1887 McLoughlin Bros. Grandmama’s Arithmetical Game

Part of a six set series, the Grandmama’s Arithmetical game by McLoughlin Bros. is a timeless and fun way to learn math.

On the back of the instructions for playing the Arithmetical game, McLoughlin Bros. promotes and lists all the games that are part of the 1887 Grandma’s series of games.  The company encouraged collecting the entire set; stating the game series hold a ‘vast amount of information’ and ‘should be in every household’.  The title of the games in the collection are as follows:

 

Game of Riddles
Game of Geography
Game of Arithmetic
Game of Useful Knowledge
Game of Old Testament
Game of New Testament

Playing the games helped a child (and adults) learn in an amusing manner (like games do still today).  Players could decide to strengthen their logic skills with a game of Riddles or expand their awareness of the world around them by playing a game of geography.  During a time when gathering around the table with the whole family was common, this series of games offered a family some leisurely fun while learning.

The rules for playing are simple.  One player is selected to be the ‘Preceptor.’  This player controls the book of answers and deals the question cards out to all other players.  Providing each person with at least six to start the game, the Preceptor begins by asking the ‘Scholar’ on his left to read one of his question cards aloud.

If the Scholar is able to correctly answer the question, the card is placed to the side in front of him and play moves to the next player.  If the person reading the question is unable to answer correctly, the question card gets passed to the next player.  This happens until the question is answered correctly and placed to the side in front of the person who answered, or until the card reaches the Preceptor.

If no one was able to answer the question, the Preceptor provides the answer.  Although the winner of the game is the player with the most cards placed beside him (with the most correctly answered), all players learn and enjoy the game.

The arithmetical game consists of questions which the answers are timeless. Two plus two will always be four.  This is unlike the question, ‘What is the population of North America?’, which is found in the geographical game, that changes (answer in 1887 was about 39,000,000.)  The fun found by playing the geographical or game of useful knowledge in the series, which includes many answers that would be considered wrong if answered in today’s time, is for players to give answers as if they were playing in 1887.  This actually is a lot of fun to do.

Nonetheless, playing the arithmetical game can offer this kind of past perspective and entertainment as well.  In this game it is the wording of the questions that offers the humor.  For example, question 118 asks a player, “If you ride thirty miles in five hours, how far will you ride in two hours?”  The answer of 12 miles remains the same in all ages.  Since, the way to travel in 1887 was often by horse, the question uses the word ‘ride’.   Players considering these questions may exclaim, ‘thirty miles in five hours!  That’s not far for five hours of riding/driving!’  Upon further consideration, though, a player may realize not much has changed when on 405 in LA at rush hour!  Another similar question found within the game is, “If a stage-coach goes eight miles in one hour, how far will it go in four hours?”

Other questions found in the Arithmetical game provide a glance at what was important to know for that age.  Many measurements and costs of items are found within the game.   Examples as follows:

Q-How many gallons make a hogshead? (A-63)
Q-If four peaches are worth sixteen apples, how many apples are twelve peaches worth? (A-48 apples-obviously one could compare apples to peaches (just not oranges) in that time period.
Q-How many pounds make a firkin of butter? (A-56)
Q-What will nine firkins of butter cost at twelve dollars a firkin?  (A-108)
Q-At two cents apiece, how many apples can I buy for six cents? (A-3)
Q-what will five barrels of flour cost at nine dollars a barrel? (A-45)

Collecting, and playing old games, is great fun.  Providing peeks into the past, the games continue to entertain and teach.  Even after over 100 years, the Grandma’s series finds a place around a table.