Summary

Game type: 'Submarines and Mines' (creeping game), 'Spin the Bottle' (game of dare)
Alternative types: blindfold games, kissing games, circle games, spinning games

Typed descriptions of the creeping game 'Submarines and Mines' written by Frank Syaranamual and the game of dare 'Spin the Bottle' composed by Pam Maynard, students at Errol Street Primary School, for Dr Dorothy Howard in August 1954. It has been assumed that Dr Howard typed these versions of the original descriptions at a later date. Syaranamual describes 'Submarines and Mines' as a boys' game, which is played in the hall at Cubs all year round. To play, he writes that two boys are blindfolded and seated in the hall's centre. The other players stand at one end, taking in turns to creep past the blindfolded players without making a sound. Syaranamual states that the blindfolded boys point in the direction of any noise they hear. If they successfully point at a child as they pass by, the child must immediately sit down.

Maynard describes 'Spin the Bottle' as a game suitable for girls and boys, which is played indoors at night all year round. To play, she explains that the players form a circle, spinning a bottle placed in the centre until it comes to a stop pointing at one of the children. Maynard notes that the child must perform any action or dare requested by the other players. Note that the original author of the game description 'Spin the Bottle' has been incorrectly identified in this typed document as Judith Petterson. Comparison with the original, handwritten description (HT 41466) indicates that the author is Pam Maynard.

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

Typed game descriptions in black ink on paper. Features text on one side of page only.

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