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McCORMICK MESSENGER. McCORMICK. S. C.. THURSDAY, DECEMBER 22, 1938 $250,000,000 U. S. Toy Business Refashions Playtime Technique WHITTLED DOWN TO SIZE!—Youngsters like to imitate Mother and Dad, so toy manufacturers responded. Above: The young-man-about-town with his streamlined car, featuring exhaust pipes and a /classy paint job. Below: A Christmas morning mother gives her dolly a thorough scrubbing in the doll bathinette shown at World in Miniature to Greet Youngsters This Christmas - By JOSEPH W. LaBINE “When I was a kid . . Father speaking. When he was a kid, Santa Claus brought tin trains and crockery dolls, tinker-toys and wooden wagons that somehow fell apart the day after Christmas. So when Father walks through a 1938 toy store his eyas may well pop out at the baby doll that can be fed, bathed, powdered, dressed and rocked to sleep, or the streamlined automobile with exhaust pipe, electric lights and a horn to make youthful pedestrians get off the road. He may frown over “real” pianos and motion picture projectors, but these seemingly extravagant toys are really much more sensible than the tiddly-winks set Aunt Emma gave him for Christmas many years ago. Old World Imitates Us. The toy industrial revolution has made the United States a world headquarters for Christmas shop pers, who migrate annually from ev ery European nation—just to see what’s new in the American toy in dustry. Where a scant few years ago our own toys came from abroad, Japanese and German man ufacturers now copy our products. Often they attempt to sell cheap imitations in the United States. The revolution wasn’t spontane ous; a dozen years ago struggling American toy makers protested when psychologists and educators told them that jacks-in-the-box may be amusing, but certainly not very instructive. Armed with fancy fig ures about child behavior and the need for toys that would develop young minds, these self-appointed uplift societies forced their wares on toy manufacturers. For several years American youth was showered with Christmas gifts it was sup posed to like, but didn’t. - Sorely puzzled, the psychologists were slow to find a remedy: why not ask chil dren themselves what kind of toys they wanted? So they tried it, and discovered that American boys and girls like nothing better than imitating Moth er and Dad. That’s why 1938 Christ mas toys stress miniatures—authen tic reproductions of trains, automo biles, baby buggies, bassinettes and airplanes. At Chicago’s Merchan dise Mart, where the toy-minded visitor can get a comprehensive pic ture of this new trend, it’s quite possible that you’ll see a preview of your 1940 automobile, ready for delivery to a 10-year-old driver long before the real thing rolls off an assembly line! Age Is Important Factor. Briefly, toy manufacturers have realized that children need new toys and games to develop new abilities All because of faulty electrical ap pliances, fires and accidents will spoil hundreds of Christmas gather ings this year. Though home should be the safest place during the holidays, engineers of Underwriters’ Laboratories, Chi cago, point out that if you should have an accident during the next lew weeks, chances are good that it will happen in your own home. An estimated 125,000,000 electri cal cords now being used throughout the nation offer the greatest poten tial danger at Christmas time, it is pointed out. Cords receive excep tionally harsh treatment, being chewed by children and dogs, twist ed and pulled, run under rugs and walked on. Faulty plug and socket connections often result, creating se rious hazards. Engineers explain that shock or fire is less often due to electrical wiring than to damaged cords. Safe cord is manufactured under rigid requirements, with ample copper wire for carrying the current with out overheating. There is also suf- Merchandise Mart, Chicago. as they grow older, just as they need new clothes to fit their in creasing stature. They’ve decided to give children sensible toys, play things built to stand abuse, to de velop strong bodies and agile minds. Having made peace with the edu cators and psychologists, they’ve en listed designers, chemists, profes sional inventors and engineers to help meet the new demand. * When buying toys this Christmas, you’ll be wise to follow the six ob jectives prescribed by experts, who say a child should have at least one type of toy from each classifica tion: 1— Physical exercisers. 2— Sense developers (color, tex ture, s^ape and sound). 3— Building toys, for self-realiza tion and consciousness of ability to do things. 4— Make believe toys, devices for imitative play. t( Lights out,” says Rascal, pulling the lamp cord. And if the cord hadn't been given a tougher pull test to make it safe, it might have been “lights out” for Rascal, sure enough. ficient insulation over the wire to prevent shock. To prove that rub ber cord is sufficiently tough to stand abuse, two inches of insula tion must stretch nine inches with out breaking. “Bombs” are used to determine the condition of cord after several months’ use. Bombs are heavy steel containers in which rub ber insulation is “bombarded” with pure oxygen at high pressure to cause rapid aging. Since damaged or poorly con structed cords are often responsi ble for home fires and accidents, special care is needed during the Christmas season. Danger is espe cially great between now and March, the records show, since dur ing that time a fire breaks out ev ery two minutes. 5— Handwork materials leading to arts and crafts. 6— Games that develop skill and encourage play with other children. But your selection should also be guided by the table of values es tablished by the same experts. The correct toys for your youngster should meet these requirements: 1— Durability. 2— Stimulation of self-activity. 3— Correct toy for the given age. 4— Principles of aesthetics. 5— Sanitation and hygiene. Zippered Teddy Bear! The latter factor is stressed by modern toy makers. For the very young child only vegetable dyes are used. Sharp corners have been eliminated and dangling appendages (too easily detached and swallowed) are taboo. There is emphasis on forms and materials that can be kept scrupulously clean. Even ted dy bears are now made with a zip pered skin that can be removed and laundered, while many wood toys can also be washed. While adhering to these scientific principles, toy makers have not for gotten that their young customers are primarily interested in being en tertained. For example, it’s much better for a child to develop muscle and co-ordination through a foot- propelled vehicle (like a toy auto mobile or tricycle) than by calis thenics. Similarly, in the most pleasant way possible, toys reveal talents and aptitudes, often overcoming de ficiencies. This is particularly true of the sense developers, elementary handcraft materials, musical and rhythmic toys, and all materials for simple graphic arts like crayons, water colors and printing sets. Tested ‘Under Fire.' Every toy that finds its way to the Christmas tree this year might well bear the label, “Child Tested and Approved.” After the inventor and child psychologists have perfected them, the playthings find their way to nursery and sand pile for thorough trial before being manu factured in quantity lots. First, the experimenters want to discover whether their toy can stand up un der hard wear. Second, it must hold interest long after the novelty stage has passed, which was one seriou* fault with the toys yesterday’s chil dren received each Christmas. By New Year’s day they had usually been consigned to the closet. By additional experimentation they discover what age group most enjoys the toy, and it is manufac tured accordingly. Many large stores are segregating their toy dis plays by ages this year, a boon to the uninitiated uncle or aunt who doesn’t know whether a three-year- old girl should have a dress-up doll or just a plain rag baby. As for the toy makers, they’re happy about the whole thing. Says James L. Fri, managing director of the Toy Manufacturers of the Unit ed States: “By increasing the pur posefulness of playthings, their im aginative appeal and educational value have been greatly enhanced, and consequently the market for toys has steadily broadened.” <£> Western Newspaper Union. Fire, Shock Hazards Threaten To Mar Christmas Festivities VT- : ifl! i- m = WHAT to EAT and WHY <$>- C. Houston Goudiss Asks How Do You Get Your Vitamin D? Relates Need for and Sources Of This Necessary Vitamin By C. HOUSTON GOUDISS T HERE is scarcely a mother of a young baby today who has not at one time or another been told to give her child cod-liver oil. Perhaps she does not know this substance must be given to the baby for the vitamin D that it contains. But she has heard that there is something in cod-liver oil which makes it valuable to the baby’s health. A generation ago, cod-liver<5— oil was given to children in the winter time, “to build them up” after colds or various other respiratory illnesses. It was not until 1921, however, that a long series of painstak ing investigations, terminat ing in the discovery of vita min D, made it clear that cod-liver oil is valuable as a source of vitamin D, and also why this vitamin is essential in the diet of growing chil dren, as well as adults. Discovery of Vitamin D After years of patient work and many thrilling and dramatic ex periments, seven forms of vitamin D have been revealed by science. And scientists have also solved the mystery of how such widely separated factors as cod-liver oil; sun light; a diet that is rich in, and care fully balanced with calcium and phos phorus; and ultra violet light, all can perform the same service for the body. Readers of this column may have observed that the discovery of a number of the vitamins came about chiefly through the efforts of investigators to discover a method of treating or curing obscure nu tritional diseases. In most in stances, however, carefully con trolled laboratory experiments played their part in reaching the ultimate goal after some clue had been found as to what the myste rious substance might be that helped to control a baffling nutri tional disease. The discovery of vitamin D was no exception! Vitamin D and Rickets Vitamin D is associated inti mately with the prevention and cure of rickets, the most devastat ing nutritional disease of children in temperate climates. Indeed, it is the moderate, and in some cases the small amount of sunshine in the temperate zone that accounts partially for the presence of rickets. Historians have given us reason to believe that this disease may have existed in England even be fore the Roman conquest. Cer tainly it appeared in a serious form, both in England and in other North European countries, in the Seventeenth century. In fact, early literature refers to it as the Eng lish disease, and the early at tempts to fathom its causes were written in Latin by English and Dutch doctors during the 1600’s. In rickets, the child’s head grows large and out of proportion to the body, while the leg and arm bones, and in severe cases even the ribs, are bent and twisted out of their normal shape. Need for Calcium and Phosphorus The two principal minerals re quired for constructing the bones and teeth are calcium, obtained chiefly from milk, cheese and green leafy vegetables, and phos phorus, found in generous amounts in eggs, whole grain cereals and dried legumes. But one of the things that made it so difficult for scientists to determine the cause of rickets was the fact that appar ently well fed children, who had plenty of calcium and phosphorus, frequently developed the disease. Mystery of Cod-Liver Oil Cod-liver oil had been used for many years because of its sup posedly “tonic” or “building” properties, when it was observed that regular doses of cod-liver oil not only cured rickets in chil dren, but also cured the corre sponding disease in adults, called osteomalacia, in which the bones become soft as the calcium and phosphorus already deposited in them are withdrawn and excreted. Fat and Vitamin D One of the strangest paradoxes to the scientists in their early investigations was the fact that while cod-liver oil appeared to cure rickets, another substance high in fat—butter fat, did not. More re search work was necessary before it was discovered that while but ter was rich in vitamin A, cod- liver oil contained two vitamins, one of which was later named vitamin D. Effect of Sunlight More work was necessary and it took years of patient effort be fore science unraveled the mys tery of how sunlight could have the same apparent effect in pre venting rickets as cod-liver oil. Once nutritionists understood how sunlight acting on a fatty sub stance in the skin could produce vitamin D, however, it was not difficult to carry the process a step further and learn how to forti fy foods with a satisfactory con tent of vitamin D. Today we have at our disposal irradiated milk, or milk to which a vitamin D concentrate has been added. Margarine, too, has been enriched not only with vitamin D, but with vitamin A so that this moderate-priced spread for bread has been made an effective vita min carrier. Natural Food Sources of Vitamin D The richest natural sources of vitamin D are the fish-liver oils, including the liver-oil of the tuna, swordfish, rock fish, salmon, hali but, mackerel, cod and haddock. The body oils of many fish also furnish substantial amounts. That accounts for the fact that canned salmon has been regarded as such a splendid food in the diet of chil dren and adults. It is not only a good source of protein and of en ergy values, but it contains sub stantial amounts of the minerals, calcium, phosphorus and iodine, and has been found to be an un usually good food source of vita min D. Egg yolk contains small amounts of vitamin D, and when eaten regularly, the quantity is enough to have a significant eft feet in the diet of children. Vitamin D Requirements So important is vitamin D con sidered, that the United States Children’s Bureau advises that cod-liver oil or some other form of this vitamin be supplied to all babies, beginning at the age of two or three weeks. Mothers should be guided by ths advice of their physician in de termining when to start the use of a vitamin D preparation and what quantities to give. But if they want to give their babies the bless ing bestowed on them by the sci entists who discovered vitamin D, they must not overlook this impor tant substance. As guardians of the health of both children and adults, mothers should see to it that vitamin D is supplied regularly through ths use of eggs and salmon; irradi ated foods and those fortified with vitamin D; and if necessary, fish- liver oils or concentrates. Miss G. M. L.—Yes, it is true that sweet potatoes contain a small amount of protein. In fact, their protein is composed of four amino acids known to be essential to nutrition. Some of the protein may be lost if the potato is boiled, but it is entirely preserved when the potato is cooked by dry heat. Mrs. M. B.—Both cooked lentils and baked kidney beans contain over 20 per cent of carbohydrate. Low carbohydrate vegetables in clude cabbage, celery, oauliflower, kale, lettuce and spinach. ®—WNU—C. Houston Goudiss—1938—4a The Tallest Tree The long-disputed claim as to the whereabouts of the tallest tree in the world is now officially set tled. Records of the United States forestry service at San Francisco showed the world’s loftiest tree is located in California. Government computations fixed the height of the record holder, a Sequoia in Humboldt State park, at 364 feet. Unconfirmed reports, circulated for several years, told of Austra lian eucalyptus trees 400 to 500 feet tall. World forestry statis tics, however, limit the highest known eucalyptus to 325 feet.— Cleveland Plaindealer. LJ AVE something brand new A and smart, to cheer you up during the after-holiday time when you feel a little let-down. Here are two of the very smart est things you can wear, both just as pretty and new as they can be! And they’re so easy to make that you’ll enjoy doing it, and of course you’ll save, decid edly, by choosing your own fab rics. Each pattern is accompa nied by a detailed se^ chart. Soft Afternoon Dress. This is a lovely design, very smart and new. It does very nice things to your figure. The wide girdle makes you look doll-waist- ed, the gathered bodice fills out your bustline, and the full skirt is extremely graceful. The high neckline is scalloped to make it softer and more becoming. In velvet, silk crepe,- satin, or thin wool, this will be one of the pret tiest afternoon dresses you ever owned I Suspender Skirt With Jacket. Here’s a perfectly charming new princess skirt, in suspender fashion, topped by a short little tuxedo jacket. You can wear the skirt with your own blouses, or just with the jacket, so that you’ll find it very useful. See how tiny it makes your waist look, and notice the cute, crescent-shaped pockets. Very simple to make, like all two-piece styles. Choose tweed, wool crepe, plaid ©r flannel. The Patterns. No. 1641 is designed for sizes 12, 14, 16, 18 and 20. Size 14 re quires 4% yards of 39-inch ma terial. No. 1646 is designed for sizes 12, 14, 16, 18 and 20. Size 14 re quires 3 Vs yards of 54-inch ma terial with long sleeves. Send your order to The Sewing Circle Pattern Dept., Room 1020, 211 W. Wacker Dr., Chicago, IlL Price of patterns, 15 cents (iq coins) each. © Bell Syndicate.—WNU Service. HOUSEHOLD QUESTIONS For Creaking Shoes.—Rub the sole of a creaking shoe with a flannel dipped in boiled linseed oil. • • • Lintless Tea Towels.—Tea tow els will not leave lint on china and glassware if they are passed through a weak starch solution when laundered. • * • Repairing Torn Clothing.—Tri angular tears in garments may be neatly mended if the edges ara first worked with a buttonhole stitch, then caught together through the stitches instead of the material. • • • Removing Smell.—A piece of lemon peel in the washing-up wa ter will take away the smell of onions, fish, burnt meat. It will add a gloss to china, soften the water, and keep the hands smooth and white. R EAD the advertisements in your paper regularly. .You’ll find extraordinary values from time to time, in all the hundred and one things that make houses more attractive. • Your budget will cover the improvements you want to make if you plan your buying with the news of bargains as a guide. Read the advertisements.