Over one, under one, Over one again. Under one, over one, Then we do the same. Hi, weavers! Ho, weavers! Come and weave with me! You'll rarely find, go where you will, A happier band than we!
Kate Douglas Wiggin (Mrs. Riggs) in her "Republic of Childhood" describes the game in this way:
"First choose a row of children for threads of the warp, standing at such a distance from each other that a child may pass easily between them. Second, choose a child, or children, for thread of woof. After passing through the warp, each child takes his place at the end and other children are chosen." In this way more children can take part than if a tape were used. Some teachers play it in a different way, using the desks with the seats turned up for the warp and the whole number of children for the woof, winding in and out all over the room. This is very delightful, indeed, if there is enough space for the children to pass easily without tripping on the iron supports of the desks. This is a good game for a rainy day, when there is no outdoor recess.
The bird games are beautiful and leave a wholesome impression of home life and home love on the children, which will have a lasting influence. Few children, brought up in this tender and beautiful way, will ever feel an inclination to harm the birds, or indeed any animal.
The fund of stories of birds and birds' nests is almost inexhaustible. Miss Poulsson's "In the Child's World" contains many stories of the weaver (pages 407-412), and several about birds and birds' nests (pages 292-301). Her talks to teachers with regard to the presentation of each subject are very helpful, as well as her suggestions for the teachers' reading. Stories of the weaving birds, particularly the African weaver, are interesting. It is said that two birds work together, one on the inside of the nest and the other on the outside, passing the grass and twigs in and out, until the home is completed. The children will enjoy, too, stories of weaving in other lands, material for which can be easily obtained. In fact, no one need to be without stories in these days of books and magazines.
Last, but not least, is the conversation during the weaving. Anyone who has attended a teachers' meeting, where the industrial work was being given, has not failed to remark the sociability all over the room. "How are you getting on?" "Let me see yours." "Oh, I cannot get it at all," etc., etc., are heard everywhere, and yet those same teachers go into their class rooms the next day and expect the children to work without whispering. If they will read what Mrs. Wiggin says in the "Republic of Childhood," in her talk on "Sewing," they will never be guilty of it again. A good plan is to have the room perfectly quiet while a dictation is being given, and then allow a period of relaxation when the little folks can compare and admire the work to their hearts' content. Beware of too much repression. A child when asked why a tree grew crooked, replied: "Somebody stepped on it, I suppose, when it was a little fellow." The answer is painfully suggestive. Mrs. Wiggin truly says: "If the children are never to speak except when they answer questions, how are we to know aught of their inner life?"