Charlevoix county herald., 1911-01-07
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greater number OF all the toys manufactured
come from Nuremberg.
The ancient feudal city around which cluster
the grim traditions Of the nquistion and the
thrilling epic of the times Of Charles V, has for
four hundred years or more been the center of
the Childron's fairyland. 1t has been and is the
nucleus of Christmas happiness for the youth
Of very place in the Occident and its charm
Is I'll perpetual one of joyous creation which de-
jighrTtrS planning the amusement OF little people.
In the factories they will tell you that 10000
900 marks ($1S0OOOOO) worth of pleasure is
sent out from Nuremberg every year, and that
s5,5OO,0OO Of this export is for the benefit OF
Young America. Only few years ago all of the
necessary labor for this immense production was
done by hand. and much OF the finishing and fine
last touches are performed by special artists.
Even now in the factories the old spirit OF an
almost consecrated enthusiasm lives and is evil
dent I'm the interest of the village artisans for
their craft. Not merely the reason OF bread and
butter goes toward the making OF those marvel
GUS walking dolls, those phenomenal speaking
picture books. those thousand and one games that
have called for all the imaginative well as
practical genius Of these honest German peasant
folk. Rather has their unique industry called for
and Developed in them romance, sensitiveness
of perception which is remarkable.
,s--Foilow the lurching. worn curves Of the AL
many homes of this Nuremberg spirit. In min
iatnre redIoofed house wedged in among hun
lred squat brown huts, live two old men-broth
ers OF sxty-fye and seventy-whose white
heaSsy are constantly bent over small circles Of
wool -shapng, pairing, carving, painting
IN day they sit there, sometimes all night,
toiling o\er the delicatey ornamented dolls
dishes which perhaps you have bought, as small
Insignificant thing. just this afternoon for your
small daughters tree.
= You looked at them careessly; they we're not
esp-c;ally original or attractive, and you showed
stl,6f1 Into your bag with Misunderstanding accept
;aEce thinking that maybe they would please ca
PRECIOUS Dorothy. How could you know that back
IN tse village Of Always Christmas old hands had
.fasA,tacd those trivial plates and pitchers old
eyes had strained with loving anxiety those
fine traceres of columbine. and old hearts had
warmed over 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 constructed by nand, in
some humble vOlkshauso which goes TO make up
the aggregate creative force OF Santa Claus
workshop. Take the tiny sets OF soldiers, the
6olft chairs and tables. the painted wooden ami.
mails whose realism is delight to all children,
actual or grown up. These fashioned in
homes, sometimes by the efforts of whole fam
nes but most often by children themselves.
Sixteen is the age limit for child labor in the
factories. but young person is prohibited from
assisting his parents at home provided he spends
the required period of time at school. So that
many of those playthings which give most hap
pnegs to tho children OF America have been
made by tho children of Nuremberg And IL
babies must work what work could one find for
them more appropriate or more peasurable than