The Ely miner. [volume] (Ely, Minn.) 1895-1986, 1931-12-11

educational" instruction cloaked as amuse-
ment, like sugar-coated pill, may now be pleas
antly administered in any number of paythings.
When the instruction is for the very young, the
educator moreover prescribed toys that are
durable under normal handling, and above all,
absolutely hygienic. No more fragile dolls which
the lusty infant will more than likely crush with
it's first ecstatic hug. No more blocks from
which the bright colors may be sucked by any
aggressive baby or metal toys with sharp corners
or cutting edges There is, of course some
educational advantage in giving delicate piece
of mechanism to an older child, especially II
care be taken to impress upon him its proper
care and USE The most up-to-date doll for the
child of pre-school age, however, is unbreakabe,
frequently of rubber, so that it can be squeezed
to hearts content, and is capable even OF per-
forming the most fascinating feats Of contor-
ton and springng back into shape without dis
placing a dimple. The very latest blocks come
with rounded corners, with smiling painted sur
faces that won't crack and harbor germs and
won't wash or rub away. His stuffed animals
are SOFT and can be cleaned; his engine and
automobiles are stout and solid; they fit into
his chubby hands and are strong enough to bear
the weight even Of the venturesome adult who
threads the Uttered nursery floor after dark
For the first steps in rudimentary education,
the toymaker offers colored beads that can be
strung into ornaments grotesque animals and
dolls, and all the wide variety of instruments to
handcraft, from paints and crayons and scissors
to blackboards and sewing cases. Then come
educational" blocks, colored chunks of wood to
teach color value and the principles Of design,
block letters to aid with the first lessons in
spelling, blocks carrying words or whole Mother
Goose rhymes illustrated to be arranged into
words whole illustrated poems Still more
sophisticated blocks are fashioned to encourage
the construction of a realistic house, or a sky
scraper, or to represent all the advantages of
some story book character such as Winnie the
Pooh.
For the child whose tastes are already suff1-
GENTLY developed to be evident, the Christmas
shopper may choose from cut-out puzzles. COM
posed of hundreds of fascinating colored blocks
cut out with a jig-saw. which one labOrs to fit
together and 10, is rewarded by a lovely map,
a famous masterpiece Of painting! There are
sets of chemicals done up in small Walls and
boxes, with directions for combining them to
produce some Of commonest chemical
phenomena and construction sets by which the
boy is taught the principles Of the cantilever
bridge or of modern step-back architecture; and
electric transformers which urge their possessor
to make his own electric toys. There are toy
banks to encourage saving, toy cash registers
for the small store keeper, doctors cases mirac-
ulOusly QUILTED, garden tools, books, of course,
and games
Games. whether they profess, as many of the
newer games do, to be of educational value, or
merely claim to amuse, all nevertheless have
a certain tendency to quicken the mind and eye,
to train the muscles in automatic response.
Moreover, games have this year attained GER
tain definite style appeal through the present
popularity of "adult games" The fact that
grownups are playing them has this year lent
new attraction to many of the simplest of chill
drens games, and made playing in itself
a sophisticated and interesting thing to do.
Just when and why the current rage for adult
games commenced nobody seems to know. Some
says it is the result of the vast interest people
a whole take today in outdoor sports; when
the baseball and football season is over and it
Is impossible to take the weekly workout at
golf or tennis. what more natural than that peo-
pie should resort to their own indoor games in
their own homes? Perhaps officials of the large
steamship companies, who have popularized their
cruises by filling in the long days of water,
water everywhere" with deck tennis shuttle
board and table games in the smoking rooms, are
responsible At any rate, last winter people in
search of amusement broke away from standard
auction bridge through contract, backgammon
became a dangerous rival and, first thing we
knew, pool tables appeared in the basement
tennis tables in the attic, guests were given
their choice between bridge and club parches
and the larger department and sporting goods
stores installed fourishing adult game sections
This consequently will be a Christmas Of
many games. Children and elders alike will
drag out such old-time favortes as Finch and
Authors amuse themselves with the familiar
electric questoner. They will familiarize them
selves with famous events in history by a new
game based on the History Of Mankind of Van
Loon, and go into convusions, excellent to offset
heavy Christmas dinner, over an imported
game called Sorry. Something Of the tendency
Of some Of the newer games may be gathered
from their titles: Hi-jack, Scram, Check and
Double Check, and Broadsde. For those whose
outdoor sports were taken as participator rather
than spectator, there is more active games table
tennis bowling, golf. and all manner of minia-
ture racing games. horse races automobile
races. dog races, mechanical and otherwise
Roulette, Keno, $50" will amuse those who
banker to toy with chance; and the list of adult
games includes also SalvO crossword lotto, chess
Camelot, checkers. club parchesi, carrom back.
CANNON, domnoes. crjbbage. and anagrams.
- g BY Western Nsxspaesr upien.,