subject: Toys Of Quality: Long Remembered, Sometimes Treasured [print this page] I was fortunate to have spent my childhood in a manner which developed values destined to serve me well in the years to come. I did not receive nor did I expect to possess every toy & game presented for my consideration during Saturday Morning cartoons on our trusty Packard Bell television set. On occasion, I do recall having my interest "piqued" by a toy which aligned with my early and continuing interest in cars and trucks.
Mom and Dad grew up during the Great Depression. This resulted in my sibling and myself understanding from the outset the "value of a dollar." Combined with an expectation that we clean our plates at the dinner table, we sensed a true lack of the basics for our dad especially when he was a mere youngster. ( This was later confirmed as we learned the truth that during one cold winter on the outskirts of Philadelphia, my dad watched his mother dismantle the front porch railings for burning in the fireplace to provide heat for her kids. )
As I write this, I am looking at the library wall in our residence today. On display is a set of small metal carriages from an electric train set my dad possessed as a child. ( Dorfan Trains by name, a brand long ago banished to the annals of time. ) But there is something different about these train cars. I found them in the attic of my childhood residence long after the passing of my dad and the subsequent loss of my mother. Each of the metal carriages was wrapped neatly in newspaper and placed in its proper space within the original packing carton from the 1920s. Could it be that my dad took refuge in playing with this little train set as he watched his mother burn the wood stripped from their home to generate heat in the depths of winter?
In another part of my home sits a toy from my own childhood presented to me on the Christmas following my third birthday nearly 60 years ago. A heavy duty Mack dump truck built in America by Smith - Miller Toys. This 1:18 scale truck includes a working hydraulic load box which survived the payloads it carried as I operated my toy with pride as a child our back yard. My "big Mack" sits proudly today with all parts intact and a nice "patina" providing testament to the miles we traveled together so many decades ago.
Having recently wandered through the aisles of a "big box" toy store, I found myself surrounded by a lack of quality in merchandise being offered for sale. Retrieving a few items to inspect for the country of origin, it became quickly apparent that these outlets depend greatly on shipments of inventory from manufacturers in China. ( The phrase, "Made in America" has become increasingly difficult to uncover unless a parent devotes time to searching for such products via the internet. )
"Built to last and stand the test of time." This phrase has been cast adrift when it comes to providing educational toys and games unless we take the time to dig deep to reward our kids with products of lasting value, quality and durability. As to to the aforementioned trains and truck in my home today, these will be moving along shortly to the homes of our children and their children as a window in time to an age when quality trumped cost.
by: J. R. Smith
welcome to Insurances.net (https://www.insurances.net)
