The Teddy Bear was most certainly a gift given to many children over the past few holidays. Considered a collectors item by many, as well old tattered bears from a person’s childhood still hold an affectionate place in the hearts of their owners that is priceless. These toys hold a relatively new place in the American culture.
According to myth a toy maker in Brooklyn, New York came up with the idea for a stuffed bear for children. Where the exact idea for the concept came from is a matter of debate, the same concept was also being explored in Germany by another group of toy makers. He sent the bear along with a letter to President Theodore Roosevelt asking for permission to name their new invention after him. The President allowed for them to make this new toy his namesake and “Teddy’s Bear” was born. He placed the bear in the window of his shop and was an instant draw in for customers.
The association with Theodore Roosevelt goes beyond just his name. He in fact hated being called Teddy. Theodore Roosevelt was the quintessential outdoors man enjoying such things as hunting, farming, expeditions, etc. In 1910 he went on an expedition once to Africa to provide specimens for the Smithsonian museum. Prior to this in 1902 he went to Mississippi to settle a border dispute that state had with Louisiana. While there the local officials that were hosting him took him on a bear hunting expedition. The expedition was a bust; they didn’t come across any bears. To help the situation one of the officials captured a bear cub and brought it to the President so that he could shoot it. President Roosevelt refused to hurt the bear. He didn’t feel that it was right to shoot an animal in captivity.
The incident inspired Clifford Berryman to draw the cartoon “Drawing the line at the Mississippi”. It shows President Roosevelt refusing to shoot a bear cub. Consequently “Teddy’s Bear” became a popular icon for pop culture of that time; the name was eventually changed to Teddy Bear. The Teddy Bear toy became so popular that it was no longer just for children, ladies would carry them with them about town. There was even a popular song written for the beloved bear called the “Teddy Bear two step” which was changed “Teddy Bears Picnic” with the addition of words. The Teddy Bear was such a popular image that Theodore Roosevelt used the image in his re-election campaign which was successful in bringing him into a second term in office.
Read more at Suite101: Teddy Bear: An American Mythology http://www.suite101.com/content/teddy-bear-a11461#ixzz0ykFkSsGS
No comments:
Post a Comment