Sidney Gulick, 3d, and Wife Give Three Dolls to Nursery Schools in the Town of Aso

Blue-eyed Dolls
- Gifts to Nursery Schools -

On June 21, 2000, a Blue-eyed Doll Presentation Ceremony took place at the Kumamoto YMCA Aso Camp in Kurumagaeri.

    Sidney Gulick, 3d, who is the grandson of the missionary Dr. Gulick, and his wife are heirs to his grandfather's wish for friendship. They gave Blue-eyed Dolls to three neighborhood Kumamoto YMCA Nursery Schools. The dolls' names are Tammy, Wanda, and Becky. Mr. Gulick, 3d, said, "These are dolls that show the sincere feelings of American children. Please take good care of them and enjoy them."
    In 1927, Dr. Gulick gave about 13,000 Blue-eyed Dolls to elementary schools and kindergartens throughout Japan as evidence of Japanese-American friendship. However, during World War II they were destroyed as dolls of the enemy. Today, out of the 285 dolls remaining in Japan, only two dolls remain in Kumamoto Prefecture.
    The children sang songs and expressed their appreciation in English, "Thank you for the pretty dolls. We will take good care of them."
    The Gulicks have visited Kumamoto twice, and they have a given a total of five dolls to elementary schools and other organizations in Kumamoto City.

This is an English translation of a Japanese web page (link no longer available).
From the August 2000 issue of Aso magazine, published by the Aso Town Office.

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