New-York tribune., 1911-12-10
&C9F INTEREST to [W]OMEA4|Ekzzk$8ee
TOYS FROM BOXES
These Boys Make Playthings
ont of Nert to Nothing.

II the ghosts OF the former inhabitants of
what is known now as the old Mansion
House" in the Carl Schurz Park. at seth
street and East End avenue. followed last
Thursday night the ghostly custom Of re-
visiting their old haunts at midnight, they
must have received a rude shock. Gone
were the silence and darkness which for
years have wrapped the old Mansion House
al night Every window blazed with light,
and in the big room which probably was
tho drawing room a century ago hammers
cIashed and saws squeaked in the hands
OF ardent small boys-yes, boys, working in
the old Mansion House at midnight
Because. you see, the exhibition OF toys
made out Of boxes. for which the boys of
the neighborhood have been preparing for
weeks under the direction of Miss Louise
Brigham. the box furniture lady was to
open Friday morning and II ANYBODY
thinks 1t is a small matter for band OF
workmen who have 10 go TO school every
day 10 get up an exhibition like that they
are very much mistaken 1t was all reaHy
Friday morning early-toy houses ana
wagons and shooting galleries and ships
and engines and streetcars and all manner
OF things, glistening with new paint to mat
extent that II was hard 10 believe they
we're only old soap boxes and shoe cases
once: but maybe Miss Brigham and the
boys didn't work hard that last night!
This is the second exhibition they nave
had since Commissioner StOyer OF the De-
partment of PARKS. last summer gave Miss
Brigham the use of the old Mansion House
10 carry out her plans about boys and
boxes The first exhibition was OF idrni-
ture for a childs room, made out OF boxes.
The boys enjoyed doing that, but not half
as much as they've enjoyed making the
toys.
Some Of them are tremendously bis toys
by the way. Frankly MerTick's steam en-
gine, for instance is twice as long as he IS,
and Franky's a tail boy for his age. Frankly
made 1t out Of barrel two shoe cases a
cast-off kerosene can and another Tin can
that the boys found in the street and. ac-
cording TO their custom with all the rubbish
they think may be of use in their c. 'pcn-
try, brought TO the old Mansion House.
one Of the biggest toys In the eXnimuo'
was made by two Of the smallest boy-'
oscar and Lester blond haired, hig-eyec
brothers IL is house made out OF
packing box. with real porches large
enough for oscar and Lester TO sit in, and
chinneys and doorways and everything a
house ought to have Al the exhibition
they had cotton on the root for snow, ana
d toy Santa Claus IN his sleigh balanced
Just over the chimney.
Chickens meat market was a toy that
won great praise. Chicken" Is this small
boys regular nickname, by the way ne
didn't take it just because Of making
meat market The meat market was a
canned peas box once, but now, with 'ts
meat block and knives and cleaverS, ana
the refrigerator In the corner, and wooden
hams and beeves hanging in rows on little
hooks. II looks a nice enough market 70
tempt the most housewifely doll that ever
went out TO buy dinner for her family.
The toys which copy real things are
legion. The Street Cleaning Department IS
represented by a most realistic cart. There
are sand hoist and sand dump. which work
lust as the bonafide ones do, and a church
with muluoned windows; circus wagons,
with wild animals ingeniously carved; sets
of dolls furniture. and, most curious of all.
an African land boat, copied exactly after
those used by the natives in Africa.
And everything" says Miss Brigham
made out Of old boxes from the grocery
store and bits OF fotsam and jetsam that
float 10 us on the river or that the boys
pick Up on the streets
The exhibition will last a week. and the
Sith street cars run within a block OF the
old Mansion House