A NEWSPAPER PARTY
In which newspapers are featured in a variety of ways.
Have the hostesses and guests, upon arriving, dress themselves in newspaper costumes. All sorts of unique ideas can be carried out, such as newspaper duncecaps, bonnets, aprons, frills for collar and cuffs, pleated skirts. It will be found that surprising originality and taste will be shown by some. Have plenty of string, pins and toothpicks at hand, for they will be needed to keep these fragile creations in place. Open the party with a grand march and have the judges immediately award the prize for the cleverest newspaper costume.
Have the players group themselves in a three, four or five line formation, ready to play an adaptation of Bancroft’s “Maze Game.”
1. POLICEMAN AND NEWSBOY
The chaser, who carries a paper club, is called the “Policeman.” The runner is called the “Newsboy.” Have the players stand in parallel ranks with hands joined, thereby making aisles through which the Policeman can chase the Newsboy. When the director gives the order “right face,” or “left face,” the players drop hands and face in that direction, clasping hands with their new neighbors. In this way new aisles are made which alter the direction in which the Policeman is running and which give the Newsboy a better opportunity of escape. The director, who tries to keep the Policeman from catching the Newsboy, must give his orders with alertness and wisdom, so as to prevent the capture. Neither Policeman nor Newsboy can break ranks or tag across lines. It sometimes adds excitement if two Policemen are used.
2. PREFERRED NEWSPAPERS
This game is an adaptation of the familiar “Black and White.”
Line up the players in two even ranks down the center of the floor, with their backs to each other. Call each side after a popular local paper. At a given signal the director shouts the name of either newspaper. The players in the line bearing that name run frantically to the side of the room toward which they are facing. The players on the opposite side turn and try to catch them. Those caught must go over to the other side. The second line-up, uneven this time, proceeds in the same way, awaiting the call of the director.
3. MUSICAL NEWSPAPER
Divide the players again into the same even groups. This game is an adaptation of the familiar “Musical Partners.”
Every player takes a partner from his group, so that each partner has the same newspaper name. They march around the room to music. When the music stops for a moment, everyone must change partners, being sure that the new partner belongs to the same paper. This necessitates hasty shifting and much shouting of identification.
4. NEWSPAPER RELAY
Line up the players in two or three even ranks, giving each player two single sheets of newspaper. At a signal from the director, the leaders race down to the opposite goal and back again, stepping only on the sheets of paper, which they lay on the floor as they progress. The next player in line repeats the process after he is touched off by the preceding player. The line which finishes most quickly wins.
5. PROTECT THE NEWSBOY
Adaptation of the familiar “Wolf and Hind.”
The players form in a straight line with their hands around the waist of the person ahead. At the very end of the line stands the “Newsboy.” The chaser, called the “Policeman,” faces the leader of the line and at a given signal tries to catch the Newsboy. The line, however, tries to keep itself between the Policeman and the Newsboy. The players must hold on tightly to each other, so as not to break the line, thereby enabling the Policeman to dart through and get a better chance at the Newsboy. When that Newsboy is caught he changes places with the Policeman, who takes the place at the head of the line. The new Policeman tries to catch the person at the very end of the line, who has now become the Newsboy.
6. CATCH THE NEWSBOY
Adaptation of “Bird Cage.”
Divide the players into groups of four. Three of each group join hands in a circle and call themselves “Policemen;” the fourth is called the “Newsboy.” Without unclasping hands, the Policemen try to catch in their ring the Newsboy, who may run anywhere in the room. If he is caught he becomes a Policeman and one of the Policemen takes his place.
7. PREFERENCE OF LOCAL PAPERS
Adaptation of familiar “Jerusalem and Jericho.”
The players are in circle formation. The director, who stands in the center of the circle, takes a vote on which of the two local papers the group prefers. The director then explains that if he calls the name of the preferred paper, everyone must repeat the name and bow, but if he calls the name of the unpreferred paper, everyone must repeat the name, but not bow. If anyone bows after the name of the unpreferred paper is called, that person must come into the center of the circle. The director himself bows after both names, thereby trying to get the other players to mimic him. The success of the game depends largely upon the enthusiasm of the director and his helpers.
8. NEWSPAPER FIGHT
Blindfold any two players and give to each a club made of newspapers folded lengthwise. Spread a newspaper on the floor. At a signal from the director, each combatant puts his left hand on this newspaper and with his paper club in his right hand fights his opponent. Being blindfolded, both quickly lose their sense of direction, so instead of striking each other they usually strike the floor. If there are several pairs, each cheered by their followers, the game becomes very exciting.