 Thus the Curve of Games of Chase shows that only eleven 
 per cent, of all the amusements mentioned by the boys of six 
 years are of this character, but at nine years they amount to 
 over nineteen per cent. , and at sixteen they have fallen to less 
 than four per cent. The particular toys and games included 
 in the groups characterized by these curves may be learned by 
 consulting the corresponding headings in the list of amuse- 
 ments already given. See pp. 217-222. 
 
 Three natural divisions in the school life of the child may be 
 made in accordance with the relative predominance of different 
 characteristics in his amusements. In the first period from the 
 
1 8 AMUSEMENTS OF WORCESTER SCHOOL CHILDREN. 
 Curves of Relative Interest. 
 
 
 lo\/£ayytCl CommAr 
 
 X 
 
 6 
 
 V. 
 
 1 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 ,/ 
 
 
 
 > 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 30 
 
 \ 
 
 's. 
 
 -.^ 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 /O 
 
 
 
 \ 
 
 ^ 
 
 
 
 
 ^., 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 ■ — ■ 
 
 ~~ 
 
 
 ~ ~ 
 
 
 
 
 
 ^^ r_^_ 
 
 
 
 
 
 ricijial fy^cxk (L bsliaya ( 
 
 p. 
 
 m<i 
 
 ^ 
 
 
 
 ^ 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 ^0 
 
 \ 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 „. — 
 
 It 
 
 
 
 ~~~- 
 
 
 
 "" "■ 
 
 
 
 ^ "" 
 
 - - - 
 
 _ 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 - 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 cLO 
 
 ^^ 
 
 ^ 
 
 ■'-^ 
 
 
 
 
 ^ " 
 
 ^ 
 
 <;-. 
 
 ^ 
 
 
 
 /O 
 n 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 "S 
 
 ^ 
 
 
 
 t;/ 7 S ? fo U 1^ 
 
 • J ly T /' '7 ' 
 
AMUSEMENTS OF WORCESTER SCHOOL CHILDREN. 
 
 19 
 
 CuRVKS OF Relative Interest.— Continued. 
 
 Card and Table Gaines. 
 
 6th to the 9th year, the greater part of the child's amusements 
 center about some object, used symbolically or as a means 
 through which to exercise the childish impulse for activity. In 
 the second period, from 9 to 13 years, the favorite amusement 
 is some game calling for vigorous exercise of the whole 
 body as seen in the curve of Games of Chase; though, as 
 already said, it is also the period of the greatest diversity of 
 interests. In the third period, from the 14th year onward, the 
 creative spirit prevails — that spirit which compels the child to 
 do something, to become something. Most of the amusements 
 of this period are contests, and for the first time the co-operation 
 of a number to secure a definite end, or promote a common 
 cause, becomes a common characteristic; while the majority of 
 the remaining amusements center about some result to be at- 
 tained.^ 
 
 1 Dr. Gulick : Some Psychical Aspects of Physical Exercise. Popular 
 Science Monthly, Vol. LII, pp. 793-808 (Oct., '98). In this very care- 
 ful study Dr. Gulick makes the five following divisions in the play 
 life of the child : 
 
 1. Babyhood, 1-3 years. 
 
 2. Early Childhood, 3-7 years. 
 
 3. Childhood, 7-12 years. 
 
 4. Early Adolescence, 12-17 years. 
 
 5. Later Adolescence, 17-23 years. 
 
 Of the first two periods he says: "Children before seven rarely 
 play games spontaneously. They do sometimes under the stimulus 
 of older children or adults." In the third period "these games are 
 almost exclusively individualistic and competitive, forming a strong 
 contrast with the games of early childhood." In the period of early 
 adolescence " two elements predominate : (i) That the plays are pre- 
 dominately team games, in which the individual is more or less sacri- 
 ficed for the whole, in which there is obedience to a captain, in which 
 there is co-operation among a number for a given end, in which play 
 has a programme and an end. The second characteristic is, the period, 
 with reference to its place, seems to be all of savage outdoor life — 
 hunting, fishing, stealing, fighting, hero worship, adventure, love of 
 
20 AMUSEMENTS OF WORCESTER SCHOOL CHILDREN. 
 
 In the period from 6 to lo years, and earlier, all manner of 
 toys are used by the child in his amusements. Not only the 
 toys which are bought or made for him, but every conceivable 
 thing is utilized by him to give expression to his impressions 
 of the world about him. Or perhaps one should say that, es- 
 pecially in the earlier part of this period, until about the ninth 
 year, the toys and objects used form a means of comprehending; 
 they are for the child organs of apperception; without the 
 use of these crude symbols many of the simplest facts of life 
 might never become a part of his earliest and most important 
 stock of ideas experienced. The young child is a constant 
 investigator of the phenomena about him, and is ever writing 
 up the results of his empirical investigations in the language of 
 his plays. The symbolic characters of this language may be 
 a doll, a cart, a flower, a stick, a coal hod, a broom. Father's 
 boots may be dear little babies, expressing all phases of early 
 psychic life, and over which the young mother must exert a 
 most watchful care, or they may typify a pair of prancing bays 
 which attracted her attention earlier in the day. One young 
 girl, beginning with her entrance into grade I, has continued 
 to reproduce her school life by means of buttons through all 
 the eight grades. In the buttons which represent the pupils 
 she sees nearly the same children for each grade, but there is a 
 new teacher each year. In such plays the imitation of the 
 teacher is often reported to be almost perfect. It is a study in 
 psychology, and from the child's standpoint might be termed 
 adult study. 
 
 It has already been stated that the toy is a means of indi- 
 vidual development. Does any one recall an active child who 
 was ever content to remain long without some object in its 
 hands? 
 
 With most of our kindergartens conducted on the principle 
 of mutual co-operation, and in the face of the many facts show- 
 ing that from earliest infancy the child delights in and craves 
 the society of others, both of adults and children, but especial- 
 ly of others of its own age, it is rather venturesome even to 
 suggest that this is not the period for extended co-operation. 
 
 animals, etc. This characterization obtains more with boys than with 
 
 girls." 
 
 " Comparing now the three major groups — early childhood, later 
 childhood, and adolescence — it appears that the plays of early child- 
 hood are individualistic, non-competitive, and for the accomplishment 
 and observation of objective results. The plays of later childhood are 
 individualistic, competitive, involve active muscular co-ordination and 
 sense judgment. The plays of adolescence are socialistic, demanding 
 the heathen virtues of courage, endurance, self-control, bravery, loy- 
 alty, enthusiasm, and the savage occupations of hunting, fishings 
 swimming, rowing, sailing." 
 
AMUSEMENTS OF WORCESTER SCHOOL CHILDREN. 21 
 
 However, the individual element is the prominent feature of the 
 amusements of children until the eighth or ninth year, when 
 for the first time those plays requiring the active co-operation 
 of many individuals assume prominence. 
 
 The original dramatic games cannot well be classed as belong- 
 ing to any one of the three periods mentioned, but rather form 
 a connecting link between the first and second. If a function 
 of the toys be to facilitate the apperception of one's more im- 
 mediate sensuous environment, that of these games and of many 
 of the dramatic games of tradition is to facilitate the assimila- 
 tion of a class of ideas, wider in range and more imaginative; 
 they lead the growing mind to new and rich fields. The catas- 
 trophe of London Bridge, and other traditional games, intro- 
 ducing titled personages, delight each new generation. Play- 
 ing in an American city, the little Queen of France daily enter- 
 tains the Queen of England or makes a royal visit to the court 
 at Windsor. The broad range of this make-believe interest is 
 probably between the years from 9 to 12, yet within the nar- 
 rower sphere of its immediate environment the younger child 
 imitates to an equal extent. As Miss Frear has shown so 
 clearly in charts II and III of her article on Imitation, in the 
 early period the child imitates the ' ' actual things, ' ' later the 
 " idea."^ 
 
 The characteristic games of the second period call for vigor- 
 ous physical exercise; thus the games of chase, in which run- 
 ning is the center of interest, formed twenty per cent, of all the 
 amusements mentioned by these children between nine and 
 twelve years of age. That this tendency to much exercise at 
 this period has a very important relation to growth there can 
 be no doubt. ^ That the maximum of interest in such games 
 corresponds to the lowest average in the tables of growth, as 
 worked out by Kline and others, challenges the careful consid- 
 eration of those competent to decide upon the effect of so much 
 exercise at this period. " Increased action of the respiratory 
 and circulatory systems is the most important physiological 
 effects produced by muscular exercise. ' ' ^ This statement sums 
 up about all that can be said at present of the effects of 
 physical exercise. These effects, as worked out by Parkes, 
 refer to the adult, and it is very probable that the results of 
 this increased action, which would be injurious to an adult, 
 might be beneficial if occurring in a growing child. Bierent* 
 calls attention to the great increase in the volume of the heart 
 
 iPifrf. 5^w., Vol. IV, p. 383. 
 "^ Ped. Sent., Vol. V, pp. 412-416. 
 
 ^Ralfe: Exercise and Training. N. Y., 1894. p. 30. 
 * Bierent : La Puberty chez I'homme et chez la femme. Paris, 1896. 
 p. 161. 
 
22 AMUSEMENTS OF WORCESTER SCHOOL CHILDREN, 
 
 and in the richness of the contractile fibers of the heart at 
 puberty, and to the fact that there is never, properly speaking, 
 hypertrophy of the heart at this period; quoting Beauis, he 
 also states that the heart beats at ten years number 91 per 
 minute, and at fifteen years has fallen to 82. There is also a 
 slight decrease in the normal number of respirations during 
 these years. Thus this is the period of great development of 
 the heart and respiratory organs, as well as the period of those 
 activities which stimulate the heart to the greatest intensity; 
 and yet apparently without the evil results certain to follow 
 over-stimulation of the heart of the adult. We should have 
 called this a period of violent exercise — and such its exercise 
 most certainly would be for an adult, whose heart would soon 
 be severely taxed were he to engage in some of the exciting 
 games of tag common among boys at this age — had we not 
 observed the promptness with which these boys respond to the 
 feelings of fatigue. This instinctive knowledge of when he 
 has had enough, and readiness to yield, is undoubtedly con- 
 nected with that other virtue, here termed variety of interests, 
 commonly called inattention. Combined, these are undoubted 
 monitors of health and right development, guarding alike 
 against excess in physical exercise and deteriorating monotony 
 in school work. The person who attempts to get much physi- 
 cal labor from one of these boys discovers that he is lazy. The 
 school teacher finds the grades in which boys of this age are 
 most numerous, the most restless of all. 
 
 This period of extreme variety and vigor in physical exer- 
 cise, and of rapidly flitting attention, is the period immediately 
 following that at which the brain has ceased from its rapid 
 early growth, having already by the eighth year reached its 
 approximate limit of weight.^ During these j^ears, according 
 to the neurologists, the important phase in the development of 
 the brain is the increase in association fibers and the further 
 medulation of these fibers. This furnishes a plausible explana- 
 tion of the function of these games and a reason for their 
 diversity. May it not be that this great diversity of interests, 
 this restless, roaming attention, this craving for something new, 
 this extreme desire to be able to perform some special feat of 
 skill — all of which are so strong at this period — may not this be 
 Nature's way of guarding against a too early cramping of 
 interest along few lines, her way of seeing that a broad general 
 development is assured by providing numerous and varied ex- 
 periences at this period of the development of association fibers ? 
 If this be Nature's plan, then it has been most severely sinned 
 against by those who have prepared the courses of study in 
 
 1 Donaldson : Growth of the Brain. N. Y., 1895. p. 107. 
 
AMUSEMENTS OF WORCESTER SCHOOL CHILDREN. 23 
 
 our schools, for the fourth and fifth grades are the ones, beyond 
 all other, most likely to be dry and uninteresting. 
 
 There is one other feature of this period which, although 
 already mentioned, must not be left without special notice; it 
 is the foundation for social co-operation, slowly laid by these 
 games. Here are the beginnings of social life, of true citizen- 
 ship, of combined independence and mutual dependence. In 
 these varied games of chase, etc., are prominent those incen- 
 tives to close attention, prompt and accurate action and self- 
 control to a marked degree. There, too, is the necessity of 
 many taking part, and hence the frequent and often forced 
 recognition of the rights of others, of a justice with hard and 
 fast laws which may not be lightly disregarded. The constant 
 bickering, the petty quarrels characteristic of the play of chil- 
 dren from nine to twelve, trying parents almost to despair, and 
 convincing disinterested persons that ' ' such quarrelsome brats ' ' 
 must be beyond hope, are but the parliamentary debates of 
 early legislators. As yet, however, there is no true social co- 
 operation. There is little of the general combined action, 
 definitely continued to attain a fixed end. Even those games 
 in which an adult sees the possibility of great co-operative 
 action are played by boys below the teens with little attention 
 to the results to be obtained by combining efforts, but are 
 studded with feats of individual prowess; every player strives 
 to be the star. Yet in this struggle of individuals are condi- 
 tions forcing mutual consideration and preparing for the more 
 definite co-operation of later years. 
 
 Our curves show that as late as the ninth year nearly 20% 
 of the amusements of these children was with common toys or 
 with objects used as toys; that during the next four years 
 about the same per cent, of running games occurred. The 
 further characteristic of these earlier periods having been traced, 
 a closing study of the third period is made. After the twelfth 
 year the interest in ball games rises rapidly, from 15% at 12 
 years to 26% at 16 years; along with this grows a correspond- 
 ing interest in cards. This statement means that a third or 
 more of all the amusements of these boys just entering their 
 teens, are games of contest — games in which the end is in one 
 way or another to gain an advantage over one's fellow — in which 
 the interest is in the struggle between peers. In foot-ball, for 
 example, there can be no doubt of the pleasure derived from 
 the physical activity which sends the blood coursing through 
 one's veins, giving rise to feelings of a vigorous self, to a height- 
 ened consciousness of one's own powers; nor is this conscious- 
 ness of power wanting in a game of cards; nevertheless it is 
 the result to be attained, ever being attained as the contest pro- 
 ceeds, that centers the interest in the games. At this early 
 
24 AMUSEMENTS OF WORCESTER SCHOOL CHILDREN. 
 
 Stage in life the end must not be too far distant, the struggle 
 must be ever present. Later on one may find delight in the 
 severe preliminary practice v^hich prepares him to win the later 
 contest, or even in the strokes which are laying the foundation 
 of his later success on the tennis court. Yet for the younger 
 boy all this is drudgery unless the contest is ever present; — on 
 the opposite side of the net must be some one to beat. 
 
 The beginnings and growth of this spirit of co-operation is 
 beautifully shown by a comparison of the boys' curves for hide 
 and seek and relievo (p. 229). The latter is played by two 
 sides, and hence has slightly more of the features of co-opera- 
 tion, though in many respects the games are of a similar nature. 
 Note the culminating point of the upward rise in each at about 
 ten years, followed by the rapid decline of the first, and the 
 continued interest in the second, due undoubtedly to the appeal 
 to this growing delight in contest. 
 
 A look backward at the Curve of Interest (p. 228) gives 
 an additional explanation of the downward drop after 10. 
 At 10 years an average of 14 different amusements are men- 
 tioned; at 16 not half that number. This is the natural con- 
 sequence from the class of games played; the more remote the 
 end to be attained in a game, the more confined to it will be 
 the attention, if any interest exists, and hence the exclusion of 
 many games heretofore quite common. Thus certain games 
 appear as powerful aids in the development of the ability to 
 concentrate one's attention, to specialize. 
 
 Effect of Sex. 
 
 The charts and curves have already brought out distinctions 
 between the amusements of the sexes. A resume will make 
 them clearer. 
 
 Nearly 40% of the 700 amusements of these children are 
 common to both sexes, although about 30% are mentioned by 
 each sex alone; for the most part the latter are games played 
 but rarely. 
 
 A comparison of the leading games of the sexes calls atten- 
 tion to the greater variability of the male, a fact so frequently 
 noted in the literature of evolution. 
 
 Amusements mentioned by fifty per cent, or more: Boys, — 
 Ball, Marbles, Sled, Skates ; Girls, — Dolls, Sled, Jumping 
 Rope. 
 
 By 40% to 50%: Boj's,— Football; Girls,— Tag, Hide-and- 
 Seek, Skates, Ball, Play House. 
 
 By 30% to 40%: Boys, — Tag, Relievo, Hockey; Girls, — 
 Jackstones. 
 
 By 20% to 30%: Boys, — Checkers, Hide-and-Seek; Girls, 
 —Play Sol, Tea Set, Doll Carriage, Relievo. 
 
AMUSEMENTS OF WORCESTER SCHOOL CHILDREN. 25 
 
 Thus only 10 games are mentioned as commonly played by at 
 least 20% of the boys, while among the same proportion of 
 girls 13 games are common. This difference is continued as 
 other games are added, 10% of the girls having 25 amusements 
 in common, while the same number of boys have only 20. This 
 indicates that the girls have a larger repertoire of amusements 
 that are used regularly. Although several of the groups of 
 amusements which suggest in-door life, seem at first to indicate 
 the opposite, a careful study of the data shows that the boys 
 are less conventional. Thus the proportion of toys to other 
 means of amusement is much smaller, especially after the ninth 
 year, with the boys than with the girls, but the girls use very 
 generally such toys as tea-sets and doll carriages, which to- 
 gether with dolls, aid their imagination in the reproduction of 
 domestic life; while the boys, though they use no toys so gen- 
 erally, mention a greater variety. Again what is true of toys 
 is also true of their imaginative games. A very large propor- 
 tion of girls wall play a few games dealing with local life, as 
 playing house, or school, or playing parties; while fewer boys 
 play any one game, but their games are more numerous and 
 deal with a wider environment. 
 
 Forty per cent, of all the amusements mentioned were in- 
 dulged in by both sexes. This element of common interest is 
 seen in the general correspondence between the sex curves in 
 the different charts. There are exceptions, however, as in the 
 cur\'e where the girls are made to appear to indulge in toys to 
 a much greater extent than the boys, and in the curve of Ball 
 Games which the reader might interpret as showing that the 
 girls are lacking in the spirit of emulation. The first has al- 
 ready been explained as due to the doll interest, so predominant 
 in girls. The second, though showing that the girls do not in- 
 dulge to so great an extent in these contests of physical strength, 
 does not negative the statement already made, that the third 
 period for boys and girls alike, is marked by contests in amuse- 
 ments. The curve for cards clearly traces the growth of this 
 element in the character of the girls. Still this spirit of stub- 
 born contest, delights in the strife for mastery, is more charac- 
 teristic among the boys, and is illustrated by the game of chess, 
 and by the curves for Hide-and-Seek and Relievo (p. 229). 
 Chess, a game requiring close application throughout, and at- 
 tention from the start fixed on a definite end, is mentioned by 
 twenty- five boys; but only one girl of nearly one thousand in- 
 cluded it in her list. In comparing the curves just mentioned, 
 it is found that the girls continue their interest in hide-and-seek, 
 as they seem to in all distinctively running games, long after 
 
26 AMUSEMENTS OP WORCESTER SCHOOL CHILDREN. 
 
 that of the boj^s has been drafted off to more vigorous and 
 general contests.^ 
 
 Dr. Ellis in his extremely suggestive article on Dolls' has 
 clearly indicated their wide use and great value in the psychic 
 development of the child. He also showed that doll playing was 
 not confined to girls alone. But with him "dolls" had a much 
 wider connotation than with these children who have listed 
 ' ' dolls' ' among their playthings. In the present study ' ' dolls ' ' 
 must be considered as referring only to those toys commonly so 
 called. Accordingly a very small proportion of the boys of 
 school age are found acknowledging that they " play dolls," 
 though the number reported is doubtless far too small, as there 
 are obvious reasons why the average boy would not confess to 
 this amusement. Many, however, speak of playing dolls at an 
 earlier age, generally prior to their admission to school, when 
 the doll was probably a common tO}' with them. 
 
 Effect op Nationality. 
 
 The child has the same general needs in his growth from 
 whatever race he springs. On the whole, the following state- 
 ment is true: the general character of the games played by 
 these children of differing nationalities and diverse classes in 
 society were the same whatever stage of their development was 
 selected. This constantly recurring similarity was repeatedly 
 brought to the attention of the writer during his work on the 
 returns, and was to him an incontestable proof of the genuine- 
 ness and accurateness of the answers. 
 
 The child, be he American, Swede, Irish, French or Jew, at 
 the time when he enters school still clings to his toys; at nine, 
 ten and eleven years of age he expands his chest, strengthens 
 his heart, and gains a general control over the movements of 
 his whole body, as he avoids capture or secures his prey in his 
 games of chase. At the same time his active and unrestrained 
 imagination will cause it to be more than a game of tag for 
 him; he will be transformed for the time being into the char- 
 acter, human or animal, which the particular game calls for. 
 The observer of the games at this period cannot fail to notice 
 what a large proportion call for dramatization in some form. 
 Later, whatever his nationality, the mere activity, the exercise 
 in itself, will not be enough; at the end of it there must be 
 something to show, some result, some object constantly in 
 
 ^ Groos states that those games in which is an active contest between 
 sides, and necessarily a stricter subordination to law, are played more 
 by the male sex; and he suggests that the social capacity of the 
 American women is highly developed because they contest in all 
 games freely with the boys. — Die Spiele der Menschen, p. 43S. 
 
 "^Ped. Sent., Vol. IV, p. 129. 
 
AMUSEMKNTS OF WORCESTER SCHOOI. CHILDREN. 27 
 
 view, else he considers his activity thrown away. Now is the 
 time to interest him in so?nething — to form permanent interests. 
 
 Kmphasis has been properly placed upon this general corre- 
 spondence; but on that account no one should think that there 
 are not important differences, due at least to the traditional 
 environment with which birth invests children, even if the dif- 
 ference be not rooted in the national character. The play- 
 things and games of the parent are an important element in 
 determining those of their children; and as promoters and 
 transmitters of amusements the parents are second only to the 
 children themselves. The returns as tabulated showed that 
 fewer toj's were mentioned by the Swedish children than by 
 those of American parentage; and the writer was told by 
 teachers acquainted with both Swedish and American homes 
 that fewer toys are found in the former than in the latter, this 
 difference being very noticeable. A singular case in point is 
 found in the returns under the heading of ' ' Cards. ' ' In one 
 school where there were 237 girls, for the most part of Ameri- 
 can parentage, 48 reported that they played cards, and 18 of 
 these, an unusually large proportion, reported "Cards" as a 
 favorite; but in two other schools in which the great majority 
 were Swedish, although the total number of girls was 287, 
 only two mentioned cards, and these two were Irish. The 
 returns, however, indicate that the Swedish children more 
 often made toys for their own use than did the American; 
 whence it may be inferred that paucity of toys in the Swedish 
 home is due more to parental custom than to childish instinct. 
 The returns also showed that the Swedish children indulged 
 in the games calling for active physical exercise to a much 
 greater extent than any of the other nationalities represented, 
 though the environment of Worcester children encourages 
 games of this character, and their proportion relative to other 
 amusements is very large among all classes of children in this 
 city. This characteristic is prominent among the games of 
 the Swedish girls as well as boys; with them running games 
 of all kinds, skating and " sliding " are prime favorites. This 
 great enjoyment of physical activity accords well with the 
 usually accepted characteristics of northern races, and espe- 
 cially of the Scandinavian in its own peninsular. 
 
 I have to thank Miss Foley, the superintendent of physical 
 culture in the city schools, for one fact of great interest. At 
 the time these data were being gathered, she was conducting 
 the very practical experiment of introducing common games 
 into some of these same schools in the place of the ordinary 
 physical exercises. In the course of her experiment she found 
 that the same games were not equally successful in all schools; 
 and that in one school, in which the children were largely of 
 
28 AMUSEMENTS OF WORCESTER SCHOOL CHILDREN. 
 
 American parentage, the spirit of rivalry, an oppportuuity to 
 beat, was necessary to the successful introduction of any game. 
 This spirit of rivalry is characteristic of cards, just mentioned 
 as an example of a distinction between American and Swedish 
 games; and in all games of this class the distinction holds 
 good between the nationalities; — more rivalry among the Ameri- 
 cans, among the Swedes more vigorous physical exercise. 
 
 Effect of Locality and Season. 
 
 Comparing the tables of the leading amusements in Worces- 
 ter (p. 226) and Brooklyn (pp. 240-242), and of leading toys 
 in Westfield, a general agreement is found in the order and 
 relative percentage of similar games; thus with the boys ball 
 is first in both the former places, and sledding and skating are 
 third and fourth respectively, while checkers is ninth on all 
 three lists; the sled also is second with the girls from the first 
 two places, and checkers occupy the fourteenth position. 
 
 On the other hand hockey (shinney ) stands much higher on 
 the Worcester list, and relievo is not found at all among the 
 leading games^ of Brooklyn boys, though extremely popular in 
 the former city. Also the list from the Brooklyn girls give us 
 a surprise as we read " dolls " down into the fifth place, jump 
 rope, sled, skates and jackstones preceding, nor do games of 
 chase appear to be so great favorites, and cards are played more. 
 These are, as will be seen, only typical differences, such as will 
 be found on comparing any two localities, and they illustrate 
 two things which largely determine the free amusements of 
 any community; (i) the effect of tradition, (2) and that of 
 physical environment. 
 
 Leading Amusements. 
 Boys. — Brooklyn. Total nurfiber, 20^. 
 
 Mentioned by Favorite with 
 
 1. Ball, 151 68 
 
 (Baseball alone), loi 53 
 
 2. Marbles, 109 15 
 
 3. Sled, 100 9 
 
 4. Skates, 89 17 
 
 5. Foot-ball, 73 16 
 
 6. Top, 64 7 
 7- Tag, 51 5 
 8. Snow Balling, 48 5 
 
 ^"Ring Relievo," however, is mentioned and described by Stuart 
 Culin in the Street Games of Boys in Brooklyn, N. Y. {^^^ Journal of 
 American Folklore, Vol. IV, pp. 221-237.) This is the same game, 
 although not played exactly as it is by the boys in Worcester. 
 
AMUSEMENTS OF WORCESTER SCHOOL CHILDREN. 29 
 
 
 Boys , — Brooklyn . 
 
 — Continued. 
 
 
 
 
 Mentioned by 
 
 Favorite with 
 
 9 
 
 Checkers, 
 
 45 
 
 15 
 
 10 
 
 Pass Walk, 
 
 40 
 
 5 
 
 II 
 
 Hide-and-Seek, 
 
 39 
 
 5 
 
 12 
 
 Sleigh Riding, 
 
 37 
 
 5 
 
 13 
 
 Prisoner's Base, 
 
 36 
 
 2 
 
 14 
 
 Snap the Whip, 
 
 33 
 
 I 
 
 15 
 
 Swimming, 
 
 28 
 
 9 
 
 i6 
 
 Dominoes, 
 
 27 
 
 2 
 
 17 
 
 Puss-in-the- Corner, 
 
 27 
 
 I 
 
 18 
 
 Play Horse, 
 
 24 
 
 6 
 
 19 
 
 Bicycle and Velocipede, 
 
 23 
 
 6 
 
 20 
 
 IvOttO, 
 
 22 
 
 4 
 
 21 
 
 Wagon, 
 
 20 
 
 4 
 
 22 
 
 Kick the Can, 
 
 19 
 
 2 
 
 23 
 
 Kites, 
 
 19 
 
 
 
 24 
 
 Shinney, 
 
 18 
 
 
 
 25 
 
 Messenger Boy, 
 
 17 
 
 8 
 
 All of these boys were between 8 and 16 years old, the great 
 majority between 10 and 15. 
 
 IvEADiNG Amusements. 
 Girls. — Brooklyn. Total number^ 22j. 
 
 
 
 Mentioned by 
 
 Favorite with 
 
 I 
 
 Jump Rope, 
 
 150 
 
 39 
 
 2 
 
 Sled, 
 
 131 
 
 14 
 
 3 
 
 Skates, 
 
 123 
 
 27 
 
 4 
 
 Jack stones, 
 
 121 
 
 33 
 
 5 
 
 Dolls, 
 
 117 
 
 60 
 
 6 
 
 Tag, 
 
 82 
 
 12 
 
 7 
 
 Play House, 
 
 79 
 
 22 
 
 8 
 
 Hide-and-Seek, 
 
 67 
 
 19 
 
 9 
 
 Bicycle and Tricycle, 
 
 58 
 
 25 
 
 10 
 
 Roller Skates, 
 
 81 
 
 15 
 
 II 
 
 Play School, 
 
 50 
 
 15 
 
 12 
 
 Dominoes, 
 
 49 
 
 15 
 
 13 
 
 Doll Carriage, 
 
 48 
 
 17 
 
 14 
 
 Checkers, 
 
 47 
 
 7 
 
 15 
 
 Ball, 
 
 46 
 
 9 
 
 16 
 
 Lotto, 
 
 46 
 
 7 
 
 17 
 
 Reading and Books, 
 
 45 
 
 3 
 
 18 
 
 Parchesi, 
 
 42 
 
 10 
 
 19 
 
 Sewing, 
 
 36 
 
 3 
 
 20 
 
 Croquet, 
 
 33 
 
 II 
 
 21 
 
 Messenger Boy, 
 
 31 
 
 6 
 
30 
 
 AMUSEMENTS OF WORCESTER SCHOOL CHILDREN. 
 
 Girls. — Brooklyn. — Contmued. 
 
 Mentioned by Favorite with 
 
 22. Old Maids, 25 2 
 
 23. Sleigh Riding, 23 2 
 
 24. Bean Bag, 21 o 
 
 25. Play Store, 19 i 
 
 These girls were between 9 and 16 years of age, the majority 
 between 10 and 13. 
 
 The Favorite Toys. 
 Boys. — We s {field, Mass. 
 
 Total, yoi. 2p 38 80 jj 118 118 102 po 34. 75 
 
 £7 8 9 10 II 12 13 14 15 16 
 
 I. 
 
 Top, 
 
 297 
 
 12 
 
 20 
 
 26 
 
 30 
 
 56 
 
 53 
 
 38 
 
 39 
 
 18 
 
 5 
 
 2. 
 
 Ball, 
 
 260 
 
 7 
 
 15 
 
 29 
 
 20 
 
 46 
 
 44 
 
 48 
 
 31 
 
 13 
 
 7 
 
 3- 
 
 Marbles, 
 
 227 
 
 4 
 
 10 
 
 15 
 
 20 
 
 45 
 
 43 
 
 39 
 
 34 
 
 13 
 
 4 
 
 4- 
 
 Wagon, Exp'ss, 
 
 , 150 
 
 8 
 
 12 
 
 20 
 
 24 
 
 32 
 
 21 
 
 22 
 
 7 
 
 2 
 
 2 
 
 5- 
 
 Football, 
 
 114 
 
 I 
 
 3 
 
 10 
 
 II 
 
 15 
 
 27 
 
 22 
 
 17 
 
 7 
 
 
 6. 
 
 Bicycle, 
 
 95 
 
 3 
 
 5 
 
 4 
 
 7 
 
 17 
 
 22 
 
 17 
 
 12 
 
 7 
 
 
 7- 
 
 Drum, 
 
 84 
 
 4 
 
 8 
 
 8 
 
 II 
 
 18 
 
 16 
 
 8 
 
 8 
 
 I 
 
 
 8. 
 
 Skates, 
 
 76 
 
 I 
 
 2 
 
 II 
 
 4 
 
 16 
 
 18 
 
 13 
 
 9 
 
 2 
 
 
 9- 
 
 Checkers, 
 
 75 
 
 I 
 
 2 
 
 6 
 
 5 
 
 10 
 
 16 
 
 7 
 
 12 
 
 15 
 
 
 10. 
 
 Gun, 
 
 74 
 
 I 
 
 2 
 
 6 
 
 3 
 
 19 
 
 16 
 
 17 
 
 7 
 
 2 
 
 
 II. 
 
 Cars, Engine, 
 
 71 
 
 2 
 
 10 
 
 19 
 
 II 
 
 12 
 
 6 
 
 5 
 
 5 
 
 I 
 
 
 12. 
 
 Sled, 
 
 65 
 
 2 
 
 2 
 
 9 
 
 4 
 
 14 
 
 15 
 
 II 
 
 7 
 
 I 
 
 
 ^Z- 
 
 ToolChest,Tools,5i 
 
 I 
 
 4 
 
 5 
 
 7 
 
 14 
 
 3 
 
 6 
 
 9 
 
 I 
 
 
 15- 
 
 Bat, 
 
 49 
 
 
 I 
 
 4 
 
 6 
 
 13 
 
 8 
 
 10 
 
 3 
 
 2 
 
 2 
 
 16. 
 
 Boats (toy), 
 
 48 
 
 I 
 
 4 
 
 5 
 
 7 
 
 14 
 
 3 
 
 6 
 
 9 
 
 I 
 
 
 17- 
 
 Horse (toy). 
 
 45 
 
 6 
 
 2 
 
 13 
 
 7 
 
 6 
 
 7 
 
 4 
 
 
 
 
 18. 
 
 Books, 
 
 34 
 
 2 
 
 
 
 4 
 
 5 
 
 8 
 
 7 
 
 3 
 
 3 
 
 I 
 
 
 19. 
 
 Cards, 
 
 33 
 
 I 
 
 
 I 
 
 2 
 
 6 
 
 7 
 
 12 
 
 3 
 
 
 
 20. 
 
 Blocks, 
 
 31 
 
 I 
 
 5 
 
 3 
 
 4 
 
 3 
 
 3 
 
 7 
 
 5 
 
 
 
 21. 
 
 Kite, 
 
 29 
 
 
 
 
 7 
 
 5 
 
 7 
 
 4 
 
 3 
 
 2 
 
 
 22. 
 
 House, 
 
 27 
 
 2 
 
 5 
 
 3 
 
 2 
 
 3 
 
 I 
 
 4 
 
 4 
 
 2 
 
 
 23- 
 
 Dominoes, 
 
 24 
 
 
 3 
 
 4 
 
 2 
 
 3 
 
 5 
 
 4 
 
 3 
 
 
 
 24. 
 
 Dog, 
 
 24 
 
 2 
 
 3 
 
 3 
 
 3 
 
 3 
 
 4 
 
 4 
 
 2 
 
 
 
 25- 
 
 Puzzles, 
 
 23 
 
 
 
 I 
 
 T 
 
 6 
 
 4 
 
 6 
 
 2 
 
 2 
 
 I 
 
 The Favorite Toys. 
 Girls. — Westfield, Mass. 
 
 Total, 808. J5 6§ 102 108 104. 121 128 100 24 ip 
 
 J7 8 9 10 II 12 13 14 15 16 
 
 Dolls, 626 30 61 97 98 90 102 92 44 6 4 
 
 (Paper Dolls, 89 4 6 5 11 21 28 12 i i) 
 
 Tea Set, Dishes, 223 10 27 30 42 31 37 32 14 
 
AMUSEMENTS OF WORCESTER SCHOOL CHILDREN. 3 1 
 
 Girls. — Westfield, Mass. — Coiiiimied. 
 
 Mentioned by Favorite with 
 
 3. Doll Carriage, 181 5 18 27 34 36 24 31 7 
 
 4. Books, 134 4 7 17 24 27 21 17 12 3 2 
 
 5. Top, 125 5 10 22 17 12 19 16 15 2 2 
 
 6. Ball, 119 I 10 II 17 21 17 26 16 
 
 7. Bicycle, 69 5 6 2 15 12 15 14 
 
 8. Sled, 69 3 7 5 17 II 14 II I 
 
 9. Jump Rope, 68 8 11 9 7 10 14 81 
 
 10. Skates, 67 2 3 4 17 14 15 11 i 
 
 11. Piano, 62 7 2 2 6 13 20 7 5 
 
 12. Checkers, 57 i 8 4 9 7 i? 13 
 
 13. Hoop, 49 24 7 4 9 12 4 61 
 
 14. Stove, 49 16998844 
 
 15. Paint, 45 5 6 3 5 8 10 6 I I 
 
 16. Blackboard, 43 i 3 7 9 3 4 14 2 
 
 17. Dominoes, 39i33743872i 
 
 18. Doll's Bed, 37 24595642 
 
 19. " Table, 37 145 69461 
 
 20. " Chairs,eiC.,33 1876632 
 
 21. " Cradle, 29 14564423 
 
 22. Blocks, 29 28434332 
 
 23. Cards, 29 i 3 3 5 6 6 4 i 
 
 24. Play School, 25 2256 136 
 
 25. " House, 24 1461372 
 
 We have seen how parental influence was still a factor in 
 determining the plays of the Swedish children of Worcester; 
 here again is a most striking instance of a game, ' ' relievo, ' ' 
 nourished and developed until it is mentioned by a third of all 
 the Worcester boys, and yet apparently played but little by 
 the boys of Brooklyn, a little more than one hundred miles 
 distant. But the interesting feature of it all is the substitution 
 of games of the same class. In Brooklyn, Pass Walk and 
 Prisoner's Base appear to be the substitutes for relievo, while 
 general observation in Chicago and vicinity puts " Pomp, 
 pomp, pull away " in its place. 
 
 One reason why shinney is three times as popular in Wor- 
 cester as in Brooklyn, and that running games of all kinds 
 appear to be more popular, is undoubtedly the exceptional in- 
 ducements offered by the physical conditions of the former 
 city; the many small ponds suitable for shinney are a constant 
 invitation to the small boy with a pair of skates, and the 
 innumerable vacant lots, covered with grass, — not yet the dirty 
 dumping places so common in large cities, — have furnished 
 Worcester, free of charge, an excellent system of small parks 
 
32 AMUSEMENTS OF WORCESTER SCHOOL CHILDREN. 
 
 for playgrounds.^ The only regretable fact is that these are 
 neither as frequent nor as grassy in the poorer neighborhoods, 
 where exist the greatest need of them, and that they cannot be 
 made permanent. These back lots and the broad, shady streets 
 offer the choicest opportunity for indulging in running games 
 of all kinds. 
 
 While tradition and environment may perhaps have helped 
 to plaec two amusements, jumping rope and jackstones, always 
 favorites with city girls, higher up in the Brooklyn list, one 
 other factor not due to locality has had its influence on the 
 relative position of " dolls " and " cards; " a large proportion 
 of the Brooklyn girls were in the upper limit of " the doll 
 age," or, speaking from the other standpoint, they were just 
 entering " the age of card interest." Had equal numbers of 
 the same age been taken, the similarity between the two lists 
 would have been much closer. 
 
 The difference in the Westfield list is due in the main to the 
 fact that it covers less ground than the others, being devoted 
 to toys alone and giving greater emphasis to these. Hence 
 are placed high on this list toys which are not found at all in 
 the other two. Another reason why certain of these toys, as 
 wagons, cars, and drums, occupy so high a position, is found 
 in the relatively greater proportion of children below ten years 
 of age. The very prominent position of the top among West- 
 field toys may be due to either of two causes: it may be one 
 of those local toys which has become strongly rooted there, or 
 the returns may have been taken when ' ' tops were in. ' ' Prob- 
 ably both of these conditions existed, for the top has a very 
 wide range in its relative popularity in different localities, and, 
 like marbles, it comes and goes like an epidemic. 
 
 The returns from our sj'llabus give very general or indirect 
 answers in regard to the influence of the seasons in determining 
 the games played; but a few observations are perhaps worth 
 recording. In notes taken by the writer in Chicago during the 
 spring of 1898 the following occurs: "Sat., Mar. 6.'^ Went- 
 
 1 G. M. West, in his article upon The Anthropology of American 
 School Children, found in the proceedings of the International Con- 
 gress of Anthropology, Chicago, 1894, makes the following statement, 
 which is of suggestive interest in this connection : " The Worcester 
 children are markedly above the average in stature, while the Toronto 
 and Boston children are almost as markedly at the opposite extreme." 
 
 ■■^ On the 15th of February, 1899, the writer saw, for the first time of 
 the season in Chicago, marbles, ball, and various tag games, but the 
 conditions were peculiar ; for fully a month the weather had been 
 exceedingly cold, the thermometer frequently registering 15° or more 
 below zero, and there was little or no snow on the ground. Suddenly, 
 within twenty-four hours, there was a rise of about 70°. After a few 
 days the temperature again dropped, and these games disappeared 
 from the streets as suddenly as they came. 
 
AMUSEMENTS OF WORCESTER SCHOOL CHILDREN. 33 
 
 worth Avenue electric. Saw, for the first time of the season, 
 marbles, jackstones, and jumping rope. Time, late in the 
 afternoon; weather, mild and fair. During the next week all 
 these games, together with ball, became common on the Nor- 
 mal campus." " Mar. 31. 1.00-2.00 p. M. Cloudy and cold. 
 During a walk of several miles I saw many groups of small 
 boys without seemingly anything to do — just loafing along, or 
 sitting with hands in pockets. Not a game of marbles, only 
 two of ball, and a few of jump rope." By the last of April of 
 this same year the boys of this vicinity had nearly stopped 
 playing marbles, though a few sporadic games were detected 
 during the next month. Ball was the prevailing game, though 
 games of chase and similar running games began to be fre- 
 quent, especially in the dusk of evening. General observa- 
 tions, made both in Chicago and Worcester, place the greatest 
 interest in running games during the months of May and June, 
 and. the hours of the day those immediately following supper. 
 While these are approximately the correct dates for a few 
 games at a given latitude, it by no means follows that they 
 would be correct for other localities. Indeed, we are told that 
 the Greek boys of the present day play ball in winter instead 
 of summer, and local conditions will undoubtedly modify the 
 time of most games. 
 
 It is difficult to determine the time of playing; to give the 
 reason is still more difficult. One young boy, when asked how 
 they happened to begin to play marbles during a certain term, 
 replied: "Oh, first one of the boys brought some marbles to 
 school, and then others brought theirs. ' ' This does not explain 
 how the first boy happened to bring his marbles, but under 
 favorable conditions it is easily seen how a game may rapidly 
 spread by imitation over a whole neighborhood, or even a city. 
 In the varying environment furnished by the seasons are found 
 most favorable settings for the games when they are played; in 
 the fall when the body requires a high physical tone to withstand 
 the inclemency of the season, the favorite out-of-door amuse- 
 ments are those which contribute to the formation and mainte- 
 nance of this tone; the long winter evenings contribute their 
 share to the mental growth in another but milder manner. In 
 summer the favorites are out-door activities, but they do not 
 make so continuous and severe demands on the physical powers. 
 In the spring, when the bright, warm sun, and fresh, fragrant 
 air calls children out of doors, but the deep stick}' mud draws 
 limits about their feet, the small spongy patches of fresh earth 
 stimulate with irresistible strength the boys' associations with 
 marbles, the girls with the jumping rope. And thus undoubt- 
 edly can the periodic vogue of many of the recurring games 
 be explained on the basis of natural associations, quickened 
 
34 AMUSEMENTS OF WORCESTER SCHOOL CHILDREN. 
 
 by the physical phenomena of each season; and once started at 
 a favorable time a game spreads by imitation. 
 
 Effect of Number of Companions and of Time of 
 Playing. 
 
 A few facts dealing with the problems of companionship, 
 and with the effects of Sunday and evening restraint, have 
 been gathered from the returns of these school children, and 
 are here presented.^ 
 
 Boys. Girls. 
 
 I GOO 929 Total number. 
 
 /. Whe?i Alone. 
 
 340 325 Books, reading. (Especially from 12 years on.) 
 
 38 117 Music. (Instrumental and vocal, principally the 
 
 piano. ) 
 
 53 55 Drawing, Painting, etc. 
 
 21 81 Making something. 
 
 o 74 Dolls. 
 
 31 52 Make-believe Games. (Especially at early age.) 
 
 20 o Marbles. 
 
 18 3 Ball. 
 
 7 I Walks. 
 4 5 Cards. 
 
 2 4 Talk. (To one's self, to Kitty, etc.) 
 
 //. When in Groups of Two or Three. 
 
 40 151 Make-believe Game. 
 
 118 76 Games of Chase. 
 
 81 no Talk, Tell Stories, Riddles, etc. 
 
 98 71 Cards, Checkers, etc. 
 
 II 64 Music. (Instrumentaland vocal, mostly singing.) 
 
 66 o Marbles. 
 
 33 4 Ball. 
 
 3 31 Make something. 
 10 8 Walks. 
 
 2 7 Drawing, Painting, etc. 
 
 o 24 Dolls. 
 
 8 25 Reading. (Includes also several cases of more 
 
 than three. ) 
 
 1 Data regarding the amusements of younger children at different 
 periods of the day, have already been secured through the extreme 
 kindness of friends and of those interested in child study ; and these, 
 although not yet carefully studied, reveal many interesting points, 
 which may form the basis of a later article. 
 
AMUSEMENTS OF WORCESTER SCHOOL CHILDREN. 35 
 
 ///. When i?i Groups of More than Three. 
 
 269 
 
 196 
 
 Games of Chase. 
 
 37 
 
 104 
 
 Make-believe Games. 
 
 37 
 
 43 
 
 Cards, etc. 
 
 27 
 
 73 
 
 Talk, Tell Stories, Riddles, etc. 
 
 67 
 
 4 
 
 Ball. 
 
 4 
 
 33 
 
 Music. (Principally singing.) 
 
 13 
 
 
 
 Marbles. 
 
 9 
 
 4 
 
 Walks. 
 
 
 
 6 
 
 Dolls. 
 
 IV. Sunday A^nusements . 
 
 203 
 
 246 
 
 Reading. 
 
 64 
 
 80 
 
 Games of Chase. 
 
 48 
 
 65 
 
 Walks. 
 
 52 
 
 38 
 
 Cards. (Includes Bible Games, etc.) 
 
 9 
 
 53 
 
 Music. (Instrumental and vocal.) 
 
 6 
 
 34 
 
 Make-believe Games. 
 
 14 
 
 13 
 
 Drawing and Writing. 
 
 
 
 15 
 
 Dolls. 
 
 15 
 
 
 
 Marbles. 
 
 12 
 
 2 
 
 Ball. 
 
 I 
 
 10 
 
 Make something. 
 
 3 
 
 3 
 
 Talk, Tell Stories. 
 
 V. Evening Amusements. 
 
 102 
 
 280 
 
 Reading. 
 
 66 
 
 43 
 
 Cards. 
 
 44 
 
 29 
 
 Drawing, Painting. 
 
 13 
 
 50 
 
 Music. (Instrumental and vocal.) 
 
 4 
 
 37 
 
 Make something. 
 
 26 
 
 9 
 
 Games of Chase. 
 
 II 
 
 20 
 
 Make-believe Games. 
 
 9 
 
 5 
 
 Walk. 
 
 5 
 
 
 
 Marbles. 
 
 2 
 
 4 
 
 Ball. 
 
 4 
 
 I 
 
 Talk, Tell Stories. 
 
 The list of amusements ' ' when alone ' ' must have impressed 
 the reader with the great emphasis given to the activities deal- 
 ing with associative and constructive imagination; reading, 
 music, drawing, making something, dolls, and make-believe 
 games, — such is the order. Here is the suggestion of restless 
 activity and of the paths along which it is expressed; under 
 these conditions the creative power of the child is most active. 
 Yet the one thing overcapping all others is the reading habit, 
 especially strong, after the twelfth year. Is this overwhelming 
 
36 AMUSEMENTS OF WORCESTER SCHOOL CHILDREN. 
 
 tendency to seek amusement in reading a perfectly natural one, 
 or is it simply the most convenient form because open to all ? 
 Would other activities take its place, had earlier training 
 qualified more persons to indulge in them ? It seems probable 
 that the latter is the truer answer; and had educators recog- 
 nized the importance of leisure and its activities in the forma- 
 tion of each individual, our schools would strive to develop in 
 each pupil the ability to do something besides gulp down 
 stories. In his admirable monograph on reading. Dr. Hall 
 has shown the abuse of the ability to read when it degenerates 
 into a mere form of amusement; ^ and in later lectures and 
 addresses he has made a strong plea for the acquisition by each 
 child of the ability to do as many different things as possible. 
 " How many things do you know how to do? " is his question. 
 This plea has been made on the psychological ground that 
 motor activity is a means of brain development. Surely, then, 
 if the acquisition of these different powers tend to a more 
 evenly balanced development of a man mentally, the continued 
 practice of such activities must tend to steady one throughout 
 life. 
 
 L,ists II and III are characterized by those amusements 
 which more than others foster the development of social habits 
 — habits of forbearance, obedience to law, competition, co- 
 operation, public spirit. The fancy of each child now is less 
 free than in the condition of list I; even in the make-believe 
 games it must yield to that of others, become more conven- 
 tional and more cramped. Ivist II by itself emphasizes the 
 value of a chum in the normal development of every individual. 
 If a child has not, in brother or sister, one of its own age 
 with whom the most confidential relations may be established, 
 it is the duty of parents to encourage and promote such 
 relations. 
 
 The Sunday and Evening amusements exhibit the effects of 
 restraint in two ways: first, in the predominance of isolating 
 amusements,— a glance will show how much more these groups 
 
 1 " Reading, in emancipating men from their physical and mental 
 environment, often weakens local pride and local interest, and creates 
 a distaste for what is nearest, and what, therefore, should be pedagog- 
 ically first. Finally, we sometimes find a habit of passionate reading 
 in children that not only interferes with physical development, but 
 destroys mental and moral independence, and may be called as mor- 
 bid as the writing mania. Thus I have gradually almost come to the 
 opinion that many of our youth would develop into better health and 
 stauncher virtue, and possibly better citizenship, and a culture in 
 every way more pedagogical and solid, had they never been taught to 
 read, but some useful handicraft, and the habit of utilizing all the 
 methods of oral education within reach, instead." Hall, G. Stanley : 
 How to Teach Reading, p. 17. 
 
AMUSEMENTS OF WORCESTER SCHOOL CHILDREN. 37 
 
 resemble group I than either II or III; and secondly, in the 
 character of certain amusements which appear as a sort of pro- 
 test against this restraint. As if the child should say: " If 
 there 's nothing else I can do in peace, I '11 read ; " or " I 'm 
 tired of staying in all day. lyCt 's take a walk." Here is a 
 basis for the consideration of the problem which confronts so 
 many conscientious mothers and fathers: " What shall we do 
 with our children Sundays ? Shall they play the same games 
 as on other days ? ' ' The answer in the individual case will 
 depend much upon the personal belief and Sunday habits of 
 the parents, but should be modified by the consideration of the 
 probable effect of the day's activity upon the child. 
 
 Can one day in seven be made to have a different significa- 
 tion from other days without an injurious influence upon the 
 young through the associations they form about it? 
 
 Something can be said for the educational value of a rigid 
 Sabbath. If, even by what seems an artificial restraint, we are 
 led to habits of contemplating the deeper and more spiritual 
 things of life, to a more careful consideration of our duties 
 toward God and man, the value of these habits from the com- 
 monly accepted moral standpoint cannot be denied; and if at 
 the same time the American people learn how to rest from their 
 nerve-destroying restlessness and activity, the value of a Sun- 
 day different from other days will be equally apparent from the 
 physiological standpoint. But if a difference is to be made, 
 the effect of the change should be the criterion of its legitimacy. 
 It is our belief that psychology and physiology both advocate 
 a holy day of rest, and that if parents felt the need of such a 
 day, and its import, the character of the day would seldom 
 appear so irksome to the child; for his appreciation of the day 
 would be greater, and his liberties wider. 
 
 Articles Made or Attempted. 
 
 Although question V asks the pupils to ' ' describe any play- 
 thing''' they had made, it is surprising to find so few games 
 have been made; a few puzzles and checker boards are about 
 all. There are, however, a large number of toys which are 
 miniature copies of things in the child's environment, and 
 which form the material basis of many of his plays; there are 
 the dolls and toy animals, the houses, the water wheels and 
 other machines, the sleds, boats, carts, the wooden axes and 
 other model tools, the sword and gun. These are the things 
 most commonly made by children; and they touch human life 
 on all sides. Of the toys made, not included in this class, the 
 majority are those that develop skill and self-mastery on the 
 part of the user; the ball, top, stilts, snowshoes, and many 
 kinds of gymnastic apparatus belong to this class. 
 
38 AMUSEMENTS OF WORCESTER SCHOOL CHILDREN. 
 
 As the children approach the "teens" a tendency arises, 
 that is well expressed by one of the girls, who no longer makes 
 playthings, but " things that are useful." Under this class are 
 included the articles for Decoration as well as for Use; things 
 for personal adornment, to beautify the school or home, and 
 even various foods. This whole list, as may be seen, by no 
 means begins to reach the limit of what the child may make, 
 though it is suggestive both to the framer of a course in manual, 
 training and to a teacher looking for suggestions for her daily 
 work.^ 
 
 I. For Play. 
 
 / . Games. 
 
 By Boys: — Puzzles 14, Marble game i. 
 
 By Girls: — Puzzles 4, Anagrams i, Checkers i, "Game similar to 
 checkers" i, Old Maids (cut from paper) i, Dominoes i. 
 
 2. Dolls and Doll Toys. 
 
 By Boys: — Dolls 31, Many, Soldier 4, Indian i. (Material used, paper, 
 wood, clothes pins, and potatoes). Jumping Jack 4, Clothespin Fighter 
 2, Hat I, Boot I, Doll Furniture 53, (chairs, tables, beds, benches, 
 cradles, swings, cupboards, dishes. Material, paper, pasteboard, wood, 
 clay.) 
 
 By Girls: — Dolls 304. (Materials, rags, paper, wood, clothes pin, pipe, 
 stick, peanuts). Jumping Jack 3, Doll's Clothing 252 (dress, apron, 
 waist, cap, bonnet, hat, cape, skirt, petticoat, cloak, pocket in dress, 
 quilt, shoes, slippers, bloomers, doll's outfit). Doll's Furniture 141. 
 (Bed, chair, rocking chair, high chair, sofa, table, dishes, carriage, 
 cradle, bureau, hammock, pillow, mattress, stove, candlestick, tin 
 looking-glass, wooden tub, benches, rope, knives and forks. Material, 
 paper, wood, pasteboard, clay, burdocks.) 
 
 J. Toy Animals. 
 By Boys: — Horse 12, cat 9, Snake 3, Animals 2, Dog, Elephant, Fox, 
 
 ^Mr. James P. Upham, who for over twenty-five years has been con- 
 nected with the premium department of The Vouth's Companion, 
 states that for prizes the boys are most likely to choose " something 
 they can make something or do something with, or to earn something 
 with;" thus the scroll saw has been by far the most successful pre- 
 mium ever offered by the paper ; likewise the most popular premium 
 for girls has been the Kensington Patterns (for art work). The fol- 
 lowing list includes the most popular premiums as determined during 
 a period of twenty to thirty years : The camera (at present), micros- 
 copes and telescopes, magic lanterns, soldering casket, glass cutter, 
 pocket tool-holder, outfit for making initial jewelry, carving tools, 
 pocket knives, materials for building canoes, Florentine Bent Iron 
 Work, Weeden's Engine, materials for a model motor, toilet hair clip- 
 pers, oil painting outfit, water colors, etc., celluloid decorating outfit, 
 dolls, collection of puzzles, megaphone, printing press, and certain 
 books. In general, "educative" toys were considered unsuccessful 
 as premiums, as also were electric toys on the whole. The latter were 
 not nearly as popular as steam toys. 
 
AMUSEMENTS OF WORCESTER SCHOOL CHILDREN. 39 
 
 Goat, Monkey, Owl, Oxeu, one each. Material, wood, paper, paste- 
 board and potatoes. 
 
 By Girls: — Cat 7, Horse 6, Sheep 3, Baboon 3, Rat 2, Dog 2, Duck 2, 
 Bird, Cla}- Animals, Cow, Fish, Oxen, Pig and Tiger, one each. Mat- 
 erial, paper, rags, cloth, wood, handkerchiefs, pussy willows, and 
 potatoes. 
 
 4.. Model Toys. 
 
 By Boys: — House, Tent 125, Snow Fort 8, Lighthouse 2, Bridge, 
 Church, Depot, vSaw Mill, and Small Farm, one each, Cart 138, Whip 
 5, Reins 5, Harness 3, Gig 3, Coasting Cart i. Sail for coasting cart i. 
 Goat Harness i, Bicycle 6, Engine, Cars, etc., 9, Railroad Track 4. 
 Boats 205, includes toy boats of all kinds, birch bark canoes, used for 
 models, and also raft and boats for actual use made or attempted by 
 boys in their terms. Sled 151. The returns did not always distinguish 
 the toy sleds from those made for use. Toboggan 6, Sleigh i, Sledge 
 I, Ladder 30, Axe and Hatchet 15, Fork 9, Knife and Fork i, Shovel 
 7, Snow Shovel 3, Circle Saw 6, Hammer (wood) 3, Spoons 2, Rake 2, 
 Spade I, Billy i, Acorn Pipes 18, Cob Pipes 8, Orange Skin Teeth 4, 
 Clock 2, Wire Spectacles i. Money i, Sword 66, Knife 47, Gun and 
 Pistol 28, Bow and Arrow 16, Bow Gun 3, Soldier's Hat 10, Cannon 4, 
 Spear 3, Tomahawk 2, Drum, Fife, Flag, Lariat, Marble Gun, and 
 Shield, one each. 
 
 By Girls: — House, tent 68, Snow House 4, Log Cabin i, Hut i, 
 ighthouse 2, Toothpick House i, Doll Park i. Bank i. Cart 9, Reins 
 7, Harness i, Engine i, Boat 58, Sleds 21, Ladder 2, Saw, Rake, Spoon, 
 Tin Scissors i each, Clock 3, Eye Glasses 3, Pipe i, Knife 10, Sword 4, 
 Gun I. The material used by boys was commonly wood, by girls 
 paper. 
 
 5. Mechanical Toys. 
 
 By Boys : — Water Wheel and Water Hammer 20, Sand Wheel 2, 
 Trip Hammer i, Derrick 9, Scales 9, Theater 8, Elevator 5, Machines 
 4, Shafting i. Shaft-holder i, Train signal switches, etc., i. Piece of 
 tin with two holes through which passes a string; pull the string and 
 it will cut 10, Kite 39, Pin Wheel, Windmill (wood) 3, Balloon 9, Air 
 Ship I, Electrical Apparatus i. Batteries 10, Motor 7, Dynamo, Elec- 
 tric Car, Holtz Machine, Induction Coil, Incandescent Light, Switch 
 Board, Telegraph, one each, Telephone 16, Camera 5, Sketching Cam- 
 era I, Magic Lantern, Jack Lantern 21, Sling Shot 16, '• Stopple," 
 feather dart 12, Tic Tac ir. Pop Gun 2, Force Pump 2, Pea Shooter i, 
 Traps 12, Fish-rods 3, Fish-lines i, Whistles 26, Clappers 8, Violin 2, 
 Banjo 2, Drumstick i, Wooden Drum to use in school i. 
 
 By Girls: — Scales 4, String through button or tin cover — twist 
 thread and then pull it i, Kite 12, Pin Wheel 7, Windmill (paper) 3, 
 Telephone 6, Feather Dart i, Cat's Rattle i, Horn 2, Accordion, Guitar, 
 Violin, one each. 
 
 6 . Toys for Physical Exercise. 
 
 By Boys : — Ball 42, covering a ball was too difficult for one boy of 
 fifteen. Top 26, Marbles (clay) 10, Bat 7, Foot-ball 3, Horse Shoe 
 Rings 5, Bean Bag i. Boomerang i. Bowling Alley i. Stilts 25, Snow- 
 shoes 9, Skees 7, '"'Jumper" 2, Skates i. Ice Boat i. Swing 4, Ham- 
 mock I, Boxing Gloves 4, Diving Board 4, Apparatus for high jump- 
 ing, Vaulting Pole, Pounding Bag, Chest Weights, Trapeze, Exerciser, 
 one each. 
 
 By Girls:— Bean Bag 13, Ball 9, Top (spool and paper) 4, Marbles 
 I, Bat I, Parlor Croquet Set I, Stilts (of tomato can) 5 (of wood) 3, 
 Snowshoes i. Swing 13, Hammock 4, See Saw i. 
 
40 AMUSEMENTS OF WORCESTER SCHOOL CHILDREN. 
 
 II. Articles for Use. 
 
 By Boys: — Picture Frames, Bookcase 3, Book Shelf i, Writing 
 Desk 2, Desk i, Ink Stand 2, Shelf 2, Bracket i, Music Rack i, Music 
 Stand I, Blackboard 2, Pool Table i. Bench 3, Hammock Frames i, 
 Towel Rack i, Step Ladder i, Snuff Box, Cricket i, Hen Coop 7, 
 Pigeon House 6, Bird House 2, Bird Cage i, Cage for Animals 4, Dog 
 House 2, Rabbit House 2, Fly Cage 2, Squirrel House i, Canvas Shel- 
 ter I, Carpenter Shop i, Bicycle Stand i, Canes 5, Sun Dial 3, Fence 
 I, Fence Picket i, Fireplace i, Furnace of Brick i, Keg i, Saw Horse 
 6, Sharpen Chisel i, Tool Chests, Weather Vane i, Candle Mold i, 
 Bullet Mold I. Material for the most part, wood. Pictures 10, Val- 
 entines 5, Paint Flowers i, Drawing (failed repeatedly on some par- 
 ticular object) 2, Paper Hats and Caps 6, Fans (wood) 7, Chain 3, 
 A Book I, Envelopes 2, Initials i. Horse Hair Rings i. Braid Hair 
 (failed) 2, Sewing (failed repeatedly) 9, Compasses 2, Cotton Gin 2, 
 Pulp Map 2, Wood Map i. Writing Book, Australian Hut, and Ruler, 
 one each, Candy 2, Gum i. 
 
 By Girls: — Aprons 7, Dress 7, Dress Pattern 2, Crochet Dress i. Coat 
 
 1, Coat Pattern i. Collar i, Sunshade 6, Trim Hat i, Straw Hat i, Quilt 
 5, Fan 2, Stockings 2, Mittens i, Handkerchief i, Finger Ring i, 
 Bags 3, Lamp Mats 3, Mats 2, Blankets, Bookcase, Bureau, Ladles, 
 Pillow Shams, Poker, Rug, " Things that are useful," one each, Val- 
 entines 18, Landscape 12, Copy Portraits 2, Sketch faces 2, Easter 
 Eggs 2, Pictures of objects, as cat, flowers 3, Write books (attempted) 
 
 2, Write Poem i. Soldiers' Caps 4, Envelopes 3, Scrap Book 2, Ball, 
 Book, Boat, Card Case, Fans, Fire Hat, Glove Box, Lantern, Love 
 Boxes, Paper Pulp, Picture Book, Ring, Silver Heart, one each; 
 material, paper. Fancy Work 135, includes Crocheting, Lace, Knit- 
 ting, Sewing, and the following articles : Picture Frames, Tidies, 
 Cushions, Pin Cushions, Pen Wipers, Dressing Case Covers, Tassels, 
 Sofa Pillows, Bead Rings, Tray Cloth; Chains (paper and daisy) 5, 
 Wreaths (leaves) 5, Peach stone Baskets, Fancy Bottle, Initials (cut 
 from wood and framed), one each. Compass 2, Ruler 2, Map, Nail 
 Map, Pulp Map, Pen from quill. School Bell, one each, Cake 7, Candy 
 5, Bread 2, Pie 2, Pudding 2, Ice Cream i, Lemon Candy i. Molasses 
 Candy i. 
 
 It is not to be supposed that any one child will make all of 
 these things. Yet some children are quite likely to make a 
 great number of them, and the variety and care with which 
 they are made will be an important index of the child's capacity. 
 Most children will, however, imitate the things made by their 
 friends, striving to do as well or better; the genius with his 
 original work is not the type of the child any more than of the 
 adult. Hence the necessity of much of the work being sug- 
 gested by the teacher. 
 
 The most successful attempt I have ever seen at original and 
 careful manual work in the school, was in a fifth grade in 
 Worcester, Mass., where a bright, progressive teacher, acting 
 on a suggestion thrown out in a public lecture by Dr. Hall, 
 told her pupils that they might make and place on exhibition 
 in the schoolroom anything they chose. The best example of 
 carefully and intelligentl}' co-ordinated work was in the Cook 
 County Normal School. In that school, particularly in the 
 
AMUSEMENTS OF WORCESTER SCHOOL CHILDREN. 4 1 
 
 lower grades, where there is greater need of supervision, the 
 manual work is generally outlined by the teacher, and made 
 to help out and illustrate other work of the school, while in 
 the higher grades the pupils are allowed to make whatever 
 they wish, provided their plans receive the approval of their 
 teachers. 
 
 The Child's Point of View. 
 
 No one has ever received the best reward from child study 
 unless he has been led to a keener appreciation of childhood, 
 and to a deeper and more genuine love for the child. The 
 characteristics of his play may be outlined as has been done 
 in this paper; the spirit of his play can be caught only by the 
 person who can play with the child and enjoy the play; a touch 
 of this spirit, however, may be found in the words of these 
 children concerning their own amusements. In the following 
 paragraphs quotations are made from the answers of the 
 children. 
 
 I. Reasons for Not Using Certain Amusements. 
 
 " I like games. I don't like toys because they are no good." G. 10. 
 
 " Because I 'm too big." G. 11. 
 
 " My favorite toys are dolls, but I do not use them very much be- 
 cause I am getting too old for them." G. 13. 
 
 "I used to play with dolls, but I have outgrown them. I think I 
 was about four years old when I played dolls." G. 13. 
 
 " I cannot say that I am really tired of my childhood pastimes, al- 
 though, of course, I do not indulge in them now." B. 17. 
 
 "The toys I like best are Brownies, printing press, electric motor, 
 scroll saw, Welch's steam engine, type writer, tool chest, small shot 
 gun, and a rifle. The reason I like to play with these toys, because 
 these are toys for bigger children and the others are for babies and 
 other small children. Also for another reason, you can use some of 
 these toys and gain money on them." B. 11. 
 
 "I like a ball, foot-ball, and used to like tops and marbles, but do 
 not now. I like baseball and foot-ball because I receive much enjoy- 
 ment from them, and I come together with my friends, and time is 
 very pleasantly passed." B. 14. 
 
 " I do not use the toys that I like best because I want to save it." 
 B. II. 
 
 " I don't play with my toys and games that I like best because I 
 have to help my mother all the time." G. 12. 
 
 "I don't play my favorite games, because no one wants to play." 
 G. 12. 
 
 II. Reasons for Preferences in Amusements. 
 
 " Marbles, Ball, Top. I don't know why I like to play those best." 
 B. II. 
 
 " I like these toys best, because I have played with them most." 
 B. 12. 
 
 "I have no favorite play. I play games with the other children 
 whether I like the game or not." G. 11. 
 
 " I play the game I like when the other boys want to." B. 13. 
 
42 AMUSEMENTS OF WORCESTER SCHOOL CHILDREN. 
 
 " I do what the rest happen to want to do, and I can never tell what 
 that will be. G. 14. 
 
 " I like to spin a top because it is fun to hear it hum." B. 8. 
 
 "I like a train of cars best because I can make them go when I 
 run." B. 9. 
 
 " Because I like to hit the other boys' tops and break them." B. 8. 
 
 " I like to play with a pea-blower and pop a hen on a leg, and the 
 hen goes just like a sprained leg." B. 9. 
 
 " I like to play with a gun. Sometimes I swipe my father's gun and 
 kill birds. Once the first time I swipet it I killed my cat and the kik 
 of it knock me down." B. 11. 
 
 I like blocks best because I can build houses and castles with 
 them." B. 10. 
 
 " I like swords because I heard of brave men. I like lances because 
 I read of Mohammedans and Christians." B. 8. 
 
 " I like to play with my dolls because I make believe they are alive. 
 I like to play with my cart because I make believe I am a horse and 
 have somebody for a master." G. 8. 
 
 "The playthings I like the best to play with are my kittens, my 
 dog. I like these the best of all because they are alive and can move; 
 dolls cannot move nor walk, so I do not like to play with them." 
 G. 13. 
 
 " I like to play with a dog because the dog plays with me." B. 11. 
 
 " I like to play with a doll because I can pretend it is my baby." 
 
 G. 7. 
 
 " I like a doll, a doll carriage, a doll bed, a doll hammock, a doll 
 trunk, a doll kitchen, a doll house and other furnishings. A house 
 because it is so like a big lady and a big house." G. 10. 
 
 " I like dolls because you can make believe you are their mother, 
 and send them away and to school, and have lots of fun. Paper dolls, 
 because you can make pretty paper dresses for them." G. 14. 
 
 "I like to play with dolls when we are many to play, but now I 
 don't care much for dolls. We often make party and eat in little 
 toy dishes. I like to eat in small dishes because I think the food 
 tastes better." G. 13. 
 
 " I like to race on foot because you can get a price." B. 8. 
 
 " I like to play marbles because you can get lots of them." B. 10. 
 
 " Bat ball. Because it makes my muscles strong." B. 8. 
 
 " I like to ride a bicycle because your muscles will be hard." B. 13. 
 
 " I like a drum to play because if I could play so when I would be 
 a man I would be in a band " B. 12. 
 
 " I like to play show to do tricks." B. 12. 
 
 " I like a bicycle because it makes me strong and I like to do tricks 
 on it." B. 12. 
 
 " I like to play with my drum because all the people look at us." 
 B. II. 
 
 " The toy that I like is fish-pond, because it shows whose hand is 
 the most steady. I like to play checkers because it shows who has 
 the most skill." B. 14. 
 
 " I jump rope to see if I can jump as long as the others." G. 10. 
 
 " I like to play tag because I won't get caught." G. 10. 
 
 " I like my little express to make off I am a little expressman. I 
 have got an old cowboy's hat and a sword and I make off I am a 
 cowboy. I go through the road with my wagon as fast as I can go, 
 and I scare all the little fellows." B. 12. 
 
 " I like to dance so as to be in a show." G. 11. 
 
 " I like to skate because one day I can be a fancy skater." G. 13. 
 
 " I like to play a piano because we can take music lessons. Then 
 you can go to play in the churches and in shows." G. 13. 
 
AMUSEMENTS OF WORCESTER SCHOOL CHILDREN. 43 
 
 "The best game was tag because there was running in it." G. 11. 
 
 " I like a bicycle because I can go on it very fast and race with other 
 boys." B. II. 
 
 "I like carpenter tools best because you can make little wagons, 
 chairs." B. 11. 
 
 " I like my tool chest because I can make some little tables for my 
 little sister." B. 13. 
 
 "I like to play checkers because my papa plays with me." G. 9. 
 
 " I like to sew dresses on my sister's doll because I love to cut out 
 patterns of capes, skirt, also waist, and many other things. My mother 
 lets me sew them on the machine. I enjoy it. Sometimes she buys 
 me some aprons and I make them myself. I love the machine very 
 much." G. 14. 
 
 "The reason I like these toys is that I think there is a great deal of 
 fun in them. They take the lonesomeuess away from you." G. 13. 
 
 " Such toys as checkers, dominoes and tiddledewinks, I like these 
 toys because one can sit down and have some fun, but still be rest- 
 ing." G. 13. 
 
 " I like to fly kites the best. Because I do not have to be running 
 around all the time and will not get sweaty." B. 10. 
 
 To the reader who has noted these words of children, it will 
 be apparent that the reasons given do not always explain. 
 But inasmuch as the most careful students have not yet evolved 
 a satisfactory theory of play, it is no wonder that the child 
 sometimes fails to tell just why he plays certain games. Yet 
 on the whole, in the light of this study, some of these answers 
 show a wonderful power of introspection, and marvellous ac- 
 curacy. 
 
 As the child begins to grow beyond the normal age for a 
 certain kind of amusement, the child assumes a scornful atti- 
 tude toward it; he is " too big; " it is "a baby game," and 
 although only last year he played it as hard as ever he could, 
 plays it occasionally even now in thoughtless moments, it seems 
 to him something very remote. Thus the child's estimate of 
 the age at which he played certain games, is likely to be one 
 or two years less than it has been shown to be. And up to a 
 certain limit the older the child, the older it thinks it was when 
 it last played a given amusement, e. ^., the nine year old boys 
 from a certain school state that they ' ' played horse ' ' when 
 five years of age, the ten year olds when six or seven, those 
 of eleven at seven, those of twelve at eight, and one boy of 
 fourteen remembered that at eleven he still played horse. 
 
 Can any one doubt that the little boy of eleven likes best to 
 play marbles, ball and tops, even though he is unable to tell 
 why ? Does it not seem probable that many a child likes best 
 those things with which he "plays most?" Many a child 
 plays but seldom with the toy he would prefer, because " some- 
 times one would want to play one game and some one else 
 another," and so he " does what the rest want to do, and can 
 never tell what that will be." Many games would be justified 
 
44 AMUSEMENTS OF WORCESTER SCHOOL CHILDREN. 
 
 if they did nothing more than ofiFer ' ' an opportunity^ for friends 
 to come together ' ' so that ' ' time is very pleasantly passed. ' ' 
 One play may be good for a boy because he can " run," show 
 off, ' ' get muscle," and yet not detract from the value of a game 
 in which " one does not get sweaty," or in which one "can 
 enjoy oneself and rest at the same time." There is pleasure 
 in things that " are alive," that move, that " make a noise; " 
 there is also pleasure and profit in taking the small, inanimate 
 toy and endowing it with life, in feeling at once its companion, 
 its creator and its master. How many a boy who at ten years 
 of age, feeling all over the power within him, " pops a hen on 
 the leg," or " kills birds " or finds it " such fun to run into 
 something" with his little express, "and tip them all out if 
 he can," has unjustly been considered unnaturally cruel? 
 What a wide range and what clear backgrounds are given to 
 his ideas as in imaginative games he builds " houses and 
 castles," and reproduces life about him, and the past and pres- 
 ent in history and fiction ? The little eight year old runs his 
 race to " get a price," and he likes the race. Ever since Saint 
 Paul's day it has seemed good to "so run that ye may obtain." 
 And these children, more and more as the)' approach those 
 years when the adolescent soul yearns for the wider, richer 
 things which it glimpses but grasps not, place before them- 
 selves something to be obtained, some end to be reached, and 
 find a genuine, wholesome pleasure in the attempt to attain 
 this ideal, and in the anticipation which accompanies this 
 attempt. 
 
 Application of Study. 
 
 What is the significance of this study ? That depends both 
 on the attitude and the experience of the reader. The princi- 
 pal points of value are here presented as they appear to me. 
 
 Much emphasis has already been laid upon the place of 
 amusements in the development of mental life.^ It is vastly 
 more important that teachers and parents see that conditions 
 are favorable for the profitable employment of the child's leisure 
 time than that they graft " the play instinct " upon the meth- 
 ods used in the school. Later we shall indicate how some of 
 the special facts brought out by this study may be utilized in 
 the school room; now we wish to laj^ stress on the greatest 
 "school of infancy," free play. From no other source does 
 the child learn so much that is of permanent value in after life 
 as in those hours spent in play apart from the direct influence 
 of adults. Yet the value of this play may vary much accord- 
 
 ^ Compare Baldwin: Mental Development. N. Y., 1897. pp. 
 129-147. 
 
AMUSEMENTS OF WORCESTER SCHOOL CHILDREN. 45 
 
 ing to conditions imposed by the child's elders. // becomes, 
 then, the duty of parents and of society to provide that, as far as 
 possible, the most favorable conditions shall exist for the proper 
 kind of amusement ^ at the proper time in every child' s life. 
 
 It has been shown that the early part of life is largely given 
 up to individual development, to acquiring mastery over self, 
 and to the comprehension and mastery of the physical environ- 
 ment in which the child is placed. It is necessary that he 
 should have a chance to try his strength, exercise his skill, 
 and satisfy his curiosity and imagination in every way. He 
 must have toys and objects of many different kinds which his 
 imagination may transform in imitation of the realities about 
 him, or upon which he can exercise his skill. Are these con- 
 ditions always found ? 
 
 As the child grows older human society enters more and 
 more into his development. The influence of companions of 
 the same age, of one's peers in actual life, is the foundation 
 of society. This rubbing together while engaged in what are 
 to them the realities of life, is the essential factor at the base of 
 every rational attempt to develop in the young principles of 
 good citizenship. Concrete examples are the George Junior 
 Republic at Freeville, N. Y., and the scheme of self-govern- 
 ment followed in the Chicago Normal School. In both of these 
 exceptionally successful attempts at self-government among 
 minors, the actual life of the community has been the founda- 
 tion. Their failures have been where there was a conflict be- 
 tween the theoretical and the actual conditions. The school 
 itself is in manj- waj'S an ideal social communit3^ and may be 
 organized along lines which touch its own life in a most effect- 
 ive manner. But children detect sham. The moment a school 
 claims to be an artificial city or government which it is not, it 
 becomes less effective in training for citizenship than if not so 
 organized. At the George Junior Republic, where the writer 
 spent two months in the summer of 1897, the conditions were 
 ideal for a community founded on the model of the United States 
 government. The children were from a class of societ}' where 
 they had already faced the problems of securing an existence 
 and met the temptation and crime. More than most children 
 they were prepared for the rough conditions of the camp life 
 at The Republic. It was for most of them a fairer opportunity 
 for existence than they had hitherto enjoyed. They recognized 
 the reality of their life under slightly' changed conditions, and 
 also, as never before, realized that they were a part of the social 
 whole. But notwithstanding that in most respects " the citizen 
 
 ^Throughout I have used the word "amusements" as almost 
 synonymous with " activities." 
 
46 AMUSEMENTS OF WORCESTER SCHOOL CHILDREN. 
 
 of the Republic " was a true citizen, it was impossible to dis- 
 guise the fact that at times there was a power over them which 
 did not originate among themseh^es, and which at times caused 
 many to feel that all was a sham. In a school any such diver- 
 sity between the actual and pretended conditions must make 
 itself felt injuriously. Hence the recognition by the teacher 
 of her schoolroom as a true social body, the members of which 
 can be led to recognize their mutual duties and privileges — a 
 result often accomplished by a skillful teacher — is much to be 
 preferred to anj^ artificial government which can be formulated. 
 
 Another problem which confronted the George Junior Repub- 
 lic was what to do with the younger members. The majority 
 of the citizens had already reached their teens; but the few 
 below twelve years of age, almost without exception, did not 
 readily adapt themselves to citizenship. Their social instincts 
 were not fully enough developed to warrant placing upon them 
 the full responsibilities of citizenship even in a junior republic. 
 The problem was solved by making the younger children wards 
 of some citizen of twelve or more. This is empirical proof 
 that the conditions, favorable for one age, may be unsuited to 
 an earlier age, and is a caution against too elaborate schemes 
 of self-government at too early an age in our schools. 
 
 Certain conditions of society tend to develop a child along one 
 line to the neglect of another. Thus the country school while 
 it favors the development of a strong individual character, fre- 
 quently does not furnish as good an opportunity of developing 
 co-operation as the city school; but there is more danger that 
 the large classes of the cities may force the social development 
 upon the child at too early an age; at an age when he is not 
 yet ripe for it. Apart from the social demands, the needs of 
 physical development make it most important that during the 
 years from 9 to 12 every child should have plenty of com- 
 panions, and suitable places in which to play these active run- 
 ning games which do so much to give final control over self, as 
 well as the right spirit toward one's fellows. The child should 
 also be supplied or, better, be allowed to supply himself, with 
 those toys which tend to foster the physical exercises popular 
 with the young at this period. Rousseau's estimate of the 
 importance of such games is found in the following letter to 
 D' Albert: 
 
 ' ' In my time children were brought up in a rustic fashion, 
 and had no complexions to keep. . . . Timid and modest 
 before the old, they were bold, haughty, combative among 
 themselves; they had no curled locks to be careful of, they 
 defied one another at wrestling, running and boxing. The}^ 
 returned home sweaty, out of breath, torn; they were true 
 blackguards, if you will, but they made men who have zeal 
 
AMUSEMENTS OF WORCESTER SCHOOL CHILDREN. 47 
 
 in their hearts to serve their country and blood to shed for her. 
 May we be able to say as much one day of our fine little gentle- 
 men, and may these men at fifteen not turn out children at 
 thirty." ' 
 
 This study is emphatic in its proof that one purpose of edu- 
 cation, one of the aims of the school, is to prepare for proper 
 employment of leisure moments. Child life is largely made up 
 of such moments. And in no class of society do the long 
 hours of work (often fourteen or fifteen hours per day) of our 
 grandfathers now prevail ; as a people we can say as never 
 before, " our time is our own." How to use this time is one 
 of the serious problems of to-da}'. It will leave its trace in 
 our physical being, in our moral and mental make-up, in 
 national character. The increased interest in athletics of all 
 kinds and in out-door sports during recent years shows how 
 this problem has forced itself forward; so, too, the many 
 schemes for self-culture in the more favored homes, and the 
 settlement work among the less favored districts of our large 
 cities. The school has already done much, especially in the 
 direction of developing " a many-sided interest," to recognize 
 and meet this problem. Wherever literature, music, drawing, 
 manual training, nature study, or any other branch of the 
 curriculum has been so taught that a child has come to appre- 
 ciate more fully the richness of the world of nature and man 
 about him, and especially when he has acquired skill enough 
 so that along any of these lines he can do something, however 
 slight — can give some expression to his creative powers — the 
 school has lent its aid to the formation of habits which will 
 influence the whole future of that child's life. With the adult, 
 even more than with the child, amusements are habitual. 
 Hence must the school take into consideration the effect of its 
 work, in the formation of conditions that will affect the play 
 of the children to-day, and determine to a large extent their 
 habits of amusement when men and women grown. The 
 school will either develop activities which will persist, or it 
 will prevent, by over-stimulation of certain interests, others 
 that ought to persist. Consider for a moment these words of 
 an exceedingly able high school boy of fifteen, and a hard stu- 
 dent: " I never made anything — never had time." There is 
 something almost pathetic in these words. There is also a 
 great deal of truth in them; for though he generally led his 
 class, he was compelled to study early and late, and, although 
 he was supposd to have all that indulgent parents could give, 
 his home environment did not favor manual work of any kind. 
 
 Realizing, then, that to prepare for the right use of leisure 
 
 ^Morley: Rousseau, Vol. I, p. 21. 
 
48 AMUSEMENTS OP WORCESTER SCHOOL CHILDREN. 
 
 moments is one of the aims of school life, let us consider how 
 this Study may be applied, first to the course of study and then 
 to the methods of the schoolroom; without, however, distin- 
 guishing sharply between method and content. 
 
 In many kindergarlens much stress is laid upon the unity of 
 the ring and the unity of effort, and properly so. But although 
 much work in common may be expected of children of this age, 
 the period has not yet arrived for advanced co-operation, and 
 there is danger that the social ideals of an adult may be made 
 to take the place of those natural to this period of life. This 
 danger is especially great in an age when the popular interest 
 in sociology is so great as at present. Yet in few other ways 
 do the followers of the great Froebel depart from his teachings 
 further than when thej' emphasize the kindergarten as the 
 place for social development rather than individual.^ We 
 think this study shows in its curves something of the true or- 
 der of nascent periods; the order will be found to agree closely 
 with that laid down by Froebel himself, though with greater 
 definiteness. It shows that ' ' boyhood ' ' rather than ' ' child- 
 hood " is the time when social instincts are strongest. " Boy- 
 hood " is the time when "they seek the laws lying in the 
 material of the play, and adapt themselves to these, or they 
 obey laws lying in the thoughts and feelings of the human 
 
 iProf. Colozza, of the Normal School at Naples, in his book entitled 
 Play in Pedagogy^ advocates less interference with the free play of the 
 kindergarten child, and warns against starting the child into plays 
 at too early an age before the natural inclination for such pla)' has 
 developed. 
 
 Another eminent Italian, Guiseppe Sergi, is quoted against the com- 
 mon practice in kindergartens by Dr. A. F. Chamberlain. {Ped. Sent., 
 Vol. II, p. 474.) "Suggestion in education has its limits. At an 
 age when mental activity is in process of development, certain proce- 
 dures may have grave and dangerous results — the brain, continually 
 waiting for suggestion after the first, may be arrested and remain in 
 habitual inertia ; a narrow and restricted limit of cerebral activity 
 may be created ; a species of mental parasitism may arise ; too clear 
 a road and too easy a passage may be traced out for mental activity, 
 which will natually result in diminishing the individual mental varia- 
 tions which are the best advantage possible for the development of the 
 mind and for the evolution of its products ; just as in the case of the 
 muscles, the cerebral functions, accustomed to be guided step by step, 
 will cease to be prompt and quick, and in children there will be estab- 
 lished real inertia, the result of hindering proper functional develop- 
 ment. The Frobelian method is weighted down with these defects, for, 
 while seemingly desiring to allow liberty and independence of mental 
 activity in children, in reality it suppresses them." . . . " In the 
 use of plays and games suggested or made by the instructors, and of 
 which the children are merely the automatic executors, the same 
 method of suggestion continues, which ruins the natural development 
 of the children, tends to equalize them all and to abolish all initiative 
 and individuality." 
 
AMUSEMENTS OF WORCESTER SCHOOI, CHII^DREN. 49 
 
 being. "1 But of "childhood " he says: " It is impossible to 
 establish among the various stages of human development and 
 cultivation any definite order with reference to their relative 
 degree of importance, except the necessary order of succession 
 in their appearance in which the earlier is always the more im- 
 portant. In its place and time each stage is equally important. 
 Nevertheless, inasmuch as it contains the development of the 
 first points of connection and union with surrounding persons 
 and things, the first approaches toward their interpretation and 
 understanding toward the comprehension of their inner being, 
 this stage (of childhood) is of paramount importance. 
 Therefore, the child at this period should see all things rightly 
 and accurately, definitely and clearly; and this applies to things 
 and objects themselves, as well as to their nature and properties. ^ 
 The following is his opinion of the effect of activities unsuited 
 toan earlier stage of development; "He (the child) is much 
 injured and weakened by having placed before himself at an 
 early period, an extraneous aim for imitation and exertion, 
 such as preparation for a certain calling or sphere of activity! 
 The child, the boy, the man indeed, should know no other en- 
 deavor but to be at every stage of development wholly what 
 this stage calls for. "^ This caution is of value higher up than 
 the kindergarten. 
 
 The object of the first few years of school life is to further 
 the development of the child, not to make him a full-fledged 
 citizen. The perfect individual must precede the perfect state. 
 Hence the first few years at school must deal largely with the 
 immediate sensuous environment of the child and with his 
 relation to it. He must be guided to a fuller knowledge of 
 things around him— of what he can do with them, of what 
 they may do to him— and this knowledge will include many ot 
 the simpler duties owed to those about him. Toys and objects 
 of all kinds should be used freely as means of expression— to 
 help tell the story of life about him— to help comprehend it. 
 Much manual work should be encouraged, but it should 
 neither be too accurate nor too delicate. Rough imitations of 
 things about him, made of any material that is at hand and 
 can be readily manipulated, are probably the best things to 
 make, e. g., toy men and women, animals, houses, furniture, 
 dresses, machines, etc. Many of these are the natural toys of 
 childhood. 
 
 During the middle and latter part of the elementary school 
 grades especially between the years from nine to twelve, much 
 
 1 Education of Man. p. 303. 
 
 2 Education of Man p. 50. 
 ^ Ibid., p. 30. 
 
50 AMUSEMENTS OF WORCESTER SCHOOL CHILDREN. 
 
 more attention should be given to physical development than 
 is now common in schools. Our curves show this to be the 
 time of greatest physical activity. Kline in his study on Tru- 
 ancy^ tells how the desire to get away from the restraining 
 influence of school and to do something has sent many a boy 
 to the reform school. The success of the methods used in 
 some of the most progressive reform schools, where the hours 
 ordinarily devoted to literary subjects in our common schools 
 are shortened and much manual work added with gratifying 
 results, proves experimentally the soundness of this suggestion. 
 
 This is the period for the acquirement of manual skill and 
 dexterity. The child likes to do things for the pleasure in 
 doing, in learning to do new things and in showing that he is 
 able to do them. At this period he should learn to do many 
 things, should lay the foundation of skill along many lines. 
 This is the period rich in possibilities, ripe for the formation of 
 varied associations, according to the latest investigations of 
 neurology. 
 
 Hence, not only should there be a great diversity of physical 
 exercise, but a great variety of general ideas should also be 
 apprehended in their simpler associations. lyiterature and 
 nature study offer the widest possibilities along this line, and 
 at the same time form the best content for the study of lan- 
 guage. The meaning of ideas previously gained should be 
 broadened, and new relations formed and new ideas introduced 
 from a wider field. Perhaps at no time in school life should 
 the range of the curriculum be as general. 
 
 In the next period is the birth of adolescence with all that 
 means of new, far-reaching thoughts and feelings. Things 
 begin to have new meanings and new purposes, and aspirations 
 are formed — ends far away are sought. Less frequently is the 
 activity in itself sufficient. Effort becomes concentrated. The 
 course of study at this time should gradually become better 
 co-ordinated into a few and more distinct groups, but should 
 not suddenly confine the interest of the pupils to the three or 
 four studies of the first year in the high school, as is now 
 common. Thus to imprison the interests of the children 
 within such narrow and forbidding walls is as unreasonable 
 and criminal as were some of England's laws a century ago. 
 
 Although many speak of introducing the play spirit into 
 school and of teaching everything by means of play, no one 
 knows better than the teacher that all the child's activity is 
 not play — in the sense of the free sportiveness of animals. 
 Many of its amusements are serious for the child as well as for 
 the adult. He must feel the importance of the task at hand, 
 
 ^ Ped. Sent., VoL V, p. 147. 
 
AMUSEMENTS OF WORCESTER SCHOOL CHILDREN. 5 1 
 
 and the interest in the result continues to increase with every 
 additional year. 
 
 In the earlier years before eight or nine, the largest possible 
 use of all sorts of objects should be made. There are two 
 main purposes which these fulfill: first, to gain new impres- 
 sions, for which actual objects are preferable; secondly, as a 
 means of expressing the stock of ideas already obtained and of 
 broadening them. For this latter purpose, the rough imitative 
 toys just mentioned on pages 250-252 or pictures may be of 
 greater value, as they can be more readily handled and com- 
 prehended by the child. Common objects such as stones, 
 leaves, flowers, pieces of paper, burdocks, etc. , may be used as 
 furniture, building material, dishes, money, and in countless 
 other ways to great advantage. Especially will this be possible 
 in the rural schools, which are less able to purchase supplies of 
 a more elaborate character; and the gain in the capacity to use 
 material at hand will be a distinct advantage to the child when 
 later he is compelled, with limited resources, to face the prob- 
 lems of life. 
 
 The next period is really one of the richest in the develop- 
 ment of the child. If in the earlier stage the training of his 
 senses has been thorough and his impressions many, at this 
 period it will be possible to gather these into u.sable form, and 
 through them to apperceive much knowledge which will be a 
 foundation for future effective creative work. Considering the 
 great variety of definite amusements at this period, and the 
 way in which these are played, we get a clue to the method 
 of covering the wide field demanded, without overburdening 
 the child with a multitude of subjects at one time. It is the 
 method of treating some particular phase of a subject quite 
 intensively for a time, as if it were an entire field in itself, and 
 then dropping it for something related perhaps, but in turn 
 considered as a whole. Literature and Nature have been 
 referred to as especially adapted to this treatment. Social 
 tendencies should now be fostered more than before. Things 
 made, more than earlier, should have some use to which they 
 can be put. Mechanical toys and toys for physical exercise 
 are well adapted for part of the manual work of this period. 
 The possible use of things at hand, which on both an economic 
 and an ethical basis should be encourged at all stages, should 
 now be taught with the greatest care, for this is a period of 
 exceptional possibilities along this line. 
 
 From the thirteenth year the child's amusements take on a 
 decidedly co-operative and competitive character, and his efforts 
 are more and more confined to the accomplishment of some 
 definite aim. The course for this period will concentrate the 
 effort upon fewer lines. A subject which on account of interest 
 
52 AMUSEMENTS OF WORCESTER SCHOOI. CHILDREN. 
 
 might better have been treated in a few days or weeks in a lower 
 grade, may now well occupy several months of more careful 
 and deeper study. The result now demands greater attention, 
 and the best work should always be insisted upon. Societies 
 and associations of all kinds which favor this co-operation to 
 accomplish some worthy end are to be encouraged now as 
 never before. Nor can this well be separated from the spirit 
 of emulation which has been found to be so characteristic of 
 this period. A trait so prominent certainly justifies the Roman 
 Quintilian in placing the love of emulation among the most 
 important feeling upon which the teacher has a right to call; 
 for it is only through the desire to do or make something, to 
 show one's superiority or power over something or some person, 
 to overcome some obstacle, that the individual, the nation, or 
 the race makes progress. This same desire for mastery is 
 present in fullest strength just at this age. It is the basis of 
 the healthy rivalry of members, most often of a small group, 
 in which each takes pride in the superior quality of his work. 
 The same thing fostered by machine promotions, becomes the 
 feverish pursuit of ' ' marks ' ' so often found in large schools 
 where it appears not as a friendly contest with one's peers for 
 acknowledged superiority giving constant opportunity for pride 
 in personal merit, but a blind struggle to attain another end — 
 a " passing mark." On the one side it develops " a pride o' 
 worth ' ' and the power to maintain one's self independently, and 
 without asking odds; on the other, when the end receives too 
 much emphasis, are found the seeds of dishonesty. The system 
 of ranking, so prevalent in the great public school systems, makes 
 it possible to find many, perhaps the majority of the pupils 
 look upon the attaining of a set mark in their studies as the 
 highest aim of their school work; to find principals who place 
 a report containing few records of discipline or absence above 
 the mental and physical health of their pupils, and superintend- 
 ents who insist upon these conditions in order that their reports 
 may be pleasing to the people. 
 
 There is no reason why throughout the course much of the 
 work to be done should not be the snaking of toys such as chil- 
 dren covimonly 7ise. The character of these will be seen more 
 specifically by examining the list of things made. In the 
 earlier years these will be for the most part simple representa- 
 tions of the living and inanimate things about them; later on 
 may be made to advantage toys which are means of developing 
 strength or skill, as for example those used in baseball or foot- 
 ball; and still later will come the making of articles of use in 
 themselves, as for decoration, use at home, etc. This rough 
 division is not intended to be exclusive, as all classes of articles 
 are likely to be made more or less at each stage; thus the 
 
AMUSEMENTS OF WORCESTER SCHOOI. CHILDREN. "53 
 
 smaller children may make some of the simpler toys used by 
 them for exercise, and many simple articles of use. 
 
 A few easy general plans are here offered by way of sugges- 
 tion. One of the most promising fields is in the making of 
 dolls, their dresses and furniture. This may be done by the 
 pupils individually, each making articles for which it has some 
 definite use, or by the co-operation of the whole room to fit out 
 one doll as was done so successfully in the school in St. Paul, 
 described by Miss Stoker. ^ The pupils of this particular school 
 averaged fourteen years of age, and took the greatest possible 
 interest in making something and in co-operating to secure a 
 common result. With girls of this age or slightly younger, 
 paper dolls and dresses might have been used to considerable 
 extent, and advantage taken of the instructive pleasure in 
 parties at this stage, to develop correct ideas of general social 
 duties, and to interest in the principles of domestic science. 
 Besides the families of paper dolls which may be made, it would 
 be well to make table sets, tables and chairs, and eventually to 
 have small dinner parties which might serve in many particu- 
 lars for the model of those which all girls so much enjoy and 
 play. These lessons should be suggestive to the extreme, and 
 lay emphasis upon correct ideals. 
 
 In many schools the children already make small models to 
 illustrate the subject studied, and in some these objects are 
 utilized in the toy theater to dramatize the stories of which they 
 read. Work of this sort may easily be made much more gen- 
 eral than it is. The list of things made cannot fail to suggest 
 many possibilities. Neither is there any reason why the teach- 
 er should not at times suggest the work of the children, though 
 as far as possible they should be free to choose and to allow 
 their own originality to develop. But the original child, the 
 genius, is not the average child. Left to itself a child is likely 
 to imitate some one else ; hence it is often better in the lower 
 grades that the teacher should select. 
 
 The value of the out-door habit, and of everything which tends 
 thereto, cannot be too strongly urged. " The fresh air habit, 
 at home and in the school, is the most wholesome bodily habit 
 that can be implanted at the school age, ' ' writes President 
 Eliot, of Harvard.^ Much of the school work readily adapts 
 itself to the formation of such habits. Nature study as taught 
 does much, but should do more. One of the greatest values 
 of collection is on this account. The collections which the child 
 makes of stones, leaves, flowers, seeds, insects, etc., may not 
 be of much value in themselves, but few motives can interest 
 
 '>^Ped. Sem., Vol. V, p. 281-286. 
 
 2Educ. Rev. Dec. '97, Vol. XIV, p. 417. 
 
54 AMUSEMENTS OF WORCESTER SCHOOL CHILDREN. 
 
 a child more in things about him than the possibility of him- 
 self possessing them. Thus the passion for possessing takes 
 the child to things which he should know and love; later 
 throughout his whole life he will recognize with thrills of 
 pleasure these old friends, and recall the exact spots where 
 once long ago he found this or that in rich abundance. School 
 walks, too, are of value sometimes, but in many cases, especially 
 in rural communities, are likely to be mere subterfuges to get 
 rid of school duties, and thus merely teach the possibility of 
 shirking resposibilities; for the city children to whom the fresh 
 country is always a rich treat this does not apply equally. 
 But much better than any general walks may be the formation 
 of walking clubs, picnic clubs, bicycle clubs, etc., which at 
 stated intervals visit convenient places of interest. 
 
 Teachers may also refresh the interest of their children in 
 being out of doors by the introduction of some new game. 
 The best game to introduce is some game j^ou used to play and 
 especially enjoy; better still, if you can now enjoy it. Often 
 it is no easy thing to introduce a new game as in many places 
 the local traditions and conditions already so strongly favor 
 certain games that others are not needed; and failure to succeed 
 in such attempts ought not to discourage. On the other hand 
 it is possible to find children with very scanty repertoires of 
 games, and largely on account of their environment ignorant 
 of the most common games. The writer can hardly imagine 
 boyhood where the boys do not know how to play baseball. 
 Yet it is said that when a certain play-ground was opened a 
 few years ago in the neighborhood of a slum district in Boston, 
 and the materials for the game supplied, the boys did not play 
 until they had been taught the game by the attendants. On 
 account of the limited number of associates of his own age the 
 average country child knows fewer of the traditional games 
 than his contemporarj' in the more favored parts of the city. 
 
 Children's descriptions of things they have made and the 
 plays they have played form one of the richest fields for com- 
 position work, and one which has as yet been but slightly 
 worked. It touches upon the most vital part of their life, and 
 besides furnishing an interesting and rich subject for composi- 
 tion, reveals to the teacher much of child life with which she 
 should be in sympathy, It could not but help and inspire her 
 own work for her pupils. A careful study of the way children 
 play such games as school and house, made in this manner, 
 would contribute much to our present knowledge of the child. 
 
 Owing to the peculiar character of the returns forming the 
 basis of this study there is danger that its true value will be 
 underestimated by some, while others will give too great sig- 
 nificance to the results presented. In the early part of this 
 
AMUSEMENTS OF WORCESTER SCHOOL CHILDREN. 55 
 
 article attention was called to the nature of these returns. 
 They came from different schools as differently environed as it 
 was possible to find in Worcester. Different teachers collected 
 them; some talking the questions over with their pupils, and 
 some merely giving the questions and having the answers 
 written at once. The possibility of suggestion and the conse- 
 quent unreliability of the returns at once occurs to anyone who 
 has tested the tendency to imitation, so strong in children. 
 Accordingly the writer did not at first appreciate their true 
 significance, particularly as they had been secured for the pur- 
 pose of answering certain questions which had arisen in 
 another study; and only after a careful examination was it 
 realized that in an unusual manner they brought out the gen- 
 eral characteristics of child activity, and were exceptionally 
 reliable. 
 
 The questions were so framed that as far as possible they 
 called up the child's own experience without suggesting any 
 particular answer; the tabulated result did not depend on any 
 one answer, but was a compo.site of a dozen or more answers, 
 in the same return, to questions from different standpoints; 
 and, as far as the general tendencies of child activity are con- 
 cerned, the internal evidence of the papers, and the comparison 
 with such other facts as are obtainable, favor their reliability. 
 The evidence of suggestion was not so strong as would be at 
 first naturally expected, and the little that was found did not 
 materially influence the facts concerning a general activity or 
 concerning any popular amusement. Grounds for this asser- 
 tion will be found by comparing the list of questions asked 
 with the Curves of Interest in Traditional Amusements (p. 
 228). Though these curves are compiled from the answers to 
 over a dozen different questions, only between nine and four- 
 teen years does the average number of different amusements 
 mentioned exceed ten. Evidence of a minimum of suggestion 
 is also found in the fact that the papers, as a rule, agreed 
 chiefly on those amusements popularly known to be among the 
 most common, and that the relative number of children men- 
 tioning them — e. g., about 67 percent, in the case of dolls and 
 ball play — is apparently too small; on the other hand, they 
 differed extremely in the less common amusements, as is shown 
 by a total of over 700 different ones mentioned by these 2,000 
 children, who cite on an average only ten different ones. 
 
 These results, then, represent with approximate correctness 
 the general characteristics of the amusements of 2,000 school 
 children in Worcester. Local conditions and other causes in 
 their environment, such as their school life, have undoubtedly 
 influenced their choice of amusements, yet these children repre- 
 
 LofC. 
 
56 AMUSEMENTS OF WORCESTER SCHOOL CHILDREN. 
 
 sent average American children, and these results are typical 
 of their normal activity. 
 
 Bibliography. 
 
 A few selected titles are here given, but only such as are 
 likely to be most helpful to the reader wishing to make further 
 investigations along this line. Of works descriptive of many 
 of the games mentioned in this article, Newell is, perhaps, the 
 best of an5' one authority. He gives a good description of 
 many of the traditional games of America; shows how they 
 may vary in detail in different localities, and yet retain the 
 essential features; and he accounts for the remote origin of 
 many amusements. Of similar value is Miss Gomme's Tradi- 
 tional Games of England, Scotland and Ireland. Such gen- 
 eral works as Champlin, Cassell, and Routledge's also describe 
 many of these games and some of the other forms of amuse- 
 ment common among the young. Misses Gomme and Willard 
 have each collected a few of the more common singing games 
 of children, giving the music as well as the words. Since 
 Babcock and Culin found in Washington and Brooklyn many 
 of the games now popular in Worcester, their description will 
 be of special interest to the reader of this article. 
 
 For the discussion of the theory and psychology of play the 
 reader is referred to Groos, chapters I and V of the Play of 
 Animals and the same author's more recent work. Die Spiele 
 Menschen. Groos gives the fullest and clearest treatment of 
 this subject to be found, and his bibliography in the foot notes 
 is very full. The function of human play is also discussed by 
 Baldwin. The references, alread}^ given to Froebel, James, and 
 Wundt, account for some of the different phenomena observable 
 in the play of childhood. Dr. Gulick gives the results of his 
 own careful observations. Newell finds many of these games 
 merely the inheritance of the ceremonies and amusements of 
 adults at an earlier period; Culin associates many of them with 
 the ceremonies of divination; while Taylor sees in these plays 
 and movements of childhood the recapitulation of primitive 
 life and its movements; and Burk in teasing and bullying sees 
 a phase of the same tendency. 
 
 La Grange has published what is perhaps the most complete 
 study of physical exercise; while Keating and Ralfe have each 
 put in more popular form the accepted opinions upon the results 
 of physical exercise. Beyer in his study of the cadets at An- 
 napolis has made the most important contribution in English 
 regarding the effect of exercise in growth. The general atti- 
 tude of those interested in physical training is well seen in the 
 admirable discussion of the different systems of physical cul- 
 ture found in the Report of the U. S. Bureau of Education for 
 
AMUSEMENTS OF WORCESTER SCHOOL CHILDREN. 57 
 
 1891-92. A progressive modern view of physical education is 
 given in Dr. Hart well's paper mentioned in the bibliography. 
 Lesshaft and Bierent touch upon the physiological eflfects of 
 physical activity during the years of childhood; while Burk's 
 article, From Fundamental to Accessory, presents the more 
 recent opinions concerning the development of the nervous 
 system. 
 
 Comenius, Froebel, Richter and many others among the edu- 
 cational writers, have commented upon the peculiar value of 
 play. Froebel more than others has recognized and attempted 
 to take advantage in education of the play instinct. Johnson 
 has gone a step farther in suggesting a much wider use of the 
 game in the school. Sergi and Colozza have studied play from 
 the psychological and pedagogical points of view, and both 
 criticize the artificialities of modern Froebelianism. Hall and 
 Ellis have shown the great role the doll plays in the psychical 
 development of the child, and suggest its use in the schoolroom. 
 Miss Blow upholds the symbolic side of the kindergarten 
 system. 
 
 Russell's observations and the accompanying study by Miss 
 Frear deal with imitative play. Strutt and Fettis give excel- 
 lent pictures of the amusements of England and Scotland in 
 the past. The most complete account of physical exercise and 
 related topics, especially of the German system of gymnastics, 
 is Euler's encyclopaedia. 
 
 The following brief list of selected titles should be supple- 
 mented by reference to the bibliographies of Chamberlain, 
 Johnson, and Miss Sisson, and the Bibliography of Child Study 
 by Eouis N. Wilson. 
 
 Babcock, W. H. Games of Washington Children. American Anthro- 
 pologist, July, 1888, Vol. I, pp. 243-284. Also in L,ippincott's 
 Magazine, May, 1886, Vol. XXXVII, pp. 239-257. 
 
 Baldwin, J. Mark. Social and Ethical Interpretation in Mental 
 Development. A Study in Social Psychology. N. Y., 1897. pp. 
 574- 
 
 Beyer, Henry G. Influence of Exercise on Growth. Jour, of Ex- 
 perimental Medicine, Vol. I, pp. 546-558. Also the Am. Phys. 
 Rev., Vol. I, pp. 76-87. 
 
 Bierent, Leon. La Pubert^ chez I'homme et chez la femme. Paris, 
 1896. pp. 200. 
 
 Blow, Susan E. Symbolic Education. A Commentary on Froebel's 
 Mother-Play. N. Y., 1894. 
 
 BowDiTCH, H. P. The Growth of Children. Report of the State 
 Board of Health of Massachusetts. Boston, 1877. 
 
 BURK, Frederic From Fundamental to Accessory in the Develop- 
 ment of the Nervous System and of Movement. Ped. Sent., Vol. 
 VI, pp. 5-64. 
 
 . Teasing and Bullying. Ped. Sent., Vol. IV, pp. 336-371. 
 
58 AMUSEMENTS OF WORCESTER SCHOOL CHILDREN. 
 
 Cassell. Book of Out-door Sports and In-door Amusements, Card 
 Games, and Fireside Fun. London, 1881. 
 
 Chamberi^ain, a. F. The Child and Childhood in Folkthought. 
 N. Y., 1896. pp. 464. Bibliography, very helpful. See p. 405. 
 
 Champlin J. D., AND BosTwiCK, A. E. The Young People's Ency- 
 clopedia of Games and Sports. N. Y., 1890. 
 
 COLOZZA, A. II Giuoco nella Pedagogia. Torino, 1895. Vol. XIV, 
 pp. 288. 
 
 CoMENius, J. Amos. Comenius's School of Infancy. An essay on 
 education during the first six years. Edited by W. S. Monroe. 
 Boston, 1896. pp. 16-99. 
 
 CUWN, Stewart. Korean Games with notes on the corresponding 
 games of China and Japan. Univ. of Penn.; Phil., 1895. pp. 
 36-177. See preface. 
 
 . Street Games of Boys in Brooklyn. Jour, of Am. Folklore, 
 
 July-Sept., 1891, Vol. IV, pp. 221-237. 
 Ellis, A. C, and Hall, G. Stanley, a Study of Dolls. Ped. Sem., 
 
 Vol. IV, pp. 129-175. 
 Euler, Carl. Eucyclopadisches Handbuch des gesamten Turnwesens 
 
 und der verwandten Gebiete. Wien und L/cipzig, 1894. 2 Vol. 
 Fettis, Robert S. Sports and Pastimes of Scotland. London, 1891. 
 
 pp. 212. 
 Frear, Caroline. Ped. Sem., Vol. IV, pp. 382-386. 
 Froebel, Friedrich. The Education of Man. Translated by W. N. 
 
 Hailmann. N. Y., 1896. pp. 332. 
 GOMME, Alice B. Children's Singing Games, with the tunes to which 
 
 they are sung. N. Y., 1894. pp. 70. 
 . The Traditional Games of England, Scotland, and Ireland. 
 
 London, 1894. 
 Groos, Karl. The Play of Animals. Translated by Elizabeth L. 
 
 Baldwin, with preface by J. Mark Baldwin. N. Y., 1898.' pp. 
 
 26-341. 
 
 . Die Spiele der Menschen. Jena, 1899. pp. 538. 
 
 GULICK, Luther. Some Psychical Aspects of Physical Exercise. 
 
 Pop. Sci. Mo., Vol. LII, pp. 793-808 (Oct. 1898). 
 . Psychological, Pedagogical, and Religious Aspects of Group 
 
 Games. Ped. Sent., Jan., iSgg. 
 HarTwell, E. M. Physical Training. Its Function and Place in 
 
 Education. Am. Phys. Educ. Rev., Vol. II, pp. 133-154. 
 Johnson, G. E. Education by Plays and Games. Ped. Sem., Vol, 
 
 III, pp. 132-133- 
 Keating, J. M., and Young, J. K. Physical Development. See 
 
 Vol. IV, pp. 241-324. 
 
 . Cyclopedia. The Diseases of Children. Phila., 1891. 
 
 La Grange, Fernand. Physiology of Bodily Exercise. N. Y., 1896. 
 
 PP- 395- 
 Lesshaft, p. De 1 'Education de 1' Enfant dans la Famille et de sa 
 
 Signification. Paris, 1894. 
 Newell, William W. Games and Songs of American Children. N. 
 
 Y., 1884. pp. 242. 
 Parkes, Louis C. Hygiene and Public Health. 5th Ed. London, 
 
 1891. pp. 557. 
 
AMUSEMENTS OF WORCESTER SCHOOL CHILDREN. 59 
 
 RAI.FE, C. H. Exercise and Training. N. Y., 1894. pp. 96. 
 
 Report of U. S. Commissioner of Education, 1891-1892. Vol. I, p. 636. 
 Physical Education i. Historical Sketch. 2. Essential Features 
 of Principal Systems represented in this country. 3. Suggestions 
 concerning School Gymnastics. 
 
 ROUTLEDGE, E. Every Boys' Book : a complete Encyclopedia of 
 Sports and Amusements. London, 1881. pp. 904. 
 
 RusSELiv, E. H. Child Observations. First series : Imitation and 
 Allied Activities. Edited by Miss Haskell. Boston, 1895. 
 
 Sergi, Guiseppe. Dolore e Piacere Milano, 1894. XV, 395 pp. 
 Pages 273-284 on Play. 
 
 SiSSON, Geneva. Bibliography of Children's Games. In Barnes's 
 Studies in Education. No. 5. pp. 184-189. Sanford University, 
 1896. Refers to 23 books and articles, and 10 syllabi. Indicates 
 character of each. 
 
 StruTT, Joseph. The Sports and Pastimes of the People of Eng- 
 land. . . . from the earliest period to the present time. New 
 Edition by Wm. Howe. London, 1845. PP- 420. 
 
 Tylor, E. B. Primitive Culture. N. Y., 1874. 
 
 West, G. M. The Anthropology of American School Children. In- 
 ternational Congress of Anthropology. Chicago, 1894. pp. 50-58. 
 
 W11.1.ARD, Eleanor \V. Children's Singing Games. N. Y., 1895. 
 pp. 67. 
 
 WiivSON, Louis N. Bibliography of Child Study. Ped. Sem., Vol. V, 
 pp. 541-589. Contains 641 titles, and is carefully indexed for 
 convenient reference. 
 
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