Old Milton Bradley Grandma’s Game of Useful Knowledge

In 1910, the Milton Bradley game company published their version of Grandma’s Game of Useful Knowledge.

One of the initial American game companies to publish a series of trivia style games was Mcloughlin Bros. in the 1860’s and 1870’s. Grandmama’s Game of Useful Knowledge and Grandmama’s Geographical game were the first of these games to circulate.  Following soon after Grandmama’s Game of Riddles, Grandma’s Arithmetical game and Grandma’s New and Old Testament games appeared.

Each of these games contained numbered question cards and an answer booklet to entertain players.  Game play was simple and offered a time to socialize while learning.  One player would be chosen to hold the answer booklet and the other players would take turns trying to correctly answer the questions on the cards dealt to them.  The winner of the game was the player who gave the most right answers.

Although Milton Bradley did not take control of the Mcloughlin Bros. Company until 1920, the version of Bradley’s series of Grandma’s games, published around the 1910’s, are extremely similar.  Comparing the newer version (1910) of the Milton Bradley’s Grandma’s Game of Useful Knowledge to the older 1860 Mcloughlin Bros’ version reveals some interesting changes being made in America and glances into American thoughts.

One of the more humorous changes is realized with the answer to question 35.  The question in both games is ‘What are gloves made of?’  The answer given in the 1910 version is ‘the skins of kids, lambs, does, and other animals.’  The answer found in the 1860 booklet is ‘the skins of kids, lambs, does, and sometimes rats.’   Although rat skinned gloves may have been common in 1860, by 1910 it would seem they had gone out of fashion.

Another interesting comparison is with question 49; ‘What are the vowels in the alphabet?’  In the 1860’s the correct answer would be the same as today; A, E, I, O, and U and sometimes Y.  However, in the 1910 game, the answer was A, E, I, O, and U and sometimes W and Y.  With the surge of immigration to the United States in the late 1800’s and early 1900’s, the use of the letter W as a vowel became more widely known.  It is a vowel in a few words borrowed from the Welsh. W was also considered a vowel in words like row, bow, or how.  These thoughts are reflected in the game.

Other question and answers give a glimpse at the simplicity, yet intriguing beliefs, values and life of Americans of the time.  The following would seem like easy questions for today, but during the period, games provided a means and another way for children and adults to learn.   The question and answers are examples found in both games.

• Q: What is wind?  A: Air in motion
• Q: What is ice?  A: Frozen water
• Q: How many letters in the alphabet?  A: twenty six
• Q: How many books are there in the New Testament?  A: Twenty seven
• Q: What is brass?  A: An alloy of copper and zinc

Playing either of these games today would give a feel for a time long gone.  They would be a blast from the past.