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A. Varesano interviewing Bertha Falatko -15- 8/17/72
Tape 26-2
486 very seldom.
AV: And the girls, what would they play?
BF: They'd play Chase, Ring Around the Rosy, they'd bring Jacks.
AV: Was there a division, like, from a certain age to a certain age, some girls
played mostly one game, or was there some game that only older gitls could
have?
BF: Not that I know of.
AV: What's Chase?
BF: Well, we'd all get together, and we'd put out hands on a board, or else we'd
stand on a stone, that would be our goal. And the one that would be counted
Out, she'd have to try and catch us after we left the base. And the first
one she would catch, she would just tag, and that person would have to start
running and chase us! And until we got back to our goal, if she didn't
catch us, we'd be safe.
AV: So, was the idea to leave the goal and run around...
BF: And get caught.
AV: Oh! But you could keep running back as many times as you needed?
BF: Oh, yes.
AV: And, Ring Around the Rosy, how did you play that? Around here?
BF: Well, we'd join hands, and say a little verse, and we'd get up and we'd get
down on our knees.
AV: Do you remember the verse?
BF: Ring Around the Rosy,
Pocket Full of Posy
Hee, Hi, Ho.
When they'd say Ho, they would get down.
AV: On their knees?
BF: Well, either, just, they wouldn't get, not exactly on our knees, because of
these stones. And then we'd get right back up.
AV: And...
BF: Then we'd start repeating, going right around the ring again.
AV: When did you end that game? I mean, did you keep going faster and faster....
BF: No, I think we just kept going faster and faster until we got tired, and
stop.
AV: How did uou play Jacks around here?
BF: Get a small ball, and we'd have a few Jacks. We'd put the Jacks down, and
try and catch, throw the ball up in the air a little bit, and try and catch
one Jack, then from that you'd, ahhh , catch then all like touchin' each
Jack- another Jack- just catch the one. Then you would throw them, after
you had them all caught in your hand, you would throw the Jacks down again,
throw the ball up in the air, and try to catch two jacks at a time, until you
got them all caught up that way. But you were not supposed to touch any of
the Jacks but just those two that you was wupposed to pick up. If you'd
touch another Jack, you would be Out.
. . . . . (There is a third, unidentified person in the following conveersation).
BF:
I don't know too muich about it, though, really, /Well, I was never down there
but I know, I thought they had them down there /They had sewing classes down
there. ??
Which church was this? BF: The Dutch.
Protestant, but I don't know what the name of it is.
The Episcopal?
Episcopal, I think. Yeah.