Ring games and other games of the Florida Negro

229 Pages·8.965 MB·English

by  Fox, Grace I

RING PLAYS AND OTHER GAMES
/'
OF THE FLORIDA NEGRO
BY
GRACE FOX
//
Submitted in partial fulfillment of the requirements
for the degree of Doctor of Physical Education
in the School of Health, Physical
Education, and Recreation,
Indiana University
Junfc* 1961
ProQuest Number: 10296484
All rights reserved
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Accepted by the faculty of the School of Health, Physical
Education, and Recreation at Indiana University as ful­
filling the thesis requirements for the degree of
Doctor of Physical Education*
ctor of Thesis
(TL
Doctorate Committeet Chairman
L
l
L
11
ACKNOWLEDGMENTS
Sincere appreciation is expressed to Dr* Marjorie
Phillips for her valuable advice and guidance in the pre­
paration of this study, and to Dr* Karl W. Bookwalter who
graciously gave his time and energy in meticulous examina­
tion of the manuscript*
The author is deeply indebted to Mr* D* E. Williams,
Director of Negro Education in Florida for his inspiration
and encouragement in this undertaking* Thanks are due Mr*
James Mason Gunn, Instructor of Music Theory, Florida State
University, for the writing of the music, Mr* W* H« Lane
of the Audio-Visual Center of Florida State University for
his help in making the phonograph records, and the Florida
School Book Depository, Jacksonville, for the use of a tape
recorder*
Above all the author feels a deep sense of gratitude to
the personnel of the three colleges, Florida Agricultural and
Mechanical College, Bethune-Cookman College, and Florida
Normal and Industrial Memorial College, and to the Negro
teachers and children of Florida without whose fine spirit
of cooperation this undertaking would not have been possible*
G* F*
ill
LIST OF PICTURES
Page
Frontispiece......•...«••*•..... •....... •••*.»• i
Rhythm*............ 25
Now steppy, steppy, steppy. ...... 35
The rabbit with the hatchet. .......... 124
iv
TABLE OP CONTENTS
Page
ACKNOWLEDGMENTS................. *.................... ill
LIST OP PICTURES............................ iv
CHAPTER
I, INTRODUCTION................................... 1
Purpose of the Study.. ..................... ...* I
The Problem..♦............. 1
Delimitations.....*........ «......... 2
Need for the Study ...... 3
Procedure. ............... ...............*.
II. THE BACKGROUND OF THE NEGRO .............. 10
Africa, His Native Land.. ........ 10
The People of Africa. 11
Enslavement of the African, l b
Growth of Slavery in the United States......... 18
Florida and Her Negro Population. ...... 20
III. SONG AND DANCE OP THE NEGRO.................... 26
IV. RING PLAYS ............................... 3$
Ain*t You Kin to the YankeeM otion.••••••••...• 39
All Around the Maypole. •••••...• *+1
Aunt Dinah is Dead....... b5
Ba, Ba, Ba, Hey.......... b9
Bluebird......................................
Chile, Tell Me Who You Love.................. 56
Egg Bread......... 57
Evalena. ...... 59
First Time I Played in the Sand....•••••••••••• 60
Fodder Stack. ...... 63
Going Down to Richmond ••••• 6k
Golden Boy (Bar) ..... 66
Goosie........... 69
Green Field. ...... 70
Green Gravel....... •••••••••••....... 7^
v
Table of Contents — Continued
Chapter Page
Handkerchiefs A1 Walkin’••••••..... ......... *• 77
Here Sits a Monkey in a Chair*«........... • ••• 81
Hey, Johnny, Hey........ 63
Honey, My Love............ 8*4-
Jus’ From the Kitchen....................... 86
Little Girl from Baltimore.••••............ 89
Little Sally Walker. ............ 91
Mama Gonna Cook.. ........ 97
Mama You Can’t Shimmy.••••.......... 98
My Mother Told Me....... 99
Old Lady, Pick Up Your W h e e l . ••••••*•••• 100
Ole Mr. Candy............... 102
Bogie Sam.. ................... •••••••.. 10^
Sally Go Bound the Sun............... 105
Sissy in the Barn......................... 107
Steal ’Lize Jane............. 110
Steal Up Young Lady................ 113
Stealing S a m . 115
Stiff.......................... 116
Sugar Up the Apple Tree...••••••...... 117
Throw Your Hook in the Middle of the Pond...... 119
Up the Green Valley........... 121
Wished Ever Night Sadidy Night................. 122
V. AND OTHER GAMES....... 125
Blind Man Thread the Needle........•••••••••••• 127
Bumble Bee Stingin’ ..... 128
Chicken Ma Cranie Crow...... . 129
Counting-Out Rhymes*••••»***o***..... *...... 131
Devil with Pitchfork..... *****............... 132
E Nannie Nannie* ....... *...... *..........13*+
Green Grass* ...................*...... 135
Guessing Game...........................*.... ikO
Hide and Seek Rhymes....*•••••••....... 1*+1
Hist Yo’ Window......... •••....................1*4-6
Hurdy Gurdy*.......... 1*4-8
I’m Lonesome*......... * * l*+9
Iron Bars***............... *...... 150
I Went to See My Playmate. ............. 151
London Bridge........... *......* * 152
vi
Table of Contents — Continued
Chapter Page
Mama’s Needle******................... •*•••••* 155
Mary Mae..................... 15&
Miss Jennie Ann Jones**................. •••••• 162
Mother, May I Go Out to Play*******............ 165
My Baby’s a Cryin’•••••••••••**••*••**••••••*•• 171
Paw Paw Patch........................ 172
Pretty Girl Country*••••• *......*......... 17*+
Racka-Sacka* ••••••................. *••••*••••• 175
Rema Rocka***....... •*•«•............ *..... 176
Rope Jumping Rhymes.•••••••••• *............ •** 177
Sandy Bogan* •••••............* •••• 179
Shoo Fly* .....••**•......* ••••••••••* 180
String Them Beans*•••••*• •••••••••*• ••«•* lSl
Three Dukes *...... •«••••••••••• ••••• l8*t
Walking Down the Toolato Station.•••......... * 191
Who Got the Pawn**..*.......... 192
Zudia*.................. 19k
VI. SUMMARY......................................... 196
Transmission of Traditional Games*•••••*.•••*** 196
Ring Plays.......•••••• ••*•• 201
Special Considerations....... * ••••** 205
Music Accompanying Singing Games...... ••••**•* 207
Similarity of Urban and Rural Games**** ••• 210
Re commendations *......................... »•••• 210
BIBLIOGRAPHY...........................*...............212
vii
CHAPTER I
INTRODUCTION
The Purpose of the Study
The purpose of this study is to collect games played by
the Negroes of Florida which may add to a total study of the
folk culture of the Negro*
In our nation composed of many nationalities and races,
the Negro population far outnumbers that of any other minority
group. The Negro people in this country have contributed
much to its formation and growth. Education, travel, and im­
proved economic conditions are making marked changes in the
life of the Negro and in his particular media of self-
expression* There is an apparent need to bring together all
available information concerning his life if the rich folk
heritage of the Negro is to be preserved.
Since play is an inevitable reflection of the life of a
people, this study will attempt to capture the beauty of the
rhythm, both in song and movement, and present a complete and
accurate record of some of the games played by the Negroes of
Florida.
The Problem
Many Negro teachers today, with their advanced training
in professional education, are teaching their children games