Games

Aiton's Encyclopedia (1910)

as commonly used, sports or amusements which are governed by fixed rules and which progress to some prescribed climax or culmination. Games were known and practiced among the earliest nations. Among the Greeks and Romans public exhibitions occurred of trials of strength, skill, and endurance. These were frequently accompanied with religious ceremonies. The Olympic, Pythian, Nemean, and Isthmian games were national institutions of Greece and formed the strongest bond between the independent Greek states. During the age of chivalry, jousts and tournaments were the popular forms of sport. These ancient and medieval games were contests; but many games exist, notably children's games and certain forms of dancing, which are in no sense competitive. For convenience, games may be somewhat loosely classified as: I. Active games. II. Quiet games. Among active games belong: 1. Singing and dancing games. The simplest of these are the "motion songs" of the kindergarten. Singing and dancing are the natural, spontaneous expression of feeling. When this expression is regulated to some prescribed and complete action, a game is the result. Many games of this class originated in religious rites. " London bridge is falling down" is believed to be a relic of the ancient ceremony of offering a human sacrifice at the building of a bridge. "Oats, peas, beans, and barley grows" is probably from some ceremony employed to propitiate the gods who preside over the fertility of the soil. "The farmer and the child," "I've come to see Miss Jenny-a-Jones," "King William was King James's son," are other simple games of this class. Singing and dancing games popular often with older children are, "Going to Jerusalem," "Jolly is the Miller," "Dan Tucker," "The Needle's Eye," "Drop the Handkerchief," "Virginia Reel," "Money Musk," and country dances and contra dances. These involve sometimes both singing and dancing, sometimes dancing without singing. They are called in some instances games, in others, dances; but they belong properly in the same category. 2. Out-door, non-competitive games combine amusement with healthful exercise. Such games are "I Spy," "Tag," in all its forms, "Beckon," "Prisoner's Base," "Plunder," and "Pom, pom, pull away." 3. Active competitive games must be classified as: a. Athletic contests. b. Individual competitive games, such as croquet, tennis, golf, hare and hounds. c. Team games, including baseball, football, cricket, hockey, and basket-ball. Under the head of quiet games, the number is legion. Among those which are non-competitive may be mentioned such old-fashioned games as "Hide the thimble," "Button, button, who's got the button," and games of forfeit. Among competitive games are games of skill and games of chance, and those involving both skill and chance. To this class belong rhyming games, guessing games, and games involving some play upon words, or trick of expression or motion. Backgammon, chess, checkers, dominoes, jackstraws, logomachy, flinch, and all games of cards belong under the head of quiet games. Games are considered frequently as mere pastimes or amusements. They have, however, an educational value which has been fully appreciated only in recent years. It is a curious fact that, if the participants enter games with the conscious purpose of the benefit to be derived, the result is apt to be disappointing. When we play for pleasure we are profited thereby. When we play for profit we seldom obtain either profit or pleasure. Probably the benefit comes largely from an utter mental relaxation which cannot exist in connection with a conscious purpose. The games which rank highest, both in the extent of interest they arouse and in the development of character they promote, are team games. The subordination of the individual to the interests of the team inculcates one of the most important lessons of life; and in no part of the training and education of the average young person can it be so thoroughly and happily learned as in the team games of our schools and colleges. See Baseball ; Battledore; Billiards ; Bowls ; Cards ; Checkers; Chess ; Cricket ; Curling ; Dice; Dominoes ; Croquet ; Golf ; Hockey ; Lawn Tennis ; Lacrosse ; Monaco ; Polo ; Poison ; Solitaire ; Fives ; Quoits