.Digging a Pirate’s Cave
By HI SIBLEY
WHILE excavating for a new house in the weed-grown lot next door, workmen unearthed a surprising maze of caves and trenches. Evidently they had been dug many seasons before because bushes and weeds were growing luxuriantly from the soil spread over the roofs. Considerable grading and no end of fancy language were required before the lot was in shape to build on. But it proved that a well-made cave is about as substantial a clubhouse as a boy can make.
.Hollywood’s New Game
BY WAY of seeking diversion during time out from the strenuous labor of making movies to entertain the nation, Hollywood stars have devised a unique game called “Roll-in-the-hole.” The ball is rolled up an inclined trough and into a large tub-like arrangement with holes in the side. The point is to spin the ball so that it rolls out the holes that count the most. At the left several well known stars are engaged in a game.
.Novel German Game, “Swing-ball,” Develops Agility and Strength
AMONG the fair sex of Germany the new game, called “Swing-ball,” is rapidly coming into popularity. The game, played as shown in the photo at the right, develops agility, alertness and strength, and helps to keep that boyish figure and schoolgirl complexion.
The ball, similar to a basket-ball, slides along a rope, each end of which is held by a contestant. The players try to hit each other by swinging the ball around in a circle. Ability to jump, duck and dodge are the chief assets of the defense.
.Easter Eggs Masquerade as Cartoon Characters
Easter eggs may be transformed into likenesses of cartoon and nursery-tale characters, with attractively colored cut-outs now available in book form. Each design provides both a base and a headpiece for a tinted egg, as shown, and the book contains materials for dressing up twenty eggs in different guises.
.The Season’s Newest Toys
TOY manufacturers in this country have been extraordinarily inventive of late, and have produced a set of new and unusual items differing greatly from the ordinary run. Many of these are illustrated in these three pages; but lack of space permits only a very general description of construction, operation or equipment of some of them. Others are described in the captions beneath the photos. However, if any of the readers are interested in the names of the manufacturers, such information will be furnished free of charge: merely specify the numbers of the items, and the data will be forwarded.
These kids look pretty bad-ass. And kudos to the father for making his daughter a model car instead of a model kitchen.
.These Two Youngsters Are Out to Steal Their Dad’s Racing Laurels
Following in their dad’s footsteps seems to be the thing these two youngsters, shown below, enjoy most. They are the children of Captain Campbell, English auto racer. The photo was taken at their home in Horely, England, while they were driving about in their yard.
Donald’s car is an exact model of a Buggatti. It will travel at a speed of 18 m.p.h.
Jean’s car is a model of a Bluebird.
Alas, cats are not the same. I bought my cat a cardboard plane and he refused to ever get in it.
.Coming Generation Is Growing Naturally Into the Idea of Flying
WASH tubs, wheel barrows, newspapers—in fact anything young children can lay their hands on—are being converted into transport planes, fighters and gliders of the queerest shapes and designs. Youngsters have accepted aviation as a permanent fixture and are preparing for it in their own way. Instead of playing policeman, cowboy or house, both boys and girls are pretending they are pilots, guiding a ship through the sky.
Remember that safety standards and knowledge of long-term chemical effects on people were VERY different in 1931. Please refrain from actually trying any of the pranks here. Besides possibly hurting yourself or others, it’ll just make you look like a dick.
.JUST for FUN
by Kenneth Murray
The practical joker is always with us, but unfortunately for the gayety of nations, he sometimes runs out of ideas. Here are a few joke novelties which are entirely mechanical and which you can make yourself in no time at very little expense.
SPEAKING of jokes, here are some that you can have a lot of fun with. Have you ever “bit” on the old one of picking a thread off the lapel of a friend’s coat, to find that it is connected to a concealed spool holding yards and yards? Well, here are some more good ones; entirely mechanical so that you needn’t possess unusual dexterity to secure a laugh, and you can turn them all out in the workshop in a couple of hours. Then for some fun!
.Table Tricks with Knives & Forks
By SAM BROWN
The after-dinner tricks with knives and forks described here by Mr. Brown can be performed with little advance preparation, and they afford sure-fire entertainment for everybody.
NOTHING so very magical about knives and forks. Once upon a time there was a man who ate peas . . . But that’s something else again.
How’s this: The performer exhibits a napkin. He rolls it up loosely. He pokes a fork down into the center of the rolled up napkin. And then . . . abracadabra . . . the fork slowly rises from the napkin, bowing quaintly to the bewildered spectators.
This is a pretty sweet clubhouse.
.Prop and Tiller CLUB HOUSE
By HI SIBLEY
HAVING selected the site for this novel clubhouse, preferably in a more or less open space in backyard or vacant lot, stake off the floor plan and locate the tower foundation.
Dig a pit about 5 ft. square and 18 in. deep and raise the four upright timbers, 4 by 4 in. by 17 ft. 6 in., one at a time by means of poles and ropes. When the first is up, guy it with four wires and by means of a plumbline see that it is absolutely vertical. When the second is up, secure this to the first temporarily by means of boards nailed diagonally, and so on with the other two.
