Phunology: a collection of tried and proved plans for play, fellowship, and profit

Front matter

o X

^V6 r\v

Phunologij

PART I. MONTHLY PROGRAMS. Chaptkr

I. January Programs 13

II. February Programs 23

III, March Programs 41

IV. April Programs 51

V. May Programs 62

VI. June Programs 67

VII. July Programs 71

VIII. August Programs 76

IX. September Programs 80

X. October Programs 86

XI. November Programs 96

XII. December Programs 101

Part II. Classified Plans For Various Sorts Of Entertainments

XIII. Socials 107

XIV. Prize Socials , 145

XV. Games Arranged from A to Z 169

XVI. Assembly Stunts 200

XVII. Miscellaneous Stunts 220

XVIII. Relays 237

XIX. Get-Acquainted Stunts and Games 243

XX. City Union Socials, Including Pageants 250

XXL Ba^quet^ 262

XXII. Plays, Cantatas, and Operettas 269

XXIII. Epworth League Songs 278

Bibliography 302

Introduction

Christianity means fellowship. "Our fellowship is with the Father and with his Son Jesus Christ," says St. John. He further afRrms: "We have fellowship one with another." John Wesley declared: "The Bible knows nothing of a solitary religion." It follows that the greater the number of points of common interest, the more complete the fellowship among Christians. The basic fact of Christian experience is the foundation of the brotherhood of disciples of Jesus, but upon that foundation we build in conformity with the demands of our nature with its instincts, its intellectual needs, its moral sentiments and spiritual aspirations. Christian fellowship is not complete apart from the exercise of the larger social affections of the soul.

It is to provide for the spiritual needs of young Christians that this book has been prepared. Enhancement of fellowship by means of play, intellectual activities, social interest, and works of mercy and help is a truly Christian objective. The objection that play Is incompatible with the best spiritual development cannot now be raised; at a time when it seemed valid it was unsafe. If the Church occupy only a negative attitude toward the normal craving of young people for entertainment, she will either injure and diminish all their spiritual powers by repression or she will drive. them to seeking a right satisfaction in a wrong way; she will drive her children from their homes into commercialized and worldly amusements, thus subjecting them to temptations they ought not to have to bear.

It should be a part of the program of every Epworth League, Sunday school class, and other Christian young people's organization to provide a larger fellowship, under the sanctions and safeguards of the Church, by means of wholesome recreation, literary study, and good work. That this is not always done is due largely to lack of material, not to lack of appreciation of the need. In preparing the matter for the following pages Mr. Harbin has met the need for many thousands of young people's organizations. He has not done his work from the standpoint of a theorist, but from that of a successful practical worker who has specialized in his subject and knows exactly what Is valuable and available for his purpose.

Thd arrangement of the plans given will bo found one of the convenient features of the book. By chapters entertainments of different kinds are grouped, and a chapter of calendar events will enable a committee to find at once and provide for each anniversary as the weeks and months tell their tale of the years. A bibliography makes material for further study easily found and indicates sources.

It Is barely possible that a word of defense for the dramatic suggestions may be in order. The well-grounded opposition of the Church to the modern stage should not blind us to the normality of the dramatic instinct. The mental life of the child is largely "make-believe," and the drama in race development emerges in the form of pantomime before there is a literature. A place must be found in our Christian culture for the expression of the dramatic impulse. In fact, parts of the Bible are highly dramatic. In making available a number of playlets of unexceptionable character and Bible dramas Mr. Harbin has certainly made a contribution to our social and intellectual life.

Fitzgerald S. Pabkeb, General Secretary of the Epworth League of the Methodist Epis-

copal Church, South.

Nashville, Tbnn., March, 1920.

HOW TO CONDUCT A SUCCESSFUL SOCIAL.

The first step toward conducting successful socials is to realize the importance of having them.

Young people will seek to satisfy the social instinct. It Is God-implanted. "Nothing lives to itself. The Insects move in swarms, the birds of the air in flocks, and the beasts of the field fraternize." If the Church does not provide for this God-implanted instinct, young people will seek outside the Church for social life.

It is the business of the Church to provide for and direct the social life of Its young people. The Church begins to lose its grip on its young people when it fails to appeal to the fullrounded life. The Epworth League foursquare idea, as represented in its four departments, makes such an appeal. Religion is for the whole life. Christ is interested in my play as well as my work.

After a vision of the need, there are four essentials for the conducting of a successful social.

The first Is work. "Success," says some one, "is like a nugget. You've got to dig for it. The richest gold mine doesn't waft the nuggets to you on the balmy breezes." If you want to put on a successful program of social activities, you've got to dig. It means plan, plan, plan, and work, work, work. No easiest-way method succeeds. No "programmy" socials go. No sameness goes. You keep them guessing as to what is coming. If you do this, you are bound to work.

The second essential is organization. A Social Committee chairman can't do the job nearly so well alone. The Third Department Superintendent who doesn't work the Third Department Committee to the limit is making a big mistake. This committee ought to get together to discuss the plans for each social. Definite responsibility for certain features of the social should then be delegated to different members of the committee. Refreshment, Introduction, Decoration, and other committees should be appointed for each social. Work out all these details in your committee meeting.

The third essential Is the research habit, coupled with resourcefulness. To be successful, to keep your young people on the qui Vive, to make the next social an occasion to which they

10 PUUJSUL^UijrY.

lo-ok forward with keen interest, you've got to collect ideas from every source available. Magazines like the Ladies^ Home Journal, the Woman's Home Companion, and others; religious periodicals like the Epworth Era; books on socials — all these must be made to pay tribute to your program of social activities. Every Social Committee ought to catch cUpitis and then fill a scrapbook full of plans for socials, games, stunts, etc., arranging them all in systematic order.

However, no matter how good the ideas yoxi gather In this manner may be, you have to adapt them to your particular group and conditions. There's where you need resourcefulness, and again there's where your committee becomes a necessity.

The fourth essential is kick. Kick is synonymous with pep, punch, enthusiasm, or whatever you choose to call it. It indicates that there is no drag. So thoroughly have things been planned that without hitch or hindrance, without any of those awkward pauses that feature some socials, everything moves along smoothly; everything fits into everything else, and everybody enters into the whole program with zest; no one is bored, no one is stiff, no one is neglected.

Work, organization, research, kick — all spell work. You can't get away from it. There is absolutely no chance to get by without it. It's the one big item.

PART I.

MONTHLY PROGRAMS.

Chapter I. January Programs

Season Social.

A New Year's Jamboree.

A Calendar Social.

A Twelfth-Night Cake Party.

Jumping the Candles.

Writing Resolutions with Letters.

SEASON SOCIAL.

A season social would go well in January. Divide the company into four groups, Winter, Summer, Autumn, and Spring, according to the month of birth of each one. Thus December, January, and February would form the winter group, and so on.

Decorate booths or rooms appropriately as headquarters for the various groups. For instance. Winter could decorate in white or could use the red and green color scheme, with holly and cedar to help the appearance. Summer could use potted plants to advantage. Hanging birds or butterflies would also add to Its "summery" appearance. Autumn could decorate with autumn leaves, real or imitation, or it might use the Halloween idea, with jack-o'-lanterns, witches, black cats, and yellow and black crepe paper. Spring could achieve a Maypole table, using pink and white cr§pe paper streamers with small dolls at the outer edges of the table holding the streamers, or artificial daisies could be used In profusion.

Let the groups now engage in contests of various sorts. Have each prepare some stunt or give a yell or sing a song.

The following contests can be used: The Standing Broad Smile, the Baby Marathon, the Banana Feed, and the Cracker Relay, all of which appear elsewhere in this book.

This social can be adapted to any time of the year if desired.

Decorations and Refreshments.

Decorations.

Bummer. — Flags and national colors.

Winter. — White color scheme. Sprinkle with diamond dust. Use a sleigh as a centerpiece. Touch off the white with a bit of holly and red.

Spring. — Green and white, with plenty of natural or artificial flowers.

Autumn. — Brown and red, with autumn leaves and chrysanthemums.

Refreshments.

Summer. — Lemonade and cakes tied with red, white, and hlue ribbons.

Winter. — Ice cream and frosted cake.

Spring. — Lettuce sandwiches and olives.

Autumn. — Fruit.

A NEW YEAR'S JAMBOREE.

Your invitation might read as follows:

Jamboree! Oui! Oui!

"In what month were you born?

You needn't confess, But wear something that tells So that we may guess.

At our New Year's Jamboree.

To make yourself at home

We want you to feel free Next Thursday night at eight

Broad Street Epworth League, Sunday School Rooms, Thursday,

Urge every one to come wearing something representative of the month of his birth. You might require those who disregard your request to pay a fine.

January could wear a very small naked doll labeled "1920," or could come dressed as a snow man or snow girl.

FeJ)ruary could wear a white dress covered with red paper hearts or wear a cherry or small toy hatchet on the lapel of the coat, or a miniature picture of Washington would do,

March might wear a shamrock, a bit of green ribbon, or a toy clay pipe. A pair of bellows might be carried and used frequently to remind folks that in March the winds do blow.

A2)ril could be arrayed in raincoat and carry an umbrella. A dunce cap or jester's cap and bells might be used. A piece of foolscap paper worn on the dress might keep them guessing.

May could wear a rose tied to a small American flag, in(Jipat4ng Decoration Day, or a crown on the head and chains of Itowers hung about the neck would indicate that the "May Queen" was in attendance.

June could come as a bride or in cap and gown as a sweet girl graduate. A rose worn in the lapel of the coat or in the hair or a corsage bouquet of roses would indicate the month of roses.

July might shine forth in patriotic colors. A Columbia costume would be fitting. An American flag could be worn. Some clever boy might make up as an animate firecracker. A large cylindrical hatbox, or two of them put together, covered with red paper, a piece of rope glued to the top for a fuse, eyeholes cut out so that the "firecracker" might see where to walk, the whole thing slipped over the head and shoulders of the boy, and the thing is done.

August could come as a girl or boy in summer attire carrying a tennis racket. Or some one might think of it as the month of Tennyson's birth and come with a copy of "Sweet and Low" or "In Memoriam" pinned on him. King Arthur and his Knights of the Round Table might also think of coming to the party.

September could come arrayed in overalls or wear a toy spade, indicative of Labor Day. Schoolbooks would indicate it as the month school begins.

October could wear some Halloween novelty — witch, pumpkin head, black cat, etc. A dress covered with autumn leaves (these could be made out of paper if the real leaves are not available) would do very well. "The one-hundred-per-cent American" pinned on the lapel of the coat might remind some one that this is the month of Theodore Roosevelt's birth.

November would be easy. A picture of a turkey, a miniature football worn on the dress or coat, a Camp Fire girl carrying a basket of fruit, a football player — any of these would do.

December could wear a sprig of holly or a picture of Santa Claus. Some one might come dressed as Santa. A clever costume of red and green with trimmings of holly might be conceived.

These and many more ingenious ways to represent the month of their birth will be thought of by the young people.

The first thing on the program would be the guessing of the birth month of each one present. The names and months should be written on a sheet of paper by each guest. A souvenir calendar is 'given to the person giving the most correct answers.

Noji the crowd indulges in stunts for each month of the year.

Snowball Battle. .

For January a snowball battle could be staged. The crowd would be divided into two sides. A ball of cotton batting is given to the leader of each side. The idea is to throw this ball through a suspended holly wreath. Each player in turn has one try, a point being scored when the "snowball" goes through the wreath. Captains should line up their players and see that there is no delay in having the players take their turns.

Heart Hunt.

February announces a hunt for paper hearts, awarding some prize for the one who finds the most.

Geand March.

March will start a grand march about the room in which everybody takes part, the leader winding In and out, trotting or walking as the mood may strike him, finishing by winding the party about in a spiral march, reversing his direction when he reaches the center and unwinding the spiral as the grand climax.

Peanut Hunt.

April announces a peanut hunt; and after the crowd has scrambled about awhile in vain search, the leader informs them it is an "April fool."

Spring Song.

Some one could play Mendelssohn's "Spring Song" as a piano solo for May, or some rollicking ring game, such as "Farmers in the Dell," could be played for a few minutes.

Dress the Bride.

For June provide each one with a clothespin, some white crepe paper and string, and ask them to dress the bride. Allow five minutes for this.

"Firecrackers."

For July pass out "firecrackers" which are sticks of candy wrapped in red tissue paper with a string fuse at the top.

"Jography."

September might divide the guests into four groups accordjng to the seasons. Then conduct a rapid-fire geography quiz after this manner: The leader calls for the name of either a city, river, or mountain, and then announces the letter with which it must begin. For instance, the leader shouts "City — B." The Autumn group, perhaps, shouts "Boston" just before Spring gets out "Baltimore." Score one for Autumn. Ten calls will be enough. The group with the highest number of points could then be announced as winner.

Fortunes.

Have fortunes written on slips of paper. Place these in two boxes, one for boys and one for girls. Let each one draw a fortune.

"A Yell-'Em-Up."

For November ask each of the groups for September to get up an appropriate yell. Or the game of table football might be played, with representatives of the groups as contestants. This game is described in Chapter XI.

"Eats" and Santa.

For August let the refreshments be served picnic fashion, Santa Claus representing December superintending the distribution of the "eats." ^

"Pep" Hint. "^

The person in charge of the program should see that everything is run off in rapid order. Have no delays or hitches. Wise planning will be required. To borrow a camp expression, you must "make it snappy."

A CALENDAR SOCIAL.

Invitations might be written on a card, with a page from a small calendar pad pasted in one corner.

Stunts.

As persons arrive have each write on a slip of paper his name and the month of his birth. No one Is to see what Is written except the committee in charge. This committee assorts the slips by months and then calls out names of persons In each group, asking them to get together and prepare a stunt representative of their month. Allow from fifteen minutes to a half hour for this. The rest of the crowd guesses the name of the month and shouts it out as soon as some one guesses correctly.

January could stage a snowball fight with handkerchiefs or 2

18 rEUNOLOGY.

have a scene in which the old year departs and the new year enters.

February could celebrate a few birthdays— Washington, Lincoln, or Longfellow, for instance. A burl^que on the cutting down of the cherry tree might be workea 3ut. A clever mock trial could be arranged in which Dan dlipid is arraigned for having wrought havoc in the local society.*?

March folks could storm or march about. All of them could talk at once and incessantly. Surely somebody would guess that people so "windy" must represent March.

April could have a cornet solo which continues after the cornet has been taken from the lips of the player, a concealed victrola furnishing the music. A violin solo may also be played in the same manner.

May could put on a Maypole dance.

June could have a wedding.

July could celebrate the Fourth or could reproduce some patriotic scene.

August might have a picnic, playing some rousing games and sitting about on the floor and eating an imaginary picnic dinner.

September could have opening day at school.

October could pull off some Halloween pranks. It could make some local hits by having a fortune teller answer imaginary questions for some of those present. A ghost story might be told.

November might stage an imaginary football game, lining up, calling signals, and pretending to run with the ball. Or the Novemberites could do a lot of "Rah-rah-ing," having a yell leader to direct them. Or they might have a mimic Thanksgiving feast, after which they might feign Thanksgiving stomach aches.

December could be represented by the singing of "Silent Night, Holy Night" or other Christmas songs. Or it might be represented by children that are painfully good.

Good Resolutions.

Now each person is given paper and pencil and asked to write "Resolved" at the top. Underneath this each is t(> write six New-Year resolutions, serious or otherwise. If thftbrowd is large, three resolutions will be a plenty. These are collected, and some one reads them. The rest try to guess the authorship of each set of resolutions.

Next the guests are asked to write a New-Year resolution for some one else In the crowd. As each of these is read, guesses are made as to the person for whom the resolution was written.

Calendar Basket Ball.

Now suspend twelve baskets, each with the name of a month on it. Provide twelve rubber balls, each with the name of a month printed on it in black. The trick is to see who can place the greatest number of balls in the right baskets. The score does not count if the ball does not go into the basket of the same name. Each person is allowed two throws with each ball. The baskets may be put on the floor in a row and the players be required to toss from a line several feet away from the first basket, much after the fashion of the old game of "Soakey." Award a calendar as a prize to the most proficient player.

Calendar Race.

If another game is needed, you might try a calendar race. Have the crowd divided and lined up in two sides. Give the leader of each line a set of twelve cards on which are written the names of the months. These cards are mixed up before being given to the leaders. At the signal to go these leaders start the cards down their respective lines one at a time. The end player as he receives the cards puts them on the floor at his feet. When he has received all twelve cards and arranged them in proper order — January, February, March, etc. — he proceeds to pick them up and start them back down the line. The first side whose leader receives all twelve cards and arranges them properly on the floor wins the race.

On the plate with the refreshments have a date to which Is fastened with a toothpick a card or piece of paper bearing this query: "Will you make a date to meet with the Epworth League Sunday evening at 6:30?"

A TWELFTH-NIGHT CAKE PARTY.

The 6th of January Is Twelfth-night, or Old Christmas. In the olden days the Yuletide festivities continued for a period of twelve days, which was the time supposed to be consumed by the three wise men in their journey to Bethlehem. Thus the season of gayety culminated on the evening of January 6, or Twelfth-night. In England and on the Continent it used to be the occasion for elaborate social functions. A ring was concealed in an Immense cake, and the guest obtaining it was made "king" or "queen." Every vestige of Christmas green was supposed to be taken down and burned. This was a peace offering to evil spirits and Insured good luck to the household.

Cakes are to Twelfth-night what the tree is to Christmas. In London, so one writer tells us, on the night before this festival there are always crowds before the bakery shop windows to see the wonderful display of cakes of all sorts and sizes, some of them ornamented in all sorts of ingenious ways. With this in mind, a cake party is decidedly apropos.

Ask each girl to come in costume representing a cake, cooky, or doughnut, and each boy to come attired as a baker.

Each cake may come accompanied by a baker, or some sort of mixing game may be used after the crowd assembles, and thus each girl will get a baker for a partner.

There are all sorts of possibilities in costume creations.

A dress trimmed with a fringe of tiny sponges would represent sponge cake.

A dress of alternate brown and white ruffles and a chocolate drop cap, chocolate cake.

A white dress adorned with little red devils and a little devil figure in the hair will represent devil cake.

Cup cake could be represented by some one wearing a fringe of tin cups.

Bride's cake, by a bridal costume.

Marble cake, by one dressed in a gown with layers of white, pink, and brown.

Angel food, by white costume with wings.

Pictures of hens sewed on the dress could represent layer cake.

Martha Washington cake, by some one in colonial costume.

Oatmeal cake, by some one with Quaker oats signs sewed over the dress.

RihJ)on cake, a white dress with spangles of ribbon.

A Cake-Guessing Contest.

1. The society woman's cake? Reception.

2. The schoolgirl's? Composition.

3. The profiteer's? Sugar.

4. The parasite's? Sponge. 6. The lazy man's? Loaf.

6. The minister's? Scripture.

7. The milliner's? Feather.

8. The old lady's favorite? Tea.

9. The milkman's? Cream.

10. The sculptor's? Marble.

11. William Jennings Bryan's favorite? Silver.

12. Suitable for your lady love? Angel.

13. A favorite with most girls? "Wedding.

14. The politician's delight? Plum.

15. The candidate for office? Election.

16. The prize fighter's cake? Pound.

17. The gossip's cake? Spice.

18. The champion track team? Cup.

19. The lover's cake? Kisses.

20. The baby's cake? Pat-a-cake.

21. The ball player's? Battercake.

22. Those who indulge too freely in these? Stomach ache.

An additional list of cakes that may be suggested for the costumers might include pancake, battercake (young man In baseball uniform and carrying a bat), fruit cake, orange cake, cooky, coffee, etc.

A cake might be baked In which are hidden a bean, a pea, and a clove. The guest getting the bean becomes king, the one getting the pea becomes queen, and the one getting the clove becomes court jester. Should these go to the wrong sex. The persons getting them may choose whom they will have to serve. Crowns should be provided for the king and queen and a jester's cap or dunce cap for the court jester. The game of "King and Queen" as described in the February chapter may be used.

Let the king with appropriate ceremony decorate the winner in the cake contest with a pasteboard "medal," while the queen places a wreath of some sort on the champion's head. The court jester can perform the same sort of ceremony for the winner of the booby prize, pinning on the medal and then decorating the "boob" with a dunce cap.

Hefreshments, cake and hot chocolate.

JUMPING THE CANDLES.

A stunt that could be tried at a New Year's social Is the old stunt of jumping the candles. Twelve lighted candles are placed upright on the floor, numbered from one to twelve. One at a time the players jump over them from side to side. The candle snuffed out in this manner indicates the month in which

22 PBUNOLOGY.

the person will marry. If no candle is snuffed out, it indicate! that th« person will not be married during the year.

WRITING RESOLUTIONS WITH LETTERS.

Give out a list of ten letters and have every one write a New Year's resolution, using the letters in the order in which they were given out.

Chapter II. February Programs

A Leap Year Party. Heart Archery.

A Heart Social. Valentine Game.

A Cupid Party. Valentine Misses.

Cupid's Post Office. Suggestions for "Eats."

Initial Compliment. Cupid's Wheel of Fortune. Hearts and Mittens.

Love Letters.

Broken-Heart Puzzle.

Blind Dart Famous Lovers' Pie.

Valentine Bubbles. '^^ ^^^^^ Partners.

Valentine Fishing. The Living Valentine.

Valentine Quoits. Washington's Birthday Social.

Short Essay. Additional Washington's Birth- Valentine Fishpond. day Suggestions.

A LEAP YEAR PARTY.

Every four years comes leap year, when February lays claim to twenty-nine days and the young ladies are privileged to "pop the question." A merry party could be arranged combining the leap year with your Valentine party.

Your invitation, with place and date, might feature this bit of rhyme:

"One year in four

We girls adore,

For this is leap year time.

So watch your step;

They'll get you yet

As some one's valentine.

Now get the date

And don't be late.

We want you to help us celebrate."

In a crowd where all are well acquainted it would be lots of fun to have the girls go for the boys and escort them to the party.

The girls should take the initiative in every way, helping the

24 PHUNOLOGT.

men off with their coats, seeing that they are comfortably seated, holding doors open for them, and paying them all the little courtesies usually shown to ladies by well-bred gentlemen.

Pulling Heartstrings.

Suspend from the chandelier or in the doorway two large hearts made of red paper and hung several Inches apart. Make a hole in each, through which are run red strings of considerable length, the ends hanging down on either side. The men take hold of the strings on one side and the girls on the other, everybody being careful not to draw the strings taut. At the signal all pull their strings, the hearts are riven, and partners are found holding the ends of the same string. This gives the couples for the next game.

Progressive Confab.

Each person has been provided with ten small hearts cut out of red paper. They sit in a circle about the room in couples and are given a subject on which to converse for two minutes. The use of any personal pronoun in the conversation is barred. The person disobeying this rule must surrender one of the paper hearts to the person with whom he or she is conversing for each Infraction. At the end of the two- minutes each girl rises and moves to the next man, the men remaining seated. A new topic Is given out, and this is continued until a certain number of subjects have been discussed. Some subjects that may be used are: "Childhood Days," "School Days," "First Sweethearts," "Friendship," "Love," "Marriage," "Old Age," etc.

Wink.

Keeping the partners with whom they find themselves at the close of the Progressive Confab, the company can now indulge in the old game of "Wink," with the girls doing the winking. Each girl will step behind the chair of her partner. An odd player will have to be used to stand behind an empty chair. She winks at one of the men, and he must endeavor to elude his guard and go to the winker's chair. The girl guarding may not step from behind her chair, but must endeavor to hold him in the chair. The girl losing her partner becomes winker, and the game con^ tinues.

Progressive Proposals.

The men are provided with a number of small hands and mittens cut out of paper. It would help add to the merriment of the occasion if the men were provided also with fans behind which to hide their blushes. The girl does the proposing. When she is accepted, she is given a hand. If she is rejected, she "gets the mitten." At the tap of a bell each girl moves to the next man to try her luck once more. So it continues until each girl has made the rounds or, in case there is too large a crowd for this, until a certain time has elapsed. The girl who has collected the greatest number of hands in this time could be awarded some suitable prize. A consolation prize might also be given to the one with the greatest number of mittens.