| Have we lost our children in a hypnotic video | | | | publicity a new toy was born. After a year or |
| game trance? Have they become ?drones? to the | | | | so, over one million sets of Tinker Toys had |
| ?video age?? | | | | been sold! |
| | | | |
| Sometimes it may seem that way as many | | | | Lincoln Logs |
| children spend hour upon hour in front of a | | | | |
| video screen, pressing buttons or jockeying | | | | Notched redwood logs that could be used to |
| around a joystick. But it is up to the | | | | construct log cabins, Lincoln Logs were the |
| parents of children to say enough, let?s find | | | | invention of John Lloyd Wright, son of famous |
| some educational alternatives. However, it | | | | architect, Frank Lloyd Wright. The inter |
| wasn?t that long ago when we were kids?.we | | | | locking logs, invented in 1916, were |
| had real toys?.classic toys. | | | | fashioned after the foundation of Tokyo?s |
| | | | earthquake-proof Imperial Hotel, which the |
| Let?s step into a time tunnel of sorts and | | | | younger Wright witnessed being constructed. |
| recall some of the fascinating toys that we | | | | |
| had the pleasure of playing with: | | | | During the World War I era, it was in vogue |
| | | | to encourage American patriotism and for |
| Tinker Toys | | | | American?s to buy American made products, |
| | | | thus the new toy was named after one of our |
| Ahh..Tinker Toys..rods, sticks, spools, | | | | most revered presidents, Abraham Lincoln. |
| spokes..simple, but a true classic toy | | | | |
| invented in 1914 by Charles Pajeau, who was a | | | | The original sets sold very well and became |
| stonemason by trade from Evanston, Illinois. | | | | even more popular with the introduction of |
| He was inspired by children playing with | | | | television to the United States. In fact, |
| pencils, sticks and empty spools of thread to | | | | Lincoln Logs were among the first toys to be |
| create his new toy. He saw them improvising | | | | advertised and promoted on television. |
| and using their imaginations and wondered if | | | | Capitalizing on the popularity of westerns in |
| improve upon what they were doing. He | | | | early television, Lincoln Logs were |
| designed his first set of Tinker Toys in his | | | | successful promoted on 1953?s Pioneer |
| garage and displayed them in 1914 at the | | | | Playhouse. |
| American Toy Fair. | | | | |
| | | | Today, Lincoln Logs are still available and |
| Alas, his Tinker Toys drew no interest. So he | | | | have stood the test of time. As a matter of |
| tried again, this time at Christmas time, but | | | | fact, as late as 1975, Lincoln Logs were |
| with a new marketing plan. Pajeau hired | | | | still selling at a rate of one million sets |
| several midgets and had them dress in elf | | | | per year. A sophisticated toy, it challenges |
| costumes. He then had them ?play? with the | | | | youngsters to use their imagination and |
| Tinker Toys? in a store display window in a | | | | improve hand-eye coordination skills. |
| Chicago department store and with this | | | | |