Hoop Rolling (or Hoop Trundling) in the Early 1900’s
Hoop rolling looks like my kind of game. I took this photograph in the school room of the Heritage Hill Historical Park in Lake Forest, California. I was so intrigued by the tools and idea of the games.
In researching this post, I found out that Wellesley College has a long and proud hoop rolling tradition with wooden hoops. The ones in the photo above are sharp metal from barrels – that’s why they use the sticks.
I also found a fascinating publication from the New York Folklore Society called Voices. In addition to showing photographs of old games in the article entitled “Games People Play(ed)” by Stanley Ransom, the author also provides a list of Three Dozen Old Time Games with enough information to try them out today. Thanks, Mr. Ransom!