School, Church, and Home Games by George Orrin Draper (novel books to read .txt) 📖

he runs his left hand under the coat, raises the lower end of the back of the vest, while with his right hand he grasps the end of the vest around the neck of the person, who is instructed to hold his arms high above his head. The back of the vest may then be pulled over the head of the subject. One of the lower ends of the vest is then pushed down the coat sleeve. The operator then runs his hand up the coat sleeve and pulls the vest down the sleeve until the arm hole is free from the subject's hand. The vest is then drawn back up the sleeve and pulled through the sleeve and over the hand of the other arm. It can then easily be removed either by pulling down or up the sleeve.

CHAPTER VIToC STUNT ATHLETIC MEET

Standing Broad Jump

The group is divided into competing teams. Each team lines up behind the starting line. Each is instructed to see how many feet he can have credited to him in this event. The first player on each team is then instructed to heel the starting line with his right foot and to place his left foot immediately in front of and in line with his right foot, so that the heel touches the toe. The second player on each team then places his right foot in front of and in line with and against the advance foot of Number 1, and places his left foot in front of his right. All of the players take this position. The team having the longest feet wins the game by measuring the greatest distance in front of the starting line.

Standing High Jump

Doughnuts are suspended by means of a string, so that one hangs about eight inches above the head of each contestant. The one first succeeding in eating his doughnut without the use of his hands, wins the event.

Bawl Game

Competitors are lined up and directed to bawl. The one doing this the best, in the judgment of the judges, wins.

Peanut Relay

A bowl full of peanuts is placed before each competitor. An empty bowl is placed at some distance opposite each. Each competitor is given a table knife. At the signal to go, keeping his left hand behind his back, he takes one or more peanuts on the flat of his knife from the full bowl and deposits it or them in the empty bowl. He returns for more peanuts. He is not allowed to use his free hand in helping the peanuts on to the knife, or keeping them thereupon. The player first succeeding in transferring the peanuts wins the event.

Shot Put

Competitors endeavor to throw a handkerchief unknotted from a given line for distance.

Lucky

A number of bags are suspended in such a way as to hang four feet above the heads of the competitors. One bag contains candy; one contains flour; another peanuts; another water, etc. An individual is blindfolded, given a short stick and headed in the direction of the bags. He then endeavors to strike one of the bags. Succeeding in knocking the bag of candy, that shall be his prize; likewise the peanuts, flour, or water.

Peanut Throw

Each contestant is given an equal number of peanuts. The one succeeding in dropping the largest number of peanuts into the mouth of a jug, wins. The peanuts must be dropped from a distance equal to the height of the shoulders.

Head Toss

A salt bag is filled with sand. Competitors heel a given line and place the bag of sand upon the back of their necks and without the use of the hands, endeavor to throw the bag as far back into the line as possible.

Duel Tug of War

Two opponents are given a piece of rope about three feet long. Each takes a position on the opposite side of a line drawn upon the floor. One tries to pull the other across the line by means of the rope. If successful in drawing the opponent so that both feet are on his side of the line, that player wins.

Discus Throw

Contestants are given some object like a quoit, a block of wood, etc. A small circle about eighteen inches in diameter is drawn upon the ground. The contestant places the object to be thrown between his feet and endeavors to throw it forward from the circle as great a distance as possible. Both feet must work together in making the throw and neither can touch the ground outside of the circle.

Ring the Bell

In the centre of a hoop eighteen inches in diameter—(an ordinary barrel hoop)—is hung a bell. The hoop is suspended from the ceiling or a door, so that it will be five feet above the floor. The group is divided into two teams. One team lines up on one side, one on the other. Each is given two bean bags. The first player on each team endeavors to throw his two bean bags through the hoop without ringing the bell. Succeeding or failing, he takes his place at the rear of the line and the next player repeats his performance. The players on the opposing team are expected to recover and to use the bags thrown through the hoop by the opponents, for their throw. A point is scored for the team by each player successfully tossing a bean bag through the hoop without ringing the bell.

Chair Tilting

Opponents are placed upon chairs and must stand thereon upon one foot. Each is armed with a long pole, the end of which is padded with a wad of cloth. The object is to dislodge the opponent from the chair. Dropping the pole or putting the foot down counts the same as being forced from the chair.

As soon as one member of a team has been dislodged, another may take his place and the game continues until all of one team have been eliminated.

Hammer Throw

An inflated paper bag tied on the end of a yard of string is used as the hammer for this event. Each contestant by swinging the bag from the end of the string tries to throw it as great a distance as possible.

Twenty Yard Dash

Contestants carry an egg to the distance line and return with a spoon held at full arm's length from the body.

Running Broad Grin

Have each competitor grin as broadly as possible. The judges measure the grins with a tape measure.

Light Weight Race

Contestants carry a lighted candle in one hand and a glass or bowl brim full of water in the other. If the water is spilled over or the candle blows out, the contestant is out of the race.

Javelin Throw

Contestants endeavor to throw a short stick through a rolling hoop.

One Mile Run

Contestants are required to add a column of figures, the total of which will be 5280.

Long Glum

The player who can keep from smiling the longest in spite of the jeers and efforts to make him laugh, on the part of the others, wins.

Turtle Race

Contestants lie flat upon their backs and throw an object over their heads with their two feet, for distance.

Elimination Race

An equal number of chalk marks are made upon the floor in front of each contestant. A damp rag is then handed to each, and at the signal to go they are to run to and rub off the chalk mark on the floor. After erasing each mark, they must return to the starting line. When the last mark has been erased and the contestant crosses the starting line, the race ends.

CHAPTER VIIToC COMPETITIVE STUNTS

Suitable for Sociables and Entertainers

These stunts may be used as a means of amusement at social functions. In order to avoid calling for volunteers to come forward to participate in the various stunts, cards may be distributed among those who are expected to take part in the stunt program. On these cards are numbers or letters. The one who has prepared the program has determined beforehand how many participants he wants in each stunt. If, in the first stunt, he desires six participants, he will have prepared six letter A's to be distributed. If, for the second stunt, he desires two participants, he will have prepared two letter B's. Then when he is ready to put on his program he calls for all the individuals holding the letter A, etc. If there are certain individuals whom he is particularly anxious to have take part in certain stunts, he can instruct the distributor of the letters to this effect.

Brick Relay

Have four contestants to a team and as many teams as there is space for. Two lines are drawn upon the floor about ten yards apart. Two members from each team line up opposite to and facing each other, behind each line. Two brick bats are placed upon the starting line in front of each team. At the signal to go, the first contestant on each team stands on the two brick bats. Bending forward he grasps the front end of each brick with his hands. Shifting his weight to one foot, he slides the other foot forward, drawing the brick bat with it by means of his hands. He then shifts his weight to that foot and draws the other foot forward with the brick bat and in this way proceeds to the far line, behind which he turns the bricks over to the second member of his team who races back in the opposite direction by the same method of progress. The third member takes the bricks from the second and covers the intervening space between the lines, and when the fourth member, following the example of his team, has crossed the starting line, the race ends.

Chair-i-ot Race

Competitors stand on the starting line. Two chairs are given to each. They place the chairs behind the starting line, side by side, with the backs of the chairs forward, and stand upon the seats of the chairs. At the signal to go they grasp the backs of the chairs with their hands and shifting the weight from one foot to the other, slide the chairs forward until the distance line has been crossed.

Chair Stubbing

Each contestant sits upon a chair with his legs straddling the back and his toes on the bottom side round. Keeping his feet off the floor, he advances the chair forward by jerking it with his body until it has crossed the distance line.

This race can be made a relay by having four men on the team, two men placed behind each line.

Aviation Meet

Each team is made up of two mechanicians and four aviators. The two mechanicians hold stretched between them a piece of string upon which have been placed two funnels of paper made in the form of cornucopias, point to point. The first aviator on each team, at the signal to go, blows the cornucopia across the string from one mechanician to the other; the second blows it back across; the third blows it in the same direction as the first and the fourth ends the race by blowing it in the same direction that the second aviator blew it, until it touches the hands of the mechanician.

Equal pieces of string should be used, a loop having been tied in each end through which the mechanicians may slip their fingers for the purpose of holding the string. Mechanicians must keep the string level at all times.

Feather Blowing Relay

Four contestants constitute a team. A feather is placed on the starting line and is blown by the first member of each team to the distance line. Then the second member of the team