Go to the Head of the Class was a question-and-answer board game from Milton Bradley in which players put their knowledge to the test in an effort to occupy the best seat in the house (or classroom, in this case).
Since its introduction in the 1930s, Go to the Head of the Class has also been published by Hasbro and Winning Moves. Elements of the game occasionally changed with new editions. What remained consistent was the classroom-style gameplay, complete with illustrated rows of student desks, a chalkboard, and the ensuing battle of knowledge.
Players chose from pawns with names such as Liz, Sissy, Red, Butch, Skinny, Dimples, Susie, Buttercup, Sis, Brother, Mommy, Daddy, and Cowboy Joe. Eventually, coloured plastic pawns replaced the character pawns.
The goal of the game was to progress through the rows of student desks and be the first player to occupy the desk at the head of the class. Players moved their pawns forward by answering questions from the accompanying quiz booklet. Questions were chosen based on the combined number rolled on two dice. Each page of the booklet contained questions labelled two through twelve (there’s no way to roll a one with two dice) and three levels of questions: Junior, Intermediate, and Senior. Players answered the questions based on the individual’s skill level chosen at the start of the game. Correct answers allowed players to move ahead six spaces. Incorrect answers forced players to retreat two spaces.
Two decks of challenge cards, Examination and Luck, added a level of challenge. Players were instructed to pick up an Examination or Luck card based on the colour indicated on the desk on which their pawn landed. Examination cards offered another three levels of questions, but the stakes were a little higher — correct answers earned twelve moves forward and incorrect answers penalized the player five spaces. Luck cards instructed players to take action, such as moving forward or backwards based on school performance and behaviour.
The player to reach the final desk, located at the head of the class, was declared the winner.
Watch a vintage commercial for Go to the Head of Class on the Toy Tales YouTube channel.
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