The Washington times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1902-1939, 1923-06-08
MOTOR IS NOW
PLAYROON
NEED
Electricity Adds to Enjoyment
and Education Of Child.
New Methods.
By BELLE BERRYHILL.

BY BELLE BERRYHILL.
Writers have called attention re-
Gently to the number OF ugly toyt
which Hood the market and to the
crude and silly pictures, used daily
to feed the appetite OF vision which
in a little child 10 az eager for
sensat ionalism As In groWn'up5.
Thoughtful ones are pointing out
that children have to be furnished
with those things upon which
natural senses feed, and that It
seems a cruel idea to them That
distorted images and false pictures
should be introduced first to the
vision.
The experiments OF leading educa.
tors, IN training children from nat
ural inclination and ability, has
proved q GOOD thing in many In.
stances. Mrs. Katherine Tingley OK
the Point Iona school. California
surrounds q child with beautiful
books, pictures ana toys, which lat.
ter are but the tiny replicas OF the
tools and agencies that professional
men and artists use In their Refious
work. and lets this child 90 by
trend Of its own desirs and
Imagination among the toys that IL
likes best.
Keep Toys In Order.
This same idea has given rise to
modern schoolrooms which are not
dun placee OF rule and rotation, but
giorifiSd playroo1ns in which per.
sorAl desire ana individual express.
sion ana invention have been de-
vSi0Ded to q remarkable extent.
This thought hAs also given rise
to plAyruoSns In homes IN which
good pictures and books, scientific
and interesting toys arN kept In q
separate department and whore the
fortunate owners play and work
with such toys to their hearts con.
teAt.
IA such modern nurOeries, shelves
and COpboards are seen lining at
least one side OF the room In which
toys may be kept In order:
The Little Toy Dog, the Little
Tin soldier, placed % tenderly on
the plAyroom shelf by Eugene
Fields Little Boy Blue, have given
way 10 modern inventions Of the
scientific toy maker. Nothing ID
deArur to the Little BOY Blue Of
the playroon to day than the small
electric train systems.
These ofen the channels OF
young imagination and thought to
the study Of llfe's moving force
electficity--And now the first seed
OF desire for mechanical study and
invention.
Delighted with Trains.
what q. delight 1t Is to build these
shining tracks. foot by foot. whose
right Of way lies through toy farms
and villages. station and mountains.
in and out OF tunnels and over
bridges. The red and breen arms
the signal towers rise as the swift
engine approaches, and through
the windows Of the tiny houses and
In the eienal posts lights flash.
It Is the same light al that which
Eliminates the playfoprn from the
lamp sockets, and II IL the same
energy proDelling the miniature
train.
The electric current, from a
outlet, tuned down to
safety through a toy transformer,
is diverted into the third rail Of
the track.
Electric Motor Devices.
It Is In such playrOom that a
small electric motor can form the
very center OF young boys in.
terest. Gift books, for recording
the natural observations Of the
young engineer II he IL imagina.
tive, and thoughtful enough to put
e., = -
with his motor, are furnished by
some manufacturers with these toy
motors. Such records will always
remain or value to the family. and
sometimes prove OF great interest
to the public should the boy Of the
playroom develop into an electrical
engineer OF note.
In this pIayroonn, white painted
and sanitary, the little girl may
find her domestic and home-mak-
ing instincts inspired by small mod.
els Of electric appliances which 20
toward the keeping or modern
homes. There are little electric
stoves, cleaners and washing ma
chimes.
Dolls Eyes Electric.
Even dolls have electric eyes to-
day, and their glances are illumi.
mated with beams OF light that
seem to live. In fact, this house
current has brought more nveli-
ness and movement to the nursery
than it has ever before experienced.
Toys have become alive, and serve
d new purpose.
Above all, in this pleasant place.
trimmed with a child'S own pictured
heroes and heroine, there IL found
good lighting. It is good, not only
because 1t 10 pleasing and pretty
As II arrives from Mother Goose
or Kate Greenway fixtures. but
because 1t IL soft and tender for
your eyes, yet strong and pene.
trating enough to show the least
article in the room.