The first Slinky

The toy Slinky was invented and developed by naval engineer Richard James in
the early 1940s. He demonstrated his creation in November OF 1945 at Gimbels department store in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. The toy was a hit, selling its entire inventory of 400 units in ninety minutes. James and his wife Betty formed James Industries in Philadelphia to manufacture Slinky and several related toys such as
the Slinky Dog and Suzie, the Slinky Worm. In 1960, Betty became president of
James Industries, and, in 1964, moved the operation to Hollidaysburg, Pa. In
1998, she sold the company to Poof Products, Inc. Industry experts predict the 
Slinky will make a comeback this year. 

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Slinky inventor Richard James

Betty James

 
                
               Paul Tanner (October 15, 1917 – February 5, 2013)

Paul Tanner, the last surviving member of the Glenn Miller Orchestra died this
past Tuesday in Carlsbad, California. The trombonist performed with the Glenn
Miller Orchestra from 1938-42, when Miller joined the Army Air Force during
World War II and started a military band.

Tanner later developed the Electro-Theremin , the distinctive instrument heard
on the Beach Boys songs “Good Vibrations, “ “I Just Wasn’t Made for These
Times,’’ and “Wild Honey”. Tanner himself played the unusual instrument.

Paul Tanner with the Electro-Theremin

Paul Tanner (Far left) and members of the brass section from the Glenn Miller Orchestra.

 

André Cassagnes (September 23, 1926 – January 16, 2013)

Cassagnes was a Frenchinventor, electrical technician, toymaker, and a kite
designer. He was the inventor of the Etch a Sketch in the late 1950s, a popular
mechanical drawingtoy manufactured by Ohio Art Company. Cassagnes died
in a suburb of Paris on Wednesday, January 16.

A kite designed by Cassagnes

 
Each roll of Necco Wafers contains eight flavors: wintergreen, chocolate, orange, cinnamon, licorice, clove, lime, and lemon.

During the Civil War, they  were called “hub wafers”. By 1912 the confection was  
being advertised as “Necco Wafers”, a name they still go by today. Necco Wafers 
were invented in 1850 by Oliver Chase, an English immigrant. His company merged
with two others, forming the New England Confectionery Company (NECCO).

Oliver R. Chase with Americas first candy machine, a
lozenge cutter. Chase was inducted into the Candy
Hall of Fame in 2006. 

1913

The water tower of the NECCO facility in Cambridge,
Massachusetts.

 
Tonya Harding turned 42 in November.

 
Nancy Kerrigan became 43 in October.