Portville's School in the 1870s
| The Portville Historical and Preservation Society |
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| 17 Maple Avenue |
Portville, New York
This page was last updated on 01-25-10
| 1875 - Portville's Union Free School |
| The Wright home on Lillibridge (now R. Mallory), next to the Dusenbury home |
The Games Children Played
What was Pom Pom Pull Away?
This was a favorite game in the 1800s. One student is "it". The rest of the students make a line
on each side of the student who is "it". The student who is "it" calls anyone from either line by
their name and says, "Pom Pom Pull Away! Come away, or I'll fetch you away!" For example:
if the student who is "it" calls to a student named Bobby Frair, he or she would say, "Bobby Frair,
Pom Pom Pull Away! Come away, or I'll fetch you away!" Then, Bobby Frair must try to cross
to the line of students on the other side of the student who is "it" without being tagged.
Fox and Geese
Fox and Geese was also a popular game. It was played after a snowfall. The students would
trample the snow down to make a path in the snow. The path was in the shape of a circle with
spokes running through it like a wagon wheel. One student is the fox. The other students are the
geese. The fox tries to tag the geese "out" by chasing them around the path. The geese must run
in groups of three or four and have their hands on each other's shoulders. The goose who is
tagged becomes the new fox and the game starts over again.
For more information on the games children used to play in the old days, click here.
Back to Portville History Page
What was Pom Pom Pull Away?
This was a favorite game in the 1800s. One student is "it". The rest of the students make a line
on each side of the student who is "it". The student who is "it" calls anyone from either line by
their name and says, "Pom Pom Pull Away! Come away, or I'll fetch you away!" For example:
if the student who is "it" calls to a student named Bobby Frair, he or she would say, "Bobby Frair,
Pom Pom Pull Away! Come away, or I'll fetch you away!" Then, Bobby Frair must try to cross
to the line of students on the other side of the student who is "it" without being tagged.
Fox and Geese
Fox and Geese was also a popular game. It was played after a snowfall. The students would
trample the snow down to make a path in the snow. The path was in the shape of a circle with
spokes running through it like a wagon wheel. One student is the fox. The other students are the
geese. The fox tries to tag the geese "out" by chasing them around the path. The geese must run
in groups of three or four and have their hands on each other's shoulders. The goose who is
tagged becomes the new fox and the game starts over again.
For more information on the games children used to play in the old days, click here.
Back to Portville History Page