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Park Central Branch Library to host 19th and 20th Century toy exhibit

Park Central Branch Library Facebook

Vintage toys will be on display beginning December 6.

A 19th and 20th Century toy exhibit will be on display beginning on Friday December 6 in Springfield.

Dr Billie Follensbee, a professor at Missouri State is coordinating the exhibition. She said the exhibit will feature vintage toys such as kewpie dolls, metal and leather toy animals, China dolls and doll furniture, a set of tiddlywinks and much more.

Funding for the exhibit comes from the Missouri Humanities Council Major Grant. The grant allowed her to purchase the two large display cases that will be showcasing all of the toys along some other exhibitions she coordinates as well.

Dr. Follensbee said that toys are important in understanding history.

“Toys are an often-neglected source of information that could tell us a great deal about history. The toys that are on display show us that people in the Ozarks at the turn of the century cared about their children,” she said. “The children didn’t choose these toys, the adults did. And the toys therefore reflect what the adults wanted for their children. Whether that was to teach them childcare with dolls or how to care for and harness farm animals through play with toy horses and equipment.”

The exhibition opening reception is Friday, December 6 at the Park Central Branch Library from 6:30 to 7:30 p.m.