evans@mhuxt.UUCP (crandall) (01/08/86)
*** REPLACE THIS LINE WITH YOUR MESSAGE *** What follows is something I posted to net.kids and net.physics asking for information on toys that inspired people who ended up doing technical things. There was a very interesting response that was just posted to net.kids (if you can't get it send me mail and I send you a copy -- it is quite long). It was pointed out that it would be very interesting to see what sort of comments would come from people interested in biology and related fields. Send me mail and I'll post the results one of these days. If you could please identify what you ended up as (or intend to end up as). Once again my wife and I have supplied our nieces (ages 6 and 8) with lenses, tools, prisms, and the like and one again we have been told by other relatives that we should stick to more traditional toys (Cabbage Patch dolls and other very sex-roled objects). Based on an admittedly small sampling it seems like many people who have ended up in technical work remember wonderful mechanical toys, puzzles, and the like. I would like to hear comments (particularly from women) on toys that "made a difference." My wife fondly remembers a small microscope, old clocks (junkers to play with) and tools. I built telescopes and model airplanes. What did you do? What are kids doing today? send me mail and I'll post a summary... Steve Crandall mhuxt!evans