The fact that a spelling bee is to form a part of the evening's entertainment need not be indicated upon the invitation, it being a part of the fun to catch people unawares.

After the arrival of the guests the choice of a "teacher" and two leaders is effected by ballot. The two leaders then stand out at the end of the room opposite each other, and each chooses alternately one of the company at a time, to represent his side, until all have been chosen and stand in their places in two lines.

The teacher, who is supplied with a book, then gives out a word to the person at the end of the line to her right. If the word is correctly spelled the next word is given out to the person at the end of the opposite side at her left. If this person fails to spell this word correctly she must immediately leave the line, and the same word is put to number two on the opposite side. If the word is correctly spelled she is privileged to choose one person from the opposite line to step over to the foot of her own line. Another word is then given to the opposite opponent, and so on down the lines. It often happens that two equally proficient spellers are pitted against each other for some time, when the contest becomes very exciting.

Limit the Time of the Best Speller

It is a good plan, lest the contest become wearisome, to limit the time for the last participant. If at the end of six minutes the winner has not failed on any word given, he or she becomes director of the revels that follow, and must be implicitly obeyed for the rest of the evening. The first duty is to announce a "recess," and having been previously instructed he or she leads the way to an adjoining room, where upon a table is a pile of boxes of various shapes and kinds, neatly tied, which are distributed among the young women. After which it is announced that each box contains a small school luncheon, and that a young man accompanies each. She then proceeds to distribute the young men as she has the boxes. Each young woman then shares her luncheon with her partner. Should the box contain an apple, a sandwich and a cake these must be halved.

After "recess" follow games, or music, or recitations, as the winner of the contest wills.