From Needlecraft Magazine, August 1934:
A Unique Lending Library
Last month, in the City of New York, an enterprise was started which will be watched with great interest by everyone who has at heart the well-being of our little men and women – the future citizens of America. Educators and social workers have long had in mind the benefit to result from adding to the home environment of certain of our little ones, who through no fault of their own are less fortunately situated than some of their comrades on life’s journey, the opportunities for recreation and study which will eventually help us to attain to that sterling principle of our Constitution which maintains that “All men are born free and equal.” Back of the Hecksher Foundation Toy-Lending Library is this thought in embodiment, based on the model of the public library, but with playthings instead of books to read, thus promoting normal amusement and recreation.
From Needlecraft Magazine, August 1934:
A Unique Lending Library
Last month, in the City of New York, an enterprise was started which will be watched with great interest by everyone who has at heart the well-being of our little men and women – the future citizens of America. Educators and social workers have long had in mind the benefit to result from adding to the home environment of certain of our little ones, who through no fault of their own are less fortunately situated than some of their comrades on life’s journey, the opportunities for recreation and study which will eventually help us to attain to that sterling principle of our Constitution which maintains that “All men are born free and equal.” Back of the Hecksher Foundation Toy-Lending Library is this thought in embodiment, based on the model of the public library, but with playthings instead of books to read, thus promoting normal amusement and recreation.
Deep in the heart of every child is the desire to play. It is fundamental and normal, and quite as important to the spiritual welfare of every little one as is the food for his body. The life of a child who is denied or deprived of the proper facilities for play is to that extent stunted; but supply him with the sort of toys which will develop and expand his consciousness and you have not only aided in truly educating him, but you have provided an incentive to keep him off the street, and away from the temptation to join the little “gangs” which have been so often pictured as the origin of juvenile delinquency – that menace to the youth of the nation which has for some years caused such wide-spread concern among thinking men and women.
Playgrounds for children living in closely populated districts have come to be an established institution in every large city, and these have done an immense amount of good. It was not so easy, however, to reach the home life and it was found practically impossible to supply enough toys to distribute “for keeps” as the boys term it; so the lending-library idea naturally came to suggest itself, and the “toyery” came into being with its slogan, “An educational toy for every child every day.” And “educational” in this particular is not so formidable as might at first appear when one consults the “library catalog.” There are construction sets, blackboards, sewing materials, dolls, trains, carpentry sets, toys that reproduce industrial and housekeeping tasks, picture books, hand-craft sets and building blocks. For outdoor play there are also roller skates, scooters, sidewalk bicycles, express wagons, doll carriages, velocipedes, kiddie cars, balls, baseball bats, rubber horseshoes and all sorts of games. Each item certainly spells a lot of fun for some wee lad or lassie, and the educational aspect is not so emphasized as to detract too much from the idea of play which is justly uppermost in the plan.
Naturally a great deal of breakage is expected, so a force of several men has been engaged to repair such toys as come back considerably worse for wear. Also a sterilizing machine has been provided through which all toys, large or small, are run as returned before they are again permitted to go into circulation among the next group of youngsters. This is something rather new as related to playthings, but its need is very manifest when one stops to think of the possibility of spreading children’s diseases. A single toy is the limit for each little applicant and he is not allowed another until he brings back the first. The venture certainly deserves all the success which interested co-operation can bring to it, and it is hoped that the toy-lending library will become as universal as the playground in the very near future.
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Note: The Hecksher Foundation noted in this article is actually spelled ‘Heckscher.’
Michael McGrorty
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