A COMMENCEMENT PICNIC

Instead of giving the usual banquet and reception to the seniors, the juniors in a small school might well plan an outdoor picnic and supper.  It has the possibility of being jollier than the regulation affair, and is certainly less expensive.

Individual invitations may be sent out to the senior class—­quite unusual and mysterious invitations—­for each one may consist of a colored feather quill with a message written on a slip of paper wrapped about the end.  This reads: 

Greetings from the Tribe of Twenteequas To the Tribe of Nyneteenwas:  Will the Tribe of Nyneteenwas Smoke the pipe of friendship Round the camp-fire of the Twenteequas On the sixteenth day of the Moon of Roses One hour before waysawi (sunset)?  One of the Twenteequas will act as your guide.

As soon as the two classes have gathered at the picnic ground, the juniors, already decked in head bands of ribbon in their own class colors, may present the seniors with similar ribbons.  The boys may have feathers stuck in theirs—­if they don’t object to head bands.

The chief of the Twenteequas may announce the first stunt as a Hunt for Game, and all must hunt in pairs, matching partners by means of selecting, blindfolded, colored beads from a basket.  Pasteboard bows and arrows are supplied, and everyone is told to return at the summons of a beaten tom-tom.

The couples then scatter into the surrounding woods, and hunt for animal crackers which have previously been hidden by a committee of juniors.

The prize for the couple getting the most game might be an animal toy.

Next, volunteers to “Run the Gauntlet” may be called for.  The others form in two parallel lines facing each other, armed with pieces of chalk.  The victims must run down between the lines to a goal at the end, while the cruel Indians on each side reach out to put a chalk mark on them.  The victim who gets the least chalk marks is permitted to select five of his tormentors to perform a series of stunts, previously planned by the junior entertainment committee.

Appropriate ones are these:  1.  Give an Indian war whoop. 2.  Do an Indian war dance. 3.  Give Indian names to five people here. 4.  Make a speech in sign language. 5.  Tell an Indian story.

Supper should be eaten around a big camp-fire, and should consist of coffee cooked over the fire, nut-bread sandwiches, cold chicken and potato chips, and chocolate ice-cream under individual miniature tepees of brown paper.

Paint on each tepee in black some symbol apparently mysterious but in reality characteristic of the owner.  Thus, a girl with a beautiful voice and a talent for singing may have a quaint bird on hers; an athlete, a pair of Indian clubs; a domestic science girl, a bowl and spoon or a kettle, and so on.

Redskins and Palefaces complete the menu, Palefaces being cookies with white icing and features marked in candies, and Redskins being apples.