Author Archives: Kenny Legan

Children’s Game – Bridgewater, Massachusetts

Children’s Game: Peggy

Peggy is a game that involves a wooden stick and a wooden paddle. The participant holds the wooden stick in one hand and the paddle in the other. The object of the game is to hit the stick with the paddle as far as possible, and the winner is the person who hits the stick the furthest.

Bruce learned this game in the 1930s when he was growing up. He was born in 1921, so this was during his youth. He lived in Bridgewater, Massachusetts during this time and learned the game from the kids in the neighborhood. Many of these kids were immigrants as during the 1920s and 1930s, many immigrants lived in working class (blue-collar) neighborhoods, such as Bridgewater, in New England. Even though he is Polish, he said he did not learn this game from Poland, as he moved to the U.S. when he was one year old. He said that this game was one of a few games that he played with the kids in the neighborhood; the other games he played were “Kick the Can” and “Spin the Bottle.” Since there was no TV and radio was just starting up, the kids played games for entertainment. This game was one of Bruce’s favorites. Since playing games was the children’s entertainment, it meant a lot when they were able to go out and play Peggy as it provided a lot of enjoyment and was much better and more fun than doing chores or homework.

I don’t know the game’s origins, nor did Bruce, but it appears to be similar to a popular American game that stretches back to the mid 1800s, baseball. While there is no pitcher, and no fielders, the concept of using a wooden object to launch projectiles for distance reminds me of baseball.

Another interesting thing about Peggy is that it is a very cheap game to play; you don’t need a lot of materials to play the game. Since Bruce played this game at the height of the Great Depression, it is possible that this game was invented sometime earlier during the Depression as a way for the kids to have fun, since not many of them were rich or even had the money to buy a baseball bat, a glove or a baseball. It is very easy to find large broad wooden piece that could be fashioned into a paddle, as well as a wooden stick that could be used as the “Peg”.

I’m not quite sure about how the name “Peggy” came about either, as the game doesn’t involve hitting people with the stick, or pegging the stick onto something. I’m sure the kids didn’t mind it’s name however, they just wanted a game to play.

I don’t see this game being popular today. Many people are much more well-off, and can afford materials to play other games such as baseball or basketball. Also, the culture is very different, as many children today are entertained by video games and television rather than outdoor children’s games.

Car Game – Hinsdale, Illinois

Car Game- Hinsdale, Illinois

If you are in a car, and see a car with one or both headlights out, you hit the roof of the car and yell “pa-diddle!” The last person to complete this action must remove an article of clothing.

Alex learned this game from his friends while in high school in Hinsdale, Illinois, a western suburb of Chicago. He said he usually played the game with friends to pass to the time or, he said half jokingly, “to see a naked girl.” However, he said one of his friends learned it from his mom. Interestingly, she played with different rules. Instead of having the last person to hit the roof remove an article of clothing, the first person to hit the roof got to kiss anyone they wanted in the car. She also included taillights in her version of the game, with the same rules as headlights, except you would say “pa-dunkle” for a taillight that is out instead of “pa-diddle” for a broken headlight.

Alex doesn’t know how the game evolved to the last person taking off an article of clothing, but he figures that his friends made that rule up. This makes sense, as many times it would be awkward to kiss someone randomly. When his friend’s mom was growing up, it was a little more socially acceptable to be outlandish and kiss random people, but that is not the case in today’s society.

This game is played when there is a mix of boys and girls in the car. It is not fun to play this game when the car is full of guys, as he, nor any of his friends, want to see another guy naked. However, Alex said that rarely has the game gotten as far as somebody being entirely naked.

This game is suited for teenagers as it is an immature game and adults would prefer something more sophisticated. Moreover, many adults who ride in a car together are married and it would be unruly to have a man’s wife remove her clothes in a car.

Another variation of this game can be found in On a Revolution: My Estrus Escapades in the Sexual ’70s by Lauryne Wright (iUniverse, Published 2006, page 53).

Holiday Tradition – Poland

Polish Easter tradition

During Easter, hay is laid on the table.

Bruce and his family practiced this Polish custom when he was a child. Bruce’s family, and many of his relatives, immigrated to the United States from Poland in the 1920s and lived in the New England area (he lived in Bridgewater, Massachusetts). At Easter, he would get together with all his Polish relatives, and at the house where the festivities were, they would put hay on the main dinner table. He said this was a Polish custom, not a custom that his family learned in the United States, but one that they carried over from Poland.

This tradition was significant for Bruce as a child because the Easter eggs would all be laid on top of the hay. As a child, Easter eggs defined Easter (more-so than religious reasons), and as a child, he always related the hay on the table to the Easter eggs. However, as Bruce grew older, he discovered another meaning to this custom, the “real adult” religious meaning. Most of his family were Catholics, and he said that the hay on the table was significant for Catholics because it symbolized Jesus being born in a barn in a manger in Bethlehem. He also said that this practice dates back to earlier times in Poland when the church controlled everything in Poland and the country was 100% Catholic. He gives this as a possible way his family learned the tradition.

Bruce gives many reasons and meanings for this tradition, all of which seem valid. It is interesting that this custom exists during Easter, and not Christmas, as the hay symbolizes Jesus’ birth by being born in a barn. A reason for this could be that Easter is a celebration of Jesus’ life, and this could be a way of honoring him. Bruce also makes a good point by saying that the church could be at the root of this tradition. Back in earlier times, church and state were inseparable, and many of the customs and laws of the times came not from the state (or government) but from the church. It is very likely that the church instituted this custom, or played a role in making it a custom throughout Poland.

It is also likely that this custom exists outside of Poland and people of Polish heritage. This custom seems to center around Catholicism more than Poland. Since billions of people all over the world are Catholics, it is likely some Catholics, other than those of Polish heritage, put hay on the table over Easter as a symbol for Jesus’ life and how it started with him being born in a barn in a manger. Yet, I have personally not seen or heard of this tradition before I heard it from Bruce.

Wedding Tradition – Poland

Polish Wedding Tradition

At a Polish wedding, whoever dances with the bride pays money to her.

Bruce learned this tradition through his Polish family. His family and his relatives moved to the United States from Poland in the 1920s when he was a very young child. He grew up in Bridgewater, Massachusetts, and most of his relatives lived in New England as well. He said he learned this tradition as he became older and started attending the weddings of his Polish family and relatives. This tradition is important to him because it is a way that the bride and groom collect money to start their new life.

Bruce did not mention anything about paying money to the groom if a person dances with him, so I assume this is only for the bride. This makes sense, as dancing with the bride is commonplace at many weddings, not just Polish weddings. Also, this is a very easy way for the bride and groom to make money, as many of the guests at weddings want to dance with the bride. It is a nice and easy way for the bride and groom to get started in life, as they are likely to have little money.

I’m not sure if this custom applies to people of other ethnicities, nationalities or religions. Bruce did not say this only happened at Catholic Polish weddings, but he mentioned that the majority of Polish people were Catholic, so there could be a correlation between religion and this custom.

Tradition – Polish

Polish tradition: Blessing a new house

Before a person or a family moves into a new house, the Priest blesses the house and draws a cross above the front door of the house.

Bruce said he learned this tradition from his Polish family and relatives. His family and relatives moved to the United States (he grew up in Bridgewater, Massachusetts) in the 1920s when he was a very young child, but he said that he learned this tradition from his Polish family and knew that it came from Poland, not from the United States. As his family moved houses in the U.S., a Priest would always come over to the new house, bless it, and draw a cross over the front door. This was a sign of faith, as by doing this his family hoped God would watch over their house and keep them safe.

Bruce did not mention if the blessing is supposed to draw out evil spirits, but the blessing is supposed to make the house pure and fit to live in. Since evil spirits are not pure, then it makes sense that driving evil spirits out of the house is part of the blessing. Also, I am not sure if this is a purely Polish custom, or if it is a Catholic custom found throughout the world. Bruce said that Poland used to be controlled by the Catholic Church, and Poland used to be 100% Catholic, so it is possible that the church brought this tradition to Poland from elsewhere.

I have heard of various forms of this tradition, including one belonging to my family. We (my family is Catholic) have a similar tradition except we bless our own house with Holy Water the Priest distributes at Mass every year. It is a sign of cleansing, renewal, and asking God to keep us safe throughout the coming year. This similar tradition leads me to believe that the Catholics, not the Polish people, inspired Bruce’s Polish tradition.