Evening star., 1938-05-15
Manhattan Mirror
Pupils Grade Their Teachers
Under Dalton System.
Collecting Dolls.
BY Grace Hendrick Eusfis-

the shop run by Mrs. Charles Ship
man Payson, sister Of Jock Whit
ney, and Mrs. Richard Kimball
that broke into many papers and
several magazines last week by an
nouncing the arrival Of the Barbars
in the society columns. The Bar
bars are famous characters in a
series Of delicious French chill
dren's books, but one society editor
fell for the gag and that was all
they needed. Their new idea is
to found the only center in the
world for doll collecting.
We didn't know that there were
doll collectors. but apparently it
is a thriving hobby. with clubs in
Boston and New York devoted to
the pursuit. Young Books has ac-
quired more kinds Of children's
dolls than were ever gathered to-
gether in one shop. They are ar
ranged in picturesque rows in q
special place on the second floor
under the care Of a great doll ex-
pert, Mrs. Velvalee M. Dickinson,
who has been literally all over the
world adding to her collection. She
is now sponsoring doll collecting for
little girls to rival their brothers
stamp collections. She gives each
young collector a notebook with
pages of detailed information about
each historical or foreign doll she
has bought. The shop has already
become so famous that it is now
being visited by w. P. A. tours.
While Young Books has been
improving little girls tastes, the
big commercial toy makers have
been in the throes of the annual
Toy Fair. In this mammoth
show, down in the West Thirties,
each toy manufacturer exhibits his
new wares to more than 5000 buy
ers from all over the country.
Buyers and sellers alike are brisk,
efficient gentlemen who bend over
dainty dolls with such names as
Betsy Wetsy or Sugar Lovums with
the air of horse breeders examin-
ing a new fllly. The Toy Fair
rooms are always heavy with cigar
smoke, and swarthy gentlemen
parade solemnly through the halls
carrying armfuls of mauve plush
teddy bears.
1t is apparent that little boys
still like guns, in spite of the best
efforts of the women's clubs.
G-men sets are as the sands Of
the sea; popguns and even those
that make a loud bang and ex-
plode may be seen on every hand.
The movie and radio influence
is definitely apparent. Every
manufacturer tries to get license.
for a good round sum. Popeye,
the Lone Ranger, Buck Rogers
and Micky Mouse decorate every
thing from tea sets to tops. Shir-
ley Temple comes too high for any
but the most prosperous, but
Snow White is everywhere As a
trade journal remarked, the in
dustry has seen many snow white
Christmases. but this Is the first
Snow White Easter!
Xxx ~
RELMONT PARK opened last
Monday in downpour. The
great elms dripped on. the silver
foxes and the lush turf logged
the shiny patent leather heels.
Nevertheless, all good New York
ers pranced out, dressed with
their customary smartness.
What a different sight this was
from the Kentucky Derby. There
the world was out for a field day
and there wasn't an inhibition
within so square miles OF Louis
vile. The infleld at the Derby
looked like a cross section Of
Coney Island and the Yale Bowl.
The floral decor was composed
mainly Of a series of rock gar
dens, a quaint touch in the smooth
and rolling Kentucky landscape.
There was an immense Maypole
draped in pennants and a series
of bright orange tents (restroom
concessions, we were told. One
side of the blackboards an
nouncing the winners. etc., was
a section Of ground from which
the turf had been stripped,
marked of like a football field.
This turned out to be the stamp
ing ground where three separate
bands, dressed with a luxurious
ness guaranteed to bring envy To