Some years ago I read an article written in the mid 1950s as I recall about the large number of Rabbit songs that were known to African American children in the South. Regrettably, I don't remember the title of this article. However, the author [an African American woman]lamented how African American children in the urban South knew so few Rabbit songs when there was a time when so many of these songs were known and performed as circle games. Unfortunately, if that same author were to write about this genre of songs now, she would probably find that not one Rabbit song is known or performed nowadays by African American children in urban areas or rural areas-unless the song is taught in mostly non-existent public school music classes.

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Altona Trent John's 1944 book "Play Songs From The Deep South" includes drawings by James A. Porter. These drawings show African American girls and boys having fun playing circle games. These children appear to be of elementary school age {6-12 years old or so}. No adult is shown in these drawings.

If someone from my community {Pittsburgh, PA} were to draw a realistic depiction of African American children playing circle games nowadays, it would show an adult {probably a pre-school or kindergarten teacher or a teacher's aid} directing girls and boys ages 2-5 years in a game of "Ring Around The Rosey" or "Hokey Pokey".

It appears to me that "Ring Around The Rosie" and "Hokey Pokey" are the only circle songs most adults {African American and other races/ethnicities?} at least in my area know. And it definitely appears that after kindergarten, most African American children don't play circle handclap games-except competition circle handclap games like Strolla Ola Ola/Stella Ola Ola

I believe that these old game songs [sans dialect] are worth sharing & studying*.

I also believe that the contemporary [post 1950] handclap rhymes, foot stomping cheers, cheerleader cheers, and other children's rhymes which have replaced "Rabbit songs" are also worthy of preservation, sharing, and studying.

* By 'studying' I mean considering their possible pyscho-social meanings and purposes.