The Goderich Signal-Star, 1970-12-10, Page 24'4 ' GODARIOn SIONA r'. ► AR,,THURSDAY, DECEMB R, 10,1970
hit way. sine. 1800's
° Fantasy creates toys
'Where were toy trains before
the ,first ritiiways of the 1820s,
toy flying machines before the
Wright brothers' historic flight
tit 1903; and toy space ships
Vie.., 30 years before space
night became a reality in the
1900s.
Fantasy is involved both in
the creation of a toy .and in
malting it into something more
Important than a mere trifle.
And, somehow, a toy seems
much more than a mete,
plaything because it is an object l
that launches dreams . and
produces pleasure which
accounts for the never-ending
love affair between a child and
his toy.
There are trends in toys just
as in wearing apparel. A fashion
in dress rises and declines and
may return in a revised form
some,. years later. Sometimes a
toy will vanish for a couple of
centuries in history, apparently.
forever, only to reappear in a
completely different part of the -
world:
An example . of this
phenomenon is the yo-yo. It was
known in the Far East in ancient
times. In the Philippines it was
actually used as a weapon, its
user hiding in a tree and striking
his victum lethally on the head.
Centuries later the diabolo, a
toy from the same family as the
yo-yo, was brough to France
from Peking by missionaries. It
swept France during the 1790s,
then disappeared again. It
reappeared to sweep England
and the Americas in the 1920s,
and has had a couple of revivals
since then.
Certain basic toys seem
capable of enduring popularity.
These include rattles, balls, tops,
kites, dolls and soldiers.
-Some stimulate the
imagination and invite effort
such as building blocks. Others,
such as scissors and brushes, help
a child attain adult skill. Still
others, such as construction
toys, help the developement of
physical and mental abilities.
Universal toys are more
gammon among infants than
later • childhood because the
older child demands something
more elaborate . and more
connected with the world
around him. The more advanced
- toys reflect the natural
fluctuations of social and
economic change..
The rattle, usually a c-jbild's
first toy, has existed in various
forms since antiquity. Both the
rattle and the ball derive from
the simple globular shape of a
front, nut or gourd, either carved
for a ball, or with the seeds left
inside -for- a rage.
Some of the toy animals of
early times may have been
ornaments; just as some of the
dolls may have been ritual
figures rather than toys.
Egyptian children appear to
have been well provided with
toys, including balls, tops,
pull -along animals , and dolls
made from a wide variety of
materials including ivory, gold,
bronze, . clay wood and
composition.
The ball is an extremely
ancient plaything. The early
Greeks made a ball of wood
stuffed in an envelope of skin,' Over the years dolls have
Bladders of sheep and goats were rnirrord the fashions of the age.
used by the Celts. The Japanese In modern times, the most
still produce a simple version of significant changes have been in
a ball made of tissue paper manufacturing technique using
tightly bound with string. 'In plastic and vjnyl.
Malaya, a bouncing ball has been
made for centuries from
beautifully woven split ones
North American Indians made
balls from stuffed deer hide.
Dolls were certainly known,
tti'both the Greeks and Romans.
Dollmaking as a trade dates back
to 15th -century Germany. They
were carved out of wood, some
were made from clay and other Dolls were employed to
from rags. North American transport messages in the Qvil
Indians made dolls from corn War, and sometimes to smuggle
husks. such things as microfilm in
Dolls have contributed to the
history of medicine. From the
16th to the 19th century, ivory
manikins were used for
instruction in anatomy and the
forerunner of the medical doll,
which was used to train nurses
prior to the First Word War. '
Link oral cancer
to heavy drinking
Several research projects have alcoholism may render the
shown a link between oral mouth tissees more susceptible
cancer and heavy drinking. ,o cancer.
Although oral cancer has ' The moderate drinker - the
been attributed to other causes person who regularly has a
as well, the studies indicate that cocktail or two before dinner —
the alcoholic•has a much greater apparently should not worry
chance of developing the disease about increased chances of
than moderate or non-drinkers. developing oral cancer. But it's
Although there are no exact difficult to say how many drinks
statistics, the contention is based a day would be dangerous, say
on growing convictions by oral the researchers.
pathologists. The researchers , The disease has also been
concede that they do not know linked to heavysmoking, but
why heavy drinking is linked to oral cancer does occur in persons
oral cancer, but speculate that who neither drink or smoke.
excessive amounts of alcohol One study has established that
could cause irritation of mouth the disease has doubled in
tissues. Also they say that women in the last 15 -years and
malnutrition and defective is related to an increase in
functioning of body cells - cigarette smoking' by women. —
frequently associated with Canadian Der_tal Association.
a
.toys become reality
World War II,
Where the girls had dolls, the
boys had their soldiers. The
lands and islands of the
Mediterranean have all provided
evidence of the ancient making
of model warriors in metal or
clay and tiny Roman -like figures
have been found in Spain,
Germany, ,Britain and even
Abyssinia.' Lead soldiers enjoyed
great ' popularity in the 19th
century and even in the 20th
century until largely replaced by_
cheaper and more indestructable existing toys for ordinary
models made from plastic. children, and enquiries made
Today the scope of toys is into the needs tpf the child,
broader than ever. A toy is still proper -methods of play, and the
the plaything of a child, but correct approach to toys from
enormous . therapeutic work has ,the angle of the child, parents
tin done with toys for sick and the manufacturer.
c bildren, crippled children and Antonia Fraser, in her book,
the mentally deficient. "The History of Toys" writes:
Never - has more attention "The toy, then, is a delightful
been paid to toys than in the object which gives pleasure, a
modern world. companion of an idle hour,
Investigations are being something far removed from the
conducted into the safety of earnestness of existence."
Thank You
I would like to take this opportunity to
Sincerely thank everyone for their support at
the polls on Monday. 1 will endeavor, over the
ilext two years, to earn the confidence you
have shown in electing me to the- office - of
Mayor of the Town of Goderich.
HARRY (RED
• 6
WORSELL
Merry Christmas And A Happy New Year
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