Figure 1.-- Here we see a teacher and children playing London Bridge is Falling Down in 1915. We believe that thay are from a one-room rural school which is not in the photograph.

Some games involve singing and chants. Here the ones that have transferred to America are mostly the traditional English ones. We may find singing games from other countries, but at this point we are only familar with the English ones. The best known of these games is London Bridge is Falling Down. It appears to have evolved from Medieval arch games. Actually the original London Bridge did fall down (1014). The associated rhyme is of much more recent origins. London Bridge is one of the English games based on nursery rhymes. One source mentions similar European falling bridge games. In America, no local bridge was substituted, the children always sung about London Bridge. This requires several players which means it was commonly played at school by girls and younger boys where there were enough children. It was also played by children on the street in urban areas. Urban street palay was common in 19th and early-20 century because there wre no front yard and limired back yard play areas. This declined as cars appeared on the streets. Two of the taller children or perhaps a teacher join hands high to form an arch (the bridge). The other children march under the bridge, each holding onto the waist of the player in front. They sing, "London Bridge is falling down, Falling down, falling down, London Bridge is falling down, My fair lady." The rhyme is one of the most widely recognozed around the world. No one knows, however, who 'my fair lady' was. At the last word of the song, the arms of the bridge are lowered to capture the last player through. The song continues with many more stanzas. Like most of the singing games, London Bridge is much less common today, but it has not disappeared. We note teacherd using it in nursery schools.

Created: 2:23 AM 6/22/2019
Last updated: 2:23 AM 6/22/2019