Rocky Ford enterprise., 1910-12-16

greater number OF all the toys manufactured
come from Nuremberg.
The ancient feudal city. around which cluster
the grim traditions of the inquisition and the
thrilling epic of the times OF Charles w.. mas fol
four hundred years more been the center Oh
the childrens fairyIand. 1t has been and is tne
nucleus Of Christmas happiness for the youth
of every place In the Occident, and Its charm
is the perpetual Of joyous creation which de-
lights in planning the amusement OF little people
In the factories they will tell you that 12ooo.-
900 marks t$lS.000.000) worth OF pleasure Ii
sent out from Nuremberg every year. and that
$500 900 Of this export is for the benefit OF
Young America. Only a few years ago all OF the
nee essary labor for this immense production was
done by hand and much OF the finishing and hne
last touches are performed by special artists'
Even now in the factories the old spirit OF an
almost consecrated enthusiasm lives and Is eSf
dent in the interest of the village artisans ~.
their craft. Not merely the reason OF bread ana
butter goes toward the making Of those marvel
Gus walking dolls. those phenomenal speakhs
picture books, those thousand and one games thas
have called for all the imaginative as well as
practical genius Of these honest German peasant
folk. Rather has their unique industry called Tor
and developed in them a romance. a sensitiveness
Of perception which is remarkable.
Follow the Iurching. curves Of the Al
brecht Durerstrasse and you come to one OF the
many homes Of this Nuremberg spirit In MN
iature redroofed house. wedged In among nun
dred squat brown huts live two old men-broth-
ers, Of sixtyfve and seventy-whose white
heads are constantly bent over small circles OF
wood-shaping. pairing carving. painting.
All day they sit there. sometimes all night.
toiling over the delicately ornamented dolls
dishes which perhaps you have bought as smail
insignificant thing. Just this afternoon for your
small daughters tree.
especially original attractive. and you showed
them into your bag with a half fhestating accept
ance thinking that maybe they would please ca
PRECIOUS Dorothy. How could you know that back
in the village of Always Christmas old hands had
fashioned those trivial plates and pitchers old
eyes had strained with loving anxiety over those
fine traceres Of coumbine, and old hearts had
warmed those completed trifes with the
same thrill of the master painter over his best?
But this was true. Indeed. nearly all Of the
simple wooden toys are constructed by hand in
some humble volkshause which goes to make up
the aggregate creative force Of Santa Claus
workshop Take the tiny sets of soldiers. the
dolls chairs and tables. the painted wooden ami
mails whose realism is a delight to all children
actual or grown up. These fashioned in
homes sometimes by the efforts Of whole fam
ilies but most often by children themselves.
Sixteen is the age limit for child labor in the
factories, but no young person Is prohioited from
assisting his parents at home provided he spends
tho required period Of time at school. So that
many of those playthings which give most hap
piness to the children OF America nave been
made by the children OF Nuremberg. And II
babies must work. what work could one hnd Tor
them more appropriate or more pieasuraoie than