Summary

Game names (and types): 'Chasings', 'Hospital Chasings' (chasing games)
Alternative types: running games

Handwritten description the chasing game 'Hospital Chasings' composed by Lynette Doyle and included with Gwenda Bottomley's letter and game descriptions (see HT 41040) addressed to Dr. Dorothy Howard in 1954-1955. Doyle states that 'Hospital Chasings' requires a minimum of three players. She writes that one child is 'in', assuming the role of chaser. The chaser runs after the other players, attempting to 'tip' or touch them. If successful, Doyle notes that the captured player must hold onto the 'chaser' in the exact position that they were touched. Additional games descriptions (see HT 41040) are provided by Doyle, including explanations of the skipping games 'Dutch and German', 'French and English', 'Over the Garden Wall' and 'Tram Lines'. She also describes the guessing game 'I Spy' and the jumping game 'Leap Frog'.

One of a collection of letters describing a children's game written to children's Folklorist Dorothy Howard between 1954 and 1955. Dr. Howard came to Australia in 1954-55 as an American Fulbright scholar to study Australian children's folklore. She travelled across Australia for 10 months collecting children's playground rhymes, games, play artefacts, etc. This letter, together with the other original fieldwork collected by Dr. Howard during this period, is preserved in the Dorothy Howard Collection manuscript files, part of the Australian Children's Folklore Collection (ACFC), Archive Series 3. The ACFC is an extensive collection documenting children's folklore and related research.

Physical Description

Handwritten game description in pencil on lined, index card. Text printed on one side only. Note: adhesive tape attached to left edge of card.

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