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Anita (left), Blue-eyed Doll
that recently arrived at Matsuyama Elementary School; Dell (right), doll given
75 years ago;
and Japanese doll
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On March 4, 2002, a Blue-eyed Doll named Anita was
given by America to Matsuyama Elementary School (Principal Takao Sato, 169
students). In 1927, a doll named Dell came to Yamadera Common School (former
name of Matsuyama Elementary School) as a bridge of Japanese-American
friendship. The grandson of the original organizer of the project to send
dolls to Japan was impressed that Dell had been kept with care, so he gave a
new doll to the school.
Missionary Dr. Sidney Gulick, who was pained by the rising anti-Japanese
sentiment in the U.S. in the 1920s, began an international exchange through
Blue-eyed Dolls in order to cultivate mutual trust between Japan and America.
Through donations collected from American citizens, about 12,000 dolls
were given as "messengers of peace" to elementary schools and
kindergartens throughout Japan.
However, these dolls that crossed the Pacific Ocean were disposed of as
"dolls of the enemy" when World War II started in 1941. There were
some dolls that were preserved with care even during such a time. According
to the Blue-eyed Doll Exchange Association (headquarters in Yokohama), over
300 dolls have been found in all Japan. There are six dolls that remain in
the Shonai Region, including ones at Matsuyama Elementary School, Haguro
Daiichi Elementary School in Haguro Town, and Minami
Hirata Elementary School in Hirata Town.
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Ceremony to Welcome Anita
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Sidney Gulick, 3d, grandson of Dr. Gulick, was deeply touched that the old
dolls have been kept safely, and he began giving new dolls to Japan about ten
years ago.
On March 4, a "Blue-eyed Doll Welcoming Ceremony" was held in
the school's gymnasium. Kana Sato, a children's representative from the
second grade, says, "Dell also is happy to have Anita as a new
friend." Sixth-grader Kaori Nagaminamikaze gave a welcoming greeting,
"We want to take good care of these two dolls." Tokunori Miura
(87), who was a fifth-grade student at the same school 75 years ago when Dell
was given, talked about his memories of that time. After this talk, Yuji
Suzuki, Chairman of the Yamagata Blue-eyed Doll Association, presented Anita,
who has long brown hair, to fifth-grader Yusuke Saito and other student
representatives.
The two dolls are displayed now in the principal's office as symbols of
peace.
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