cootie-catchers and OED Appeal: cooties (probably 1965)

Jesse Sheidlower jester at PANIX.COM
Thu Oct 4 15:24:45 UTC 2012


On Thu, Oct 04, 2012 at 08:20:26AM -0700, Hunter, Lynne R CIV SPAWARSYSCEN-PACIFIC, 71700 wrote:
>
> And during discussion in Aug. 2000 (Subject: cootie catcher) the 40s
> and 50s were mentioned (my experience too).  So perhaps this variety
> of "cootie catcher" -- surely different from monkeys and the other
> types in Stephen's list? -- can be brought back earlier than 1963.

The Opie's 1959 Language and Lore of Schoolchildren has a discussion of
the folded-paper cootie catcher.

Jesse Sheidlower
OED

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