April Fool’s Day, Brooklyn Style

One hundred years ago today … April Fool’s Day in Brooklyn was no joke. The BK papers were full of suggested pranks. 

The Citizen, for example, offered this column:

When Dad got up this morning, Dad went into Willie's room and said, "How did you tear your new pants? And Willie looked and protested he hadn't torn-"April Fool!" said Dad.

Willie and all his friends set out to get even with the world before night…

Tommy strung a string across the sidewalk and knocked off his uncle's hat

Jack tricked his big brother into kicking a hat which concealed a brick.

Freddie hung a sign on the coat tail of the grocer,

Harry worked the pocketbook trick at least twenty-one times.

And the whole gang But all good things must end. So beware lest when "April Fool's past" you'll be “the biggest fool at last."

Ideas for your April Fool Party.

In an April Fool party the spirit of the occasion can be carried out from the time your guests arrive until they leave.

For instance, when the doorbell announces the arrival of one of the guests, send someone unknown to him to the door with the word that "there is no one home." This will, for an instant, lead to the belief that the party itself was an April Fool. But don't forget to invite the guest in.

While waiting for luncheon offer a prize for the best "Fool" story. When it is awarded. make it a box well wrapped, but containing nothing. The real prize can be found later in the napkin at the table, for instance,

Then announce that you have a beautiful picture you would like everyone to look at. Get your guests before a curtain. behind which is a large mirror. Draw the curtain aside and they will gaze at themselves. On the mirror is written "April Fool."

(“April Fool’s Day, Said Each,” Brooklyn Citizen, 1 April 1921, p. 9. )

Another set of suggestions came in the form of warnings:

If you are told to-day by an office associate that a party named Fish has left word for you to call up 1488 Whitehall, just laugh at him. Tell him you know the phone number of the Aquarium as well as he does, and also that this is April 1.

Boys will place cobblestones under old hats on the sidewalk to-day, and wait expectantly for some one to come along and give a kick, but they will find few victims for this old trick.

Of course, no one can prevent a small boy from stealing up behind him and fastening a paper or rag tail to his coat, but even this form of amusement for the small boy is passing away.

Time was when everyone had to keep his eyes wide open on All Fools' Day to protect himself from mad pranks of youngsters, but the custom of playing tricks is fast dying out.

A flask of cold tea may masquerade as hooch to-day and be passed to a thirsty and expectant friend-but there isn't any more harm in a joke like that than there is in the tea.

Still, it might be just as well to avoid crowds of youngsters to-day, especially if they wear on their countenances looks of perfect innocence. They may have a paper streamer all ready to hook on your spring coat.

(“April First,” Standard Union, 1 April 1921, p. 14.)

Sounding a different note, political cartoonist Robert Satterfield took the opportunity to characterize Germany’s public pleas for assistance as an April Fool’s Day joke being played by wealthy Germans who were harboring military plans.

– Jonathan Goldman, April 1, 2021

TAGS: pranks, jokes, humor, media, journalism