cooties

[Seán Fitzpatrick]

Cootie catchers they were at Little Flower School in Chevy Chase, MD in the
1950s.  Cooties were sort of generic vermin--we didn't actually have any
lice, that I know of--or represented conceptual or ritual contamination
(Ooh.  Don't touch that!  It might have boy cooties on it!)

We did the fortune-telling thing with cootie catchers.  Made out of colored
construction paper, they also made nice serving porringers for small treats
at classroom parties.

Seán Fitzpatrick
It’s a Gnostic thing. You wouldn't understand.
http://www.logomachon.blogspot.com/
-----Original Message-----
From: Amy West [mailto:medievalist at W-STS.COM]
Sent: Monday, 06 July, 2009 12:16
Subject: Re: cooties

Ah, ha! That's why it's called a "cootie catcher". I only knew it as
a fortune teller, but I have heard it called a "cootie catcher" and
never knew why.
---Amy West

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