Betty came in 1927 to Senmaya Elementary School from Marshfield, Massachusetts, as one of over 12,000 dolls sent to Japan to promote friendship and peace between America and Japan. These dolls were given to elementary schools and kindergartens throughout Japan, and 263 were distributed to schools in Iwate Prefecture.

Although these dolls symbolized the desire for friendship and peace, when World War II broke out many of them were smashed or burned as "dolls of the enemy." Fortunately, Betty was protected by the teachers and others in the area, so she survived the war. Now only about 300 of the dolls remain in all Japan, and 12 remain in Iwate Prefecture.

Shuji Hagisho has had a long history together with Betty. He has been at Senmaya Elementary School as a student, teacher, and then principal from 1988 to 1990, when he retired. Especially during the time he served as Senmaya's principal, he contributed to the promotion of cultural exchange by such activities as sending letters of friendship to America. Shuji Hagisho was suddenly awakened to Betty's historical significance when he made the acquaintance of Eiko Takeda, a children's author who has done much research and written several books about the Blue-eyed Dolls sent from America in 1927.