The Wilmington morning star., 1940-12-22
Firenen Making Old Toys New
For Wilmington's Needy Tots

He held it UP for inspection, and
touched the corners with the brush.
Each chair has % screws" ex-
planned Chief Groom. you'd be
surprised how strong they are"
and he put his full weight on the
back of the chair. 81 can even sit
on it," he continued, and poised
himself on the slender back, cross
ing his legs to prove his full weight
rested on it.
eve almost guarantee them not
to break" added one of the help
ers. Nov, 1 weigh 161 pounds.
Watch this" And he cooked the
chair, on one leg and supported
his entire weight with it. "Our
chairs don't come apart by New
Years day."
A fireman in a corner was hold
ing an acetylene torch on tri-
cycle as he mended broken han
dlebar. The bright yellow flames
spurted, but he worked with the
dexterity of skilled welder.
''That bicycle is very rusty, -
said Chief Groom. ''They IL are
when they come in here. And all
that rust must be removed before
they are painted. Otherwise the
paint wouldn't stick
A rocking horse was having its
rockers made steady by a new
foundation. Its paint was practi-
cally gone, and the leather halter
had disappeared.
"Chief," said the fellow working
on it," a lady brought it in this
morning, and said it is IS years
old. Good strong wood though"
Chief Groom led the way from
the toy shop humming with its
hustle of activity. Up the steps o1
the firehouse to the sleeping quar-.
ters of the firemen he went. There
the beds had been pushed close
together to make way for the con-
stantly increasing Christmas toys.
Instead of toys put together from.
second hand playthings, the room
had the appearance of a downtown
store cleaning with its new toys
The paint was all expertly put on
The doll beds made by the firemer
had paneled foot and head pieces
Their mattresses had been wei
padded with cotton and covered
with bright fowered cretonne.
The Chief pointed out a huge
red wagon. ''You'd never guess
that came in without wheels anc
all rusty" he said. ''And those
tables and chairs over there-we
made them. Already we've finish
ed so chairs and Is tables. Anc
when they arrive by Santa Claus
every chair and carriage will have
doll in it.''
Chief Groom started helping San
ia Claus in 1880 after he saw {
picture in the Daily Mirror of
Connecticut fireman who had fixee
broken toy for a little boy. The
child came to the firehouse asking
for his toy to be mended as Santa
Claus forgot him. So Chief Groom
thought of all the boys and girls
in Wilmington that Santa Claus
couldn't get around to see, ane
decided to start his own shop help
ing Santa out. Every year the lis
grows, and the f1remen spend two
days packing and delivering the
toys.
In Chief Croom's office were thu
doll babies piled on a table. eve
wash and repaint them. Sometime!
arms and legs have to be replaced
Then the ladies sewing room il
the customhouse dresses them fol
U.S." He smiled. '"The boys haven
learned to make nice doll dresse:
yet"
He walked over to his desk ane
wound a celluloid dog beating {
drum. "This is my pet. Someone
sent it in with the toys years ago
The boys fixed him up for me-
Just watch him beat that drum!'
On the way out, he stopped agar
to survey the toys. 1T gives vol
such a grand feeling" he said a!
he picked up a teddy bear. "Jus
think of all the poor children these
toys will make happy this Christ
mas. Last year we helped Santa
Claus for $50 children, and at leas
that many this year. wish all the
people in Wilmington would come
and see what a few broken toy:
can make.' 4
/ CAPTIVE ROMANS
JERUSALEM, Palestine, Dec. 21