Rounds, Forfeits and Singing a Merry Tune

An Agreeable Evening at Home

When the chores were done, the evenings were often passed dancing, singing, and playing games.  Canadians were a musical people and to sing and dance was as natural as breathing.  It was said that if three Canadians got together, two would dance while one would fiddle; and many of the early songs and ballads were brought from the 'Old Country'. The original Canadians used music and interpretive dance in most of their rituals and religious services; so the blending of cultures made us very musical indeed.  In simular fashion, the families of immigrants also used song and dance to express emotions, tell important events of their history, or as part of the mating ritual.

This gave rise to the Singing School; the master usually being a young farmer, or man from a nearby town, with a reasonably good voice.  Sometimes he had knowledge of an instrument, and a fiddle or piano might be used; but generally the classes were conducted with a pitch pipe or tuning fork. The winter evenings at Singing School always provided pleasure but rarely great musical results, not that there were many who noticed.  You didn't have to sing well, so long as you sang, and though fees were charged, it was never enough for the teacher to make much of a living.  As a result, the classes were held wherever they could find an empty room or hall, and everyone was expected to bring their own lighting.  There was even a little freindly competition as the girls would try to outdo each other with the prettiest candlestick.

The games played were enjoyed by all, including adults, and especially those of 'marrying age'; giving them an opportunity to flirt, or get to know one another, in a supervised situation.  The most popular were rounds and forfeits, where everyone got in a circle and some form of guessing game ensued.  The 'forfeit' came about if you guessed incorrectly, and would then have to forfeit something; usually a kiss. All Kissing games were popular in the early immigrant homes, and did not mean impropriety. Etiquette at the time permitted a lady to honour a gentleman with a kiss, even on first introduction. Though dancing often went against the religious conscience of a community, an evening spent playing games, rounds or forfeits, which pretty much added up to the same thing, were allowed. Other activities like sledding, skating, and taffy pulls, also afforded them an opportunity to have a little fun.

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