ID: 1523
Date: 1920s - 2006
Title: Twelve plus twelve
Gender: Male and Female 
Classification: Fun 
Rhyme: 

Twelve and twelve is twenty four,
Kick the teacher out the door,
If she says, "Don't do that!"
Hit her on the head with a cricket bat.
Teacher, teacher, I declare,
What colour is your underwear?
Is it brown or is it white?
Oh my gosh, it's dynamite!

(Ashburton, 2006)

--

Twelve plus twelve is twenty four,
Throw the teacher out the door,
Has she got pink underwear, or white?
Oh my god, they're dynamite!

(Wellington, 2000)

--

Twelve plus twelve is twenty four,
Throw the teacher out the door,
When it's time to let her in,
Sit her on a safety pin.

(Oamaru, 2004)

--

Four and four are twenty four,
Kick the teacher out the door. 
If she squeals, bring her in.
Hang her on a safety pin. 

(1920 - 1950s (Sutton-Smith, 1959:45))

--

Two plus two is four,
Kick the teacher out the door,
If she says, don't do that,
Hit her on the head with a baseball bat.
I don't care, I don't care,
I can see her underwear,
Are they red?
Are they white?
Oh my gosh,
They're dynamite!

(Blenheim, 2000; Seddon, 2000)

--
 
Background Info: Turner, 1978:74 - 75 for variations:

Twelve and twelve are twenty four,
Kick the teacher out the door,
If she tries to come back in,
Throw her in the rubbish bin.
If she says, "Don't do that."
Hit her with a cricket bat.

(Melbourne, 1956-1973)

..If she cries, give her some honey,
And then we'll put her down the dunny.

(Melbourne, 1973)

==

Opie, 1967:43 records:

Twelve and twelve makes twenty-four,
Shut your mouth and say no more. 
(Used as a response to a stupid question being asked.)

==
 
Keywords: school, authority, 
Location: Various NZ 
Group size: 2 
Incidence: 6