New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1914-06-14
An Addition TO the
Printed Archives
An Early Concert
of N0rdiCa's.

NER a decade ago The Tribune
regular summer Sunday feature
~ occupied itself with a study OF
Number OF song-games from the
Southern States This was prompted
hv a graceful little story OF pianta'io"
ito I'm Georgia called "Diddie' pumps
aud Tot" written by Mrs. Clarke-fN VI
nellie. Who was thcn teacher / pe-
rcvo nm a public school in Florida. Ad-
Ypiring her description OF the games playco
bv tho black and white children on inc
Georgian plantation. ] wrote TO her Tor
tho fumes 10 which they were sung, ana
was both gratiGed and surprised TO re-
rbive not only what l had asked for, put
words. tunes and descriptions of half a
dozen games in addition. Some years
later Mr.. w w. Newell. Of Camoridse'
Mass. asked for my help in revision OF
his Games and Songs of American Chll-
dren." published by Harper Bros IL
was gladly given, and thus some OF the
songs found their way into that admlraple
hook still later there came request
Tor permission to use them from MISS
Grace Cleveland Porter, an American
aady. who was giving illustrated lectures
on the subject IN London. Miss Porter
used the American games and enlisted
The children Of the Esperance Guild Of
Morris Dancers 10 illustrate them Very
rrctty, indeed. must have been the pict-
ure made by the little dancers, TO judge
by the accounts in the newspapers ana
tho photograph which is reproduced on
this page OF The Tribune. The games
have now appeared in print under the
title. Negro Folk Singing-Games and
Folk Games Of the ADMINISTRATIONS
al Melodies and Text Transcribed by
Grace Cleveland Porter: Accompaniment
by Harvey Worthington Loomis.' Oon-
don: ]. Curwen & Sons, Ltd
The book is handsomely printed ana
forms an interesting contribution to mu-
steal folklore. The title page is emoei-
ushed with a picture of Miss Porters col
ored nurse and il is this Nanny Mary
who is permitted, in her quaint way, to
Tell about the games and how they were
played. Here is one description:
Hor on. honey. I done thought 1 done
diSremembered dat one OBJ De marchi II
games, but II seems lax it's a-comln
back 10 ma min. Demme see, goes SOM
Pin LAX dis: Were marchin on dis camln
croun " (but II didn't hab muffin TO DC
wid de camps in de wah time). down on
80 knees. Doan speak fer a mint, chile
les lcmme think UNI. hum vas! nov. !
done got H. de chune and de words pore
TIeah it's. De chillen march roun' in a
- ring two by two, arm in arm, sngin
Were marChin' on dis camp grOun.,
We're marChin on dis camp groun
.=.y We're marcnin on dis camp groun',
--. Down on 70 knees"
Right heah each one bends de left
knee ter de groun' q was mighty limblt
i'm dem days. honey. an 1 usen ter bend
ma knees same as de res. but Ian chile
de misry done ketch me so bad in ms
back dat it's all l kin do now TO ben
down 10 say ma prayers, much less
fv roun' lax ] usen ter do in de chillen's
games Yassum, and de udder day
met a lady in de street an she aXed ms
"HoWdy?' and ! spoons Use right poly
thank Gawd. mistis. Use done got d.
msrv ina nah back and wen she axes
me what 1 mean by dat / SEE. "Skust
me. ma'am, but you know wot yo bach
IS an 20 know wOt de mis'ry is; vel