Summary

Game type: 'Dots' (paper and pencil game)

Handwritten description of the paper and pencil game 'Dots' compiled by Frank Syaranamual, a 10 year old student at Errol Street Primary School, for Dr Dorothy Howard on 11 August 1954. Syaranamual describes 'Dots' as a game suitable for boys and girls, which is played at home or school all year round. The game's rules are somewhat unclear; however, it appears that players take turns to place dots on a sheet of paper in an attempt to form squares. The opposing player seeks to prevent their opponent from forming a square. Syaranamual notes that each square created accrues a point and is initialed by its owner. At the game's end, each player counts their squares with the highest number declared the winner. Syaranamual notes that he plays this game with his brothers and Tom Stotten.

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 blue ink on paper. Features borders ruled in red pencil and a very small, hand drawn diagram with the text; text written on one side of page only.

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