How Hollywood Got Her Name in Lights

 By Kathy Kovach

 

Like it or not, Hollywood has become entrenched in American culture. From her humble agricultural beginnings to the glitz and glamor we know of today.

Even the little ingénue of a town had to start somewhere. This is her story.

Daeida "Ida" and H. H. Wilcox

She started out in 1853 as an adobe hut, plain but functional. Over the next few years, she developed into a thriving farming community and became known as the Cahuenga Valley, accessorized with fig and apricot trees. But like many starlets, she had other dreams and aspirations. It wasn’t easy for her. She had to pay her dues. Her first real development happened in 1883 at the hands of Harvey Henry Wilcox, a politician and real estate developer from Topeka, Kansas, who bought 120 acres to try his hand at ranching. The source of the name is shrouded in myth, but many a successful icon has a mysterious past.

Some say Hollywood got her name from Harvey’s second wife, Daeida, aka “Ida”, taking inspiration from the bushes in the area. They were thought to be holly but were actually toyon, otherwise known as the Christmas Berry or California Holly.

Toyon plant

American Holly plant

Or, Ida may have received inspiration for the name after attending mass at Holy Wood of the Cross. Another thought was that she learned of the name from a wealthy landowner from Ohio whom she met on a train. Ida became so enamored with the name of his estate, Hollywood, that she encouraged Harvey to put the name on the subdivision map. Wherever the name originated, one cannot deny the worldwide appeal.

Excuse me. Did you say subdivision? Yes, it appears that Harvey Wilcox was not great at raising fruit, so he decided to put his real estate skills to use and subdivide the area into lots at $1000 a pop. With this development, our girl Hollywood was well on her way.

H. J. Whitley

Finally, by the turn of the century, someone came along and saw her potential. By this time, Hollywood had become a pretty little town, complete with a post office, hotel, livery, and a street car. Banker and real estate mogul H. J. Whitley opened the Hollywood Hotel, on the site which became the Dolby Theater that now hosts the annual Oscars Ceremony. He also developed an upscale neighborhood called Ocean View Tract, financed the building of a bank, and was ultimately responsible for electricity to be brought into the area. As a result, Whitley became known as “The Father of Hollywood.”

The Count of Monte Cristo, Selig Production, 1908

Soon to become a shining star, Hollywood was incorporated in 1903 and merged with Los Angeles in 1910. Testing her acting chops, a movie that began production in Chicago moved to Hollywood and completed filming in 1908, entitled The Count of Monte Cristo. She reached her full potential at the appearance of the first movie studio in 1911, and by 1915, she was courted by many major motion picture studios relocating from the East Coast.

Hollywood’s allure included the mild California weather and diverse terrain. She became a success story and went on to achieve full stardom.

Stay tuned as we dive into the highs and lows of what would soon become The Golden Age of Hollywood.

***

When I chose this topic, the fires in Southern California had not yet happened. As of this writing, the Pacific Palisades Fire has been the most devastating with the Sunset Fire affecting many Hollywood landmarks, however, that fire has been 100% contained. The Dolby Theater, which I mentioned in the article, was in the evacuation zone. Please join me in praying for the victims, their animals, and their property.

Titanic: Legacy of Betrayal

A TIME-SLIP NOVEL

A secret. A key. Much was buried on the Titanic, but now it's time for resurrection.

Follow two intertwining stories a century apart. 1912 - Matriarch Olive Stanford protects a secret after boarding the Titanic that must go to her grave. 2012 - Portland real estate agent Ember Keaton-Jones receives the key that will unlock the mystery of her past... and her distrusting heart.

To buy: Amazon

Kathleen E. Kovach is a Christian romance author published traditionally through Barbour Publishing, Inc. as well as indie. Kathleen and her husband, Jim, raised two sons while living the nomadic lifestyle for over twenty years in the Air Force. Now planted in northeast Colorado, she's a grandmother and a great-grandmother—though much too young for either. Kathleen has been a longstanding member of American Christian Fiction Writers. An award-winning author, she presents spiritual truths with a giggle, proving herself as one of God's peculiar people.

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Fort Barrington/Fort Howe – South Georgia’s Rev War Stronghold

by Denise Weimer

Site of Fort Barrington

The last of my Scouts of the Georgia Frontier novels is set at Fort Barrington, a southerly stronghold during the American Revolution against incursions from British-allied East Florida Rangers and Seminole Indians. The stockade sat on the north side of the Altamaha River thirteen miles from Darien, Georgia. Originally, Fort Barrington was a British fort established in 1751 but left incomplete when funding ran out. The seventy-five-foot-square stockade comprised two bastions at the eastern and southern corners—the latter being at the river’s edge—a two-story wooden blockhouse, a well, a storeroom, a magazine, and barracks. Ramparts in the form of low embankments extended between bastions, with large wooden spikes driven into the ground around the perimeter. When Georgia’s Royal Rangers were disbanded in 1767, twenty-five mounted men had been posted at Barrington.

Colonial map showing Barrington

The Augustine Trail, later known as the Old Post Road, ran from Savannah, Georgia, to St. Augustine, Florida, crossing the Altamaha in view of Fort Barrington where the river was about a hundred yards wide. Famed naturalist William Bartram described Barrington in ruins in April of 1773 and the ferry boat rowed by a Creek Indian man who had married a white woman. Directly across from the fort was the site of Creek native Mary Musgrove Matthew’s Mount Venture, an early trading post established with her white husband in the 1740s.

By July 1776, eighteen Patriots were defending Fort Barrington when Indians and British from East Florida raided in the area. In September, the Georgia Battalion became the Georgia brigade, with Lachlan McIntosh brigadier general and his brother William lieutenant colonel. Three hundred horsemen were temporarily stationed at Fort Barrington, lacking barracks, clothes, blankets, medicine, and tools. Another attack came in October with the British allied forces repelled by William McIntosh’s rangers. In December, Fort Barrington was renamed Fort Howe in honor of Major General Robert Howe, who conceived of a plan to establish a string of forts in southern and coastal Georgia with the headquarters at Fort Howe.

By February, Fort Howe supported a garrison of forty men. The fall of the newly built Fort McIntosh farther south on the Satilla River on February 18, 1777, led the Americans to rally at Fort Howe. In a battle where twelve Patriots were lost, they prevented the British from crossing the Altamaha River to threaten more settled areas of Georgia. Soon after, the Patriots launched an ill-fated invasion of Florida, returning in defeat in June of 1777. Desertions mounted in fall of that year.

On March 13, 1778, Lt. Col. Thomas Brown led a hundred East Florida Rangers and ten Indians across the Altamaha to capture Fort Howe with the loss of only one man, yet killing two of the Patriots, wounding four, and capturing twenty-three. The fort was burned before the British-allied troops withdrew due to internal disagreements. Prompted by the fall of Fort Howe, Georgia’s assembly authorized another Florida expedition which was also doomed by heat, heavy rain, dwindling supplies, sickness, and desertions.

A Calculated Betrothal: The death of her titled husband abandons Tabitha Gage on an isolated South Georgia plantation on the eve of revolution, left with only a log cabin on unsettled timber land.

Sergeant Edmond Lassiter comes to the aid of the dark-haired beauty fending off cattle rustlers. The Patriot scout and Loyalist widow are surprised by their shared values. When Edmond learns the same man who ruined his family is after what little Tabitha has left, he convinces her they should work together to make her land profitable—all while fighting off the British from East Florida and her greedy neighbor, who sabotages their every effort to succeed.

https://www.amazon.com/Calculated-Betrothal-Scouts-Georgia-Frontier-ebook/dp/B0D577ZJ1B/

Denise Weimer writes historical and contemporary romance from her home in North Georgia and also serves as a freelance editor and the Acquisitions & Editorial Liaison for Wild Heart Books. A mother of two wonderful young adult daughters, she always pauses for coffee, chocolate, and old houses.

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Fort Barrington site photo: https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Fort_Barrington,_McIntosh_County,_GA,_US.jpg

A Sword for Your Face

By Suzanne Norquist

Most adults have experienced a nick or cut from the tiny blade of a razor. Shaving one’s face or other parts is generally required in our society.

Thankfully, we can select from an array of safe, disposable blades. I don’t even want to imagine the mishaps that occurred with straight razors from days of old—also known as cut-throat razors. Men must have truly trusted the barbers who wielded the devices.

The use of the word “sword” in the title of this blog sounds like an exaggeration. However, many shaving blades were developed by sword and cutlery makers who were experts in metallurgy. The Wilkinson Sword brand isn’t just a fancy name for the blades. The company originated as a weapons maker.

Why do people need to shave anyway? In addition to fickle beauty standards, several reasonable arguments exist. Beards could be a breeding ground for lice and small rodents. They also provided a handhold for enemy combatants. In more modern armies, soldiers must be clean-shaven so that gas masks fit properly.

Archeologists have found evidence of shaving with clam shells, flint blades, and metal knives in prehistoric times. In ancient Rome, barbers in shops used iron razors.

Shaving technology didn’t change much until 1762 when Frenchman Jean-Jacques Perret designed the first “safety razor.” He attached a wooden guard to a straight razor to prevent deep cuts. I have to wonder why it took so long for someone to come up with such a simple design.

He drew inspiration from a carpenter’s plane, which has a similar safety feature. It prevented men from accidentally removing part of an ear and allowed them to shave at home instead of making a trip to the barber.

Perret published a book about shaving in 1772. The French name is translated Art of Learning to Shave Oneself. Keeping the blade sharp was one of the challenges of the day. Frequent honing and stropping were required.

In 1847, Englishman William Henson changed the shape of the razor to look more like a gardening hoe. This allowed for a better grip and easier use.

King Camp Gillette invented the replaceable blade in 1901. This was a game-changer since men no longer needed to sharpen the blades regularly. As a traveling salesman, he made money from a consumable product with ongoing demand. In many homes built before 1970, the medicine cabinets have a slot for used razor blades.

During World War I, military shaving kits included Gillette’s. Soldiers kept the handles and continued to purchase blades after the war.

One problem with disposable blades was that they tended to rust. In the 1960s, stainless steel blades provided a solution. A blade sold by Wilkinson Sword became very popular.

In the 1970s, cartridge razors and disposable razors came on the market. Being plastic and basically harmless, it’s easy to forget they started as a sharp metal tool that demanded respect.

En Garde.

***

”Mending Sarah’s Heart” in the Thimbles and Threads Collection

Four historical romances celebrating the arts of sewing and quilting.

Mending Sarah’s Heart by Suzanne Norquist

Rockledge, Colorado, 1884

Sarah seeks a quiet life as a seamstress. She doesn’t need anyone, especially her dead husband’s partner. If only the Emporium of Fashion would stop stealing her customers, and the local hoodlums would leave her sons alone. When she rejects her husband’s share of the mine, his partner Jack seeks to serve her through other means. But will his efforts only push her further away?

 

Suzanne Norquist is the author of two novellas, “A Song for Rose” in A Bouquet of Brides Collection and “Mending Sarah’s Heart” in the Thimbles and Threads Collection. Everything fascinates her. She has worked as a chemist, professor, financial analyst, and even earned a doctorate in economics. Research feeds her curiosity, and she shares the adventure with her readers. She lives in New Mexico with her mining engineer husband and has two grown children. When not writing, she explores the mountains, hikes, and attends kickboxing class.

 

Sharing Faith-Based History Through Story

By Tiffany Amber Stockton

An email came to me with a reminder that today, the 9th of the month, is my day to post. The 9th day is special, not only because you get the privilege of reading a post from yours truly (tongue-in-cheek), but because it's the last single-digit day of the month before the double-digits take over.

Little tidbits like that often excite me, and finding them amidst other research for my novels is more than a golden nugget to me. It's like discovering an entire goldmine, rich with hidden details and secret little unknown facts that create a desire within others to find out more.

When others ask me about my genre, my answer is usually "historical fiction with romance." And that's true. While all of my books so far might be considered category historical romance, several readers have come back to say they feel like they are getting a rich history lesson interwoven with the story of the characters. But it's not the boring details of faceless names or disconnected dates and details. Instead, it's history that you often won't find in textbooks and stories that often get overlooked in the grand scheme of things.

When asked what I write, I usually reply, "Normal stories. The weird stuff (science fiction) is left to my husband." (Stuart Vaughn Stockton) It's why I write romance. That usually means I'm sweet and innocent. Well, all right. So, how about just sweet. On second thought, let's stick with historical fiction author. :) Yes, that will do it.

So, what makes history so appealing to me? Well, that would have to be the simplicity of it all. With the hustle and bustle of today's society, the pressures and demands on our time, and the frantic pace at which most of us live, I love to shift gears and slip into another world where the ringing of the telephone or the blaring of a car horn, or the tick-tock of a clock doesn't remind me of how much I'm not accomplishing. How demanding of your time everyone else is, because whatever they have to do or say is far more important than what's happening in your life.

Going back to when communities rallied around each other, and hard work and sweat, along with a man's word meant far more than it does today. That inspires me and gives me hope that maybe I can help maintain that mindset through the stories I tell and the books readers read.

My stories are usually a showcase of characters living everyday, normal lives, but their faith (or in some cases their discovery of their faith) is what helps them get through the difficult situations life throws their way. Toss in some unique historical facts, some often obscure or lesser-known settings, and some fun supporting characters, and you've got the recipe for most of my novels.

I've also been known to include cameo appearances by well-known historical figures such as George Washington, Thomas Edison, or Henry Ford. That alone can be challenging, as so much is written about people like those, and any portrayal of them must line up with the details that have thus far been written.



But never let it be said that I run from a challenge. Just take a look at my everyday life, staying home, running a business, homeschooling my 2 teenagers, corraling 6 furbabies, while attempting to find time to write and meet deadlines, as well as somehow figure out how to market my books and keep selling new ones. Praise God for my agent, or I likely would disappear into oblivion and lose myself in the mounds of housework, budgeting, errands, teenage drama, and the general craziness ofl ife.

Every day, it becomes clear to me why most authors wait until their children are out of the house before beginning their writing careers. That luxury isn't mine, though, and somewhere in all of this, God has a plan. My job is merely to trust Him and keep doing the best I can to move forward.

That's the simple faith most of my characters possess, and it's what propels most of my stories. I offer a slice of life as it might have been and invite you to lose yourself among the pages of the stories God gives me to tell.

That being said, I'm honored to be here with fellow historical fiction authors who share my love of history and passion for writing. This is my 12th year! It's equally exciting to visit with you, the reader. For without you, we writers couldn't keep doing what we love. Thank you for coming along for the ride!

NOW IT'S YOUR TURN:

* Share a little piece of the craziness that exists in your life on a daily basis.

* What has you coming back to this blog day after day, week after week, or month after month?

* When you choose to read historical fiction, what makes you select the book?

** This note is for our email readers. Please do not reply via email with any comments. View the blog online and scroll down to the comments section.

Come back on the 9th of each month for my next foray into historical tidbits to share.

BIO

Tiffany Amber Stockton has embellished stories since childhood, thanks to a very active imagination and notations of talking entirely too much. Honing those skills led her to careers as an award-winning, best-selling author and speaker, while also working as a professional copywriter/copyeditor. She loves to share life-changing products and ideas with others to help improve their lives in a variety of ways, but especially from the inside out.

Currently, she lives with her husband and fellow author, Stuart Vaughn Stockton, along with their two children, three dogs, and three cats in southeastern Kentucky. In her 20+ years as a professional writer, she has sold twenty-six (26) books so far and has agent representation with Tamela Murray of the Steve Laube Agency. You can find her on Facebook and GoodReads.

Sometimes Mail-Order Brides Arrived in Groups

image by mikle15, deposit photos

One group of brides was gathered by Asa Mercer. In point of fact, he made two trips from the Pacific Northwest to Massachusetts in order to bring prospective brides west with him. In 1863, he had gathered enough money from donations to travel east. He hoped to bring hundreds of women back with him, but Massachusetts feared a lack of labor for its textile mills when they reopened after the Civil War. In the end, he only convinced eleven women to travel west with him. All but two found husbands. One of the two devoted herself to teaching, eventually becoming a county school superintendent. Another died, probably from heart problems.

In 1865, Asa returned east to find more women willing to travel west in search of husbands. At one time, he sent a message back to Seattle to prepare for three hundred “war orphans” to accompany him west.

Unfortunately for him, some newspapers became suspicious about Mercer’s motivations, accusing him of recruiting for “dens of iniquity.” As the trip was taking far longer than he expected, Mercer’s capital was shrinking. The ship that was to be given by the federal government ended up in the hands of a man who demanded a far larger price for passage.

Still, he succeeded in bringing at least forty women west on his second trip. When they arrived in California, Mercer was dead broke. He telegraphed the governor of Washington, who had promised to send financial aid if it was required. The governor did not follow through. Many of the women stayed in California, but a few made it to Washington state on several different boats.

Asa Mercer went on to work for several different newspapers in several different states, never seeming to find the exact position that suited him.

image by VitalikRadko, deposit photos

Another plan to bring women west was far more successful. Archer, Thadeus, and Samuel Benton owned a sawmill in Albany, Oregon. In the mid-1860s, the many eligible bachelors in that area commissioned the brothers to go east to bring women west.

The Benton brothers targeted smaller towns. In one town, Endicott City, Maryland, they mailed an advertisement to every home. Many women came to the meeting they held, where the brothers promised peaceful, tree-filled terrain and a husband for every woman.

Many of the men of this area had died in the Civil War, as was the case through a lot of the eastern United States. Not only was marriage unlikely in Endicott City, the opportunities for employment were few. One woman, Constance Ranney, worked as a servant at a wealthy family’s home. She was treated badly there, but saw few other opportunities in Maryland. She was one of the first to sign a contract to make the trip.

She also kept a journal of her trip, as did one other woman on the voyage, Josephine Ann Gibney. More than one hundred women had joined the expedition.

image by dechevm, deposit photos

Most of the brides stayed above deck until the ship was underway. By that time, it was too late to back out, though many wanted to when they saw the conditions of their ship, named the Osceolo. This ship was usually used to transport mules, and the “quarters” for the ladies were actually stalls. Smelly stalls, at that.

At first, most of the women demanded the ship return to shore, but a few pointed out that the conditions in Oregon were likely to be challenging as well. At that point, the ladies rolled up their sleeves and scrubbed the stalls. After several days, the smells were banished.

Then the ladies took over the kitchen, led by Miss Gibney, who had served as a cook on her grandfather’s ship. The sailors greatly appreciated the women’s efforts, saying that their food was the finest served on the ship since it first set sail.

The ladies suffered through rough waters for at least two weeks, causing most to succumb to seasickness. While Miss Gibney suffered less from illness, she was forcibly reminded of the weather that took the lives of her grandfather and her uncle.

After almost four months at sea, the Osceolo arrived in Oregon. Within a year’s time, all but seven of the women were married.

image by leszekczerwonka, deposit photos

Unfortunately, any journals written by the ladies after landing in Oregon have not survived, but I, for one, hope they all found their own happily ever after.

Martha Hutchens is a transplanted southerner who lives in Los Alamos, NM where she is surrounded by history so unbelievable it can only be true. She won the 2019 Golden Heart for Romance with Religious and Spiritual Elements. A former analytical chemist and retired homeschool mom, Martha is frequently found working on her latest knitting project when she isn’t writing.

Martha’s current novella is set in southeast Missouri during World War II. It is free to her newsletter subscribers. You can subscribe to my newsletter at my website, www.marthahutchens.com

After saving for years, Dot Finley's brother finally paid a down payment for his own land—only to be drafted into World War II. Now it is up to her to ensure that he doesn't lose his dream while fighting for everyone else's. No one is likely to help a sharecropper's family.

Nate Armstrong has all the land he can manage, especially if he wants any time to spend with his four-year-old daughter. Still, he can't stand by and watch the Finley family lose their dream. Especially after he learns that the banker's nephew has arranged to have their loan called.

Necessity forces them to work together. Can love grow along with crops?

The History of Equine Therapy ~ By Michelle Shocklee

 

My latest novel, All We Thought We Knew, is set on a Tennessee horse farm during World War II and the Vietnam War. Researching wartime is always sobering. So many soldiers never make it home. So many come home changed--physically, spiritually, and mentally. Because one of the characters in the book is a wounded Vietnam warrior, I spent a lot of time reading about various programs created to help soldiers deal with everything they experienced during the war and everything they must face after they come home. 

One of the most fascinating programs is Equine Assisted Therapy. ETA can be used to treat a variety of conditions, including anxiety, autism, cerebral palsy, dementia, depression, developmental delay, mood disorders, obsessive-compulsive disorder, and physical and mental conditions. It is also used for PTSD, loss of limbs, and other debilitating issues soldiers face when they return from war. After reading about the benefits to wounded warriors, I knew I wanted to include some type of horse therapy in the book, especially because I have some experience with it firsthand.

From Verywellmind.com

Many years ago I worked for an older couple in their home. Mr. and Mrs. B were retired and enjoying life when Mr. B suffered a stroke. I had the privilege of helping him with his speech and physical therapy during his recovery, but I also took him to equine assisted therapy appointments. There, I was able to observe how horses and people with disabilities or various issues interact with the horses. It truly is beautiful. 

But how has equine therapy come about and how has it evolved through the centuries? 

Me with some of our horses

Horses have been utilized as a therapeutic aid since the ancient Greeks used them for people with incurable illnesses. Some of the earliest recorded mentions of using horses in this way can be found in the writings of the Greek physician Hippocrates who discussed the therapeutic value of riding as early as 400 BC. Benefits of therapeutic riding were also recorded in 17th century literature where it is documented that it was prescribed for gout, neurological disorder, and low morale. In 1946 Equine Therapy was introduced in Scandinavia after an outbreak of poliomyelitis, or polio.

The type of horse therapy we see today had its beginnings in the 1950s. A Danish woman, Lis Hartel, won the silver medal in dressage in the 1952 Olympic Games. The reason this captured the world's attention is because Lis was paralysed. In 1944, Lis, then a 23-year-old pregnant mother, contracted polio and lost function of her legs. Gradually she reactivated most of her muscles, although she remained paralysed below the knees. After three years of rehabilitation, she was able to compete in the Scandinavian riding championships and finished second in women's dressage.

Lis Hartel,(Photo by Terry Fincher/Keystone/Getty Images)

Soon after, therapists in countries such as Germany, Austria, and Switzerland began to increasingly pair therapeutic riding with physical therapy treatment to inspire lasting neuromuscular changes in their patients. Word of this type of therapy spread. By the 1980s, American and Canadian therapists traveled to Germany to learn about it and bring it back to the USA. The American Hippotherapy Association (AHA) began in 1992, and the popularity and use of this type of therapy has grown.

Today, there are different types of equine therapy. Therapeutic Horseback Riding is used by disabled people who ride horses to relax, develop muscle tone, coordination, confidence, and overall well-being. Hippotherapy, which is the type of therapy Mr. B did, is an intervention used by a physical therapist, occupational therapist, recreational therapist, or speech and language pathologist and is also focused on people with physical disabilities. While therapeutic riding is mostly recreational with some clinical benefits, hippotherapy is mostly clinical with some recreational benefits. Equine Assisted Learning can be helpful for anyone with any sort of issue, and Equine Assisted Psychotherapy includes a therapy component so that the individual may reflect upon and further process his or her experiences with the horse. Through grooming, feeding, ground exercises, and riding, clients learn about themselves and others, and works with a therapist to discuss their feelings about working with horses. 

Your turn: Have you heard of equine therapy or know someone who has used it?

Michelle Shocklee is the author of several historical novels, including   Appalachian Song, a Christy Award Finalist; Count the Nights by Stars, winner of the Christianity Today Book Award; and Under the Tulip Tree, a Christy Award and Selah Award finalist. Her work has been included in numerous Chicken Soup for the Soul books, magazines, and blogs. Married to her college sweetheart and the mother of two sons and mother-in-law to two beautiful daughters, she makes her home in Tennessee, not far from the historical sites she writes about. Visit her online  at www.MichelleShocklee.com

ALL WE THOUGHT WE KNEW

1942
Ava must put her life back together after her husband is killed at Pearl Harbor. A job at Camp Forrest provides income, but it also puts her in contact with Enemy Aliens interned on the military installation. Can she trust the German medical student whose friendship means more to her than it should?

1969
Mattie ran away from the pain when her brother was killed in Vietnam. Now she’s back in Tullahoma facing another devastating loss. Yet it is the bundle of WWII letters Mama insists she reads that makes her question everything she thought she knew about herself.

https://www.tyndale.com/p/all-we-thought-we-knew/9781496484178

Children's Toys During WWII

Toys are more than entertainment. Play and the use of toys are integral to children’s skill development such as analyzing and solving problems, getting along with others, figuring out how things work, using their imagination, and learning to develop new ideas. However, with the onset of World War II and the issuance of General Limitation Order L-81 by the War Production Board, toy manufacturers were prohibited from producing toys that contained more than 7 percent by weight of iron, steel, zinc, or rayon. Existing toys with content over that amount would cease being sold after June 30, 1942.

The Children’s Bureau of the Department of Labor published a pamphlet in 1942 titled Toys in

Wartime: Suggestions to Parents on Making Toys in Wartime. The publication explained how toys could be made for children of all ages, and recommendations included:

• Dolls made from spools
• Pull toys made from spools or “anything with a string attached”
• Easels made for drawing or painting from an old orange crate or box
• Homemade looms made from scrap wood
• Doll houses from repurposed orange crates
• “Walnut shells make boats that bob around in a pool. A toothpick fastened with wax from a candle and stuck through half piece of paper in two places makes the shell into a sailboat.”

As with many adult products, from waxed paper to calendars, the victory theme permeated children’s
toys. Battle scenes, military images, and patriotic motifs also appeared in jigsaw puzzles (popular due to being inexpensive and made from non-rationed materials), coloring books, and checkerboards. Comic books, chapter books, cartoons, films, and radio programs used war plotlines. Items such as tanks and jeeps, cannons, miniature soldiers, and military uniforms for boys and nurse outfits and nurse kits for girls were popular. Model-making, always popular, moved from cars to jeeps, military planes, and navy ships. Adolf Hitler also appeared in numerous children’s toys as an object of derision such as dartboards with his face as the bull’s-eye or push toys that punched Hitler in the face.

What toy from your childhood do you remember?

_______________

A Lesson in Love (part of The Strength of His Heart Charity Anthology):

He thinks he’s too old. She thinks she’s too young. Can these teachers learn that love defies all

boundaries?

Born and raised in London, Isobel Turvine knows nothing about farming, but after most of the students in her school evacuate during Operation Pied Piper, she’s left with little to do. Then her friend Margery talks her into joining the Women’s Land Army, and she finds herself working the land at a manor home in Yorkshire that’s been converted to a boys’ school. A teacher at heart, she is drawn to the lads, but the handsome yet stiff-necked headmaster wants her to stick to farming.

Left with an arm that barely works from the last “war to end all wars,” Gavin Emerson agrees to take on the job of headmaster when his school moves from London to Yorkshire, but he’s saddled with the quirky manor owner, bickering among his teachers, and a gaggle of Land Army girls who have turned the grounds into a farm. When the group’s blue-eyed, raven-haired leader nearly runs him down in a car, he admonishes her to stay in the fields, but they are thrown together at every turn. Can he trust her not to break his heart?

Purchase link: https://amzn.to/4f9iLKO

Linda Shenton Matchett writes happily-ever-after historical Christian fiction about second chances and women who overcome life’s challenges to be better versions of themselves.

Whether you choose her books set in the Old West or across the globe during WWII, you will be immersed in the past through rich detail. Follow the journeys of relatable characters whose faith is sorely tested, yet in the end, emerge triumphant. Be encouraged in your own faith-walk through stories of history and hope.

All photos/images property of the author.