The Daily Alaska empire Newspaper, December 20, 1939, Page 11

fsn i SR ST S S 5 S S S SN # SN NENENT AN B 4 g i e A v e T A A A R R (R 5 S Christmas Play A s By Katherine Edelman HE town hall was wreathed with holly d rmistletoe. Bright red bells hung from the old-fashioned chandelicrs. Christmas candles sent their soft glow into the night. The whole place cried out welcome to the crowd who thronged through the doors. By eight o'clock every seat was occupied. Small gossip and mur- murs of expectancy ran through the crowd. The little town was proud of the boy who was taking the lead- ing part in the play. They had known Ted Rawlings all their lives, Known him as an easy-going lad, in- terested in nothing more than fish- ing and hunting around the coun- try, and later as an astonishingly changed ambitious fellow. No one seemed to understand how the quick transition occurred. All eyes turned to the stage as the heavy curtain rolled upward. Three hundred pairs” of 'eyes fastened themselves upon the moving. speak- ing figures. “Isn't Ted wonderful,” young girls whispered breathlessly to each other. Between acts, thun- [ you were perfectly wonder- ly was saying. of, applause filled the Hands clapped with vehe- Small boys made their ap- tnown by shrill whistling. carried the audience with every step of the way. He med to enter, to merge himself completely in the character he por- trayed. His make-believe was so in- tense in (He last act, that there was | a deep silence for a moment when the final curtain fell. OR the time it was no make- believe to Ted. again ‘all the agony of parting, of seeing Sally Howard go away with- out a word. He had been sure until | her train pulled out that she would } come and say how sorry she was | for the bitter, reproachful words ! He was living | Will Toy THE DAILY ALASKA EMPIRE, WEDNESDAY, DEC. 20, 1939. - She Asks Him—and Finds Out PRETTY toy—but does it | /X have educational value? | Don’t ask the nearest child | expert, but hand it to a ‘ youngster, who'll probably think up more 'instructive 1 ways to use it than its in- | ventor ever imagined. And that's the theory on which the Test- d Toy laboratory of New York has helped manufacturers select the toys you buy for the children this Christmas. The ‘*laboratory” is really Miss Lillian Rifkin, who takes a toy to a school, recreational center or park and records children’s reactions to | it while they play. Then she fills in an elaborate questionnaire, com- menting on the toy's durability, fit- ness at various age levels and value in stimulating mental, artistic, phys- ical or scientific activity. She doesn’t question parents very often exeept regarding the toy’s de- sirability for indbor or outdoor play. But the child is the final authority. Little rubber automobiles, says Miss Rifkin, are second in populari- ty to blocks. She’s astounded by the elaborate kinds of dramatic play \ | in the child’s mind. | that children build around the cars: “Sometimes a child travels all around the world with them. Often | he will recreate a trip he’s taken | in the family car. Sometimes he'll | play detective and chase gangsters and - sometimes he’s a taxicab | driver.” Miss Rifkin finds that toy automo- | biles, like toy soldiers, help a child get the surplus energy out of his system. And both appeal to his in- stinct for collecting. DRESSMAKING—This dress designing “game” is being tried out by two youngsters at the ele- mentary demonstration school Miss Rifkin runs under sponsor- ship of New York university and the Child Study association of America. PROVING GROUND—Miss Rifkin watches a boy putting a new toy to its practical testing paces. Among her conclusions: (1) Children may be unpredictable in their likes and dislikes, they're notably consistent in their reactions; (2) play appeal of a toy is paramount; any education value it may have is secondary but One mother, she says, militant tendencies would be fos tered if her child were allowed to play with toy soldiers. So she for bade them, but instead the child col lected bottle tops, lined them up in military formation and shot them down by cocking his finger. Miss Rifkin says it’s all “pretend’ anyway. “Even a child old enough to know war means cruelty realizes his soldiers are just toys, and it's only a game.” she had hurled at him. Words that | had left their mark upon his soul— | that had stung him into a mad, am- | bitious desire to show her what he could do. | He found no real satisfaction in | the tumultuous applause that fol- lowed. In this hour of his triumph, his heart cricd for Sally. If only she was here! If only she had cared! He sca y knew what he was saying in er to the lavish congratu Suddenly s hands pressed tightly around h's arm, and a re- membered ke in his ear. “Ted, you wer tly wonder- Sally was saying. “wonderful, | I'm 50 proud—so proud | understand. [ York." I've been 1 knew all 1 dop't thought you w “1 was, keeping t il Ia k of you about the play, and- ard the way you have been working lately. I wouldn’t have missed this for any thing in the world. | “But the things you said, Sally? Thay hurt—they still do.” 1 wanted them to hurt, Ted. I, know—I know it was cruel, but there | seemed no other way. Somcone had to give you the right kind of push | to get you going. You know you were really lazy? But now, well, | you've really put on speed.” i “Nothing like the speed I'm go- ing to show in getting ready for a Christmas wedding. There's just two days left. We've got to make it a really big event. Let's give out the announcement now—while the crowd is still in the hall.” The First Santa Claus The first Santa Claus was St. Nich. olas, Bishop of Myra, who started mysterious midnight gift-bearing journeys. In the Fourth century ne was famous because he was a rich man who enjoyed giving secret gifts to the poor. One of his tricks was to throw purses of gold into cottage windows and run away. From Europe’s Christmas Menu Take your choice of Christmas eats: Plum pudding in England, Pfeffernuesse in Germany, Vier- knack in Denmark, Fatigman's Bak- kels in Norway, Horse-shoe cake in Hungary, Speculaas in Holland, and Lutfisk in Sweden. Getting a Shoeful in Holland Not on reindeer but on a white horse, St. Nicholas arrives in some parts of Holland, and instead of look- ing for stockings he searches for wooden shoes to fill them with gifts. DON'TS—— Safety 1s Watchword For a Merry Christmas Here ore a few “don'ts”. for Christmas, recommended by safety authorities: 1. Don't give small children toys ing alcohol, kerosene gr gaso- ne engines. They may tip over and set the house on fire. 2 Don’t permit small ehildren to un electrical toys without the su- servision of an adult. 3. Don’t permit small children to 15e toy movie projectors witholit us- : safety film which burns slowly. y film burns explosively and T smoke and fumes which nay cause death if inhaled. 4 Don't use candles or light ex- tra fires without being extremely especially in regard to can- on trees. Dop’t wear inflammable cos- jumes. especially Santa Claus beards. without fireproofing them. 6. Don't use inflammable orna- ments and evergreen decorations. B, Empire Want Ads Bring Results. CHRISTMAS GREETINGS I gzg B T T T T T e ey Every Happiness in the New Year! HARRY RACE, Druggist ““The Squibb Stores of Alaska believed | Sincere Greetings, a Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year to all. GLOVER’S We Thank All Our Patrons for Business the Past Year. 5 . e TO WISH YOU ALL THE JOYS OF THE SEASON and Watch Your Weather During Christmas Day! | Remember these old supersti- tions about Christmas weather: If the sun shines through the apple tree on Christmas day, there will be a good crop the fol- lowing year. If ice will bear a man before | Christmas, it will not bear a mouse afterward. Thunder and lightning Christ- mas week means much snow the rest of the winter. Wet causes more damage than frost before than after Christmas. | If it snows Christmas night, the hop crop will be good next year. At Christmas meadows green, at Easter covered with frost. If windy Christmas day, trees ® | | will bear much fruit. Christmas wet granary and barrel, A green Christmas ma graveyard A warm Easter gives empty s a fat Christmas, a cold Salvation Lassies Retain Yule Spirit | Of Founder Booth Christmas will be happier for thousands of homeless people this year because Catherine and William Booth carried the torch of evangel- ism from their New Connexiop church in England in 1861 and start- ed the Salvation Army. Tgday that torch i§ being carried by the second Booth to succeed the founder, Gen Evangeline Booth, who in turn suc- ceeded Bram- % well Booth in 1934, So fami at Christmas time, the Sal- vation Army’s group singing on street cor- ners and “bgil- ing kettles' for which con- tributions are solicited, had theirbeginning in the youthful reformer of 19 who was almost stoned to death preagl ing in slums and denouncing *‘rum. Penniless and with four children, the Booths worked tirelessly in London amid taunts of eritics, yet old General Booth lived to banter | with jovial King Edward. He also lived to see the Salvation Army become better established in the United States than in England, to see it acquire banks, insurance companies, factories, public houses farms, hospitals and cadet schoals, Evangeline Booth tionary'” force of seven lassies sent here in 1880 under Genrge Scott Rail- son. ) Today's News Today—Empire. all the outgrowth of the ‘“expedi- | I3 | 'i Think of Children, | Not Only Yoursell, When Buyir Don’t buy tt pleases your far in mind, too. Miniature wagging tails are fa parents but they won't keep the child happy very long beth Irwin, who is principal of New Yorl Little Red School House, says large blocks, tool chest hand-manipulated much better gifts. Keeping in mind the and taste, durability of the toy and a few well-chosen scientific princi st beca Keep the ¢ derrick. 0] child's age ples, she offers these rules to you who are Santa Clauses this Christ mas: 1. Choose toys which child’s imagination, timulate the rather than This new Arabian pony, which | seoots along as the rider bo: up and doten, is a sample of the toy which helps children. exer- cise large muscles. mechanical to; | Trains that lby hand are an ex i | ple. run Choose toys whi children se their large muscle | large blocks, trapezes, b | over saw hor Roller sleds, bicycles and other | toys are also good 3. Find toys that don’t brea ily. If you buy tools, be sure the | hamamer head won't fly off. Inex- | pensive miniature automobiles may break down after a few trips around | the parlor floor. 4. Buy games of skill, | chance. Select games counting and building 1 help athletic k eas- not involving News Today--Bmpite. of | 1939 Toys Sprous Wheels. |4 = e (i immcemsans s amomnommomegsanosseni opitt BEST WISHES AT CHRISTMASTIDE! revolutionized the Twenticth ce Vodled) i J: = BN R L T B S A LAV d Yed ] sreat that toy must ¢ \s new models appear. must be streamlined, As Kids Imitate Paren Today's elvilization-on-whe industry. Several decades ago ren played with paint sets and ut dolls. Now girls and boys May wheel goods. The desire to w I ave an automobile like dad’s is so i e auto manufactu ange their designs as Velocipédes scooters must pneumatic tites, and doll car s must ba of the latest baby designs. soon SEASONS GREETINGS ! VENETIAN SH 111 Willoughby Mrs. M, Today's News Today—Empire Qlcd oAl = A d T SRR R R R e MERRY CHRISTMAS! In appreciation of the friendly good will that makes it possible for us to know and serve you, we offer . . . Christmas and New Year Greetings and Best Wishes . . . WEST COAST WHOLESALE GROCERY CO. FEATURING Amocat and Wesco PRODUCTS Ry Wish You a Merry Christmas [ ] It is our hope that the patronage we have enjoyed during the past year has been justified in our service to our friends. We thank you and wish you all the happi- ness of the season. RICE & AHLERS CO. PHONE 34 CHRISTMASESI v D. Giovaneiti | e ) (el Y-dY-d o nd joy be most fes- The man- store wish t of or 2% R