Jul 11, 2008

Who Remembers Cappy Dick?




While searching for craft ideas to do with my son this summer, I came across a treasured book from my father’s childhood.



The Stay At Home Book for Boys and Girls, by Cappy Dick published in 1944. This book has 218 crafts and game making ideas for children. It’s really quite a complete collection of wonderful indoor and outdoor projects, typical of the time period.
Each page has an illustration and very detailed instructions.
As you can see from the photos, my copy is quite worn and the pages are yellowed and somewhat brittle. The index includes such classic crafts as:

#64 Clothespin Fishing Game.
#70 Homemade “Walkie-Talkie”.
#111 Funny Mechanical Man (robot costume from cardboard boxes).
#156 Paper and Paste Fruit (papier-mâché).
#189 Seed Pictures

I remember making most of these myself as a child and for today’s children they will be completely new and best of all battery free.
There are also terrific riddles and jokes printed throughout the pages. This book is of course out
of print but can be found on antique book sites.

Cappy Dick was created in the late 1930's by Robert Cleveland, editor of Chicago's Southtown Economist newspaper.
Cappy was an old seaman, depicted with a yachting cap, flowing white moustache, and pipe.
You can read all about him at Rewind The Fifties.We will be trying some of these projects and I will post about our "blast from the past crafting" adventures!

4 comments:

Unknown said...

As a kid I took the "Stay at Home Book" out of our local library so often that I felt that I was loaning my book to them. It kept me engaged and busy for hours each time. Try making the little engine from a wooden spool, toothpick, rubber band and thumbtack; send it scooting across the floor; and then tell me it's not the most fun you've had in a long time!
Marty Winsor

DJ said...

Martin: Thank you so much for visiting! I knew I wasn't the only one who loved this book. Kids today don't know what they are missing.

Anonymous said...

I received my copy of "The Stay at Home Book" for Christmas 1945 when I was 7 years old. I still have it -my kids used it and I keep it in my home for my grandkids to browse thru and use. Loved the projects (would mark-done- as I progressed thru the book) and of course the jokes were great. Kids need more books like this--it let you use your imagination and creativity!!!

dd said...

I also took this book out of the library several times in the 50s. Wasn't there more than one?

dd

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