"The Toy That Kills" article - 1950

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Peiper
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"The Toy That Kills" article - 1950

Post by Peiper »

I found the magazine "Woman's Home Companion" that has the well-known anti- switchblade article, "The Toy That Kills", and helped push the Switchblade Act of 1958. This is a hard magazine to acquire these days. The article is mentioned in several books, such as "the Latama Legend". It is a long article and I am going to post it for anyone who wants to read it. A nice addition to any switchblade collection.
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Peiper
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Re: "The Toy That Kills" article - 1950

Post by Peiper »

Here is the whole article. Please share your thoughts!
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JulesVane
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Re: "The Toy That Kills" article - 1950

Post by JulesVane »

Peiper...thanks so much for posting this to share with us! I'm gonna' have a good read!
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Panzerfaust
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Re: "The Toy That Kills" article - 1950

Post by Panzerfaust »

Thanks for sharing. I have read the article somewhere online but it's been a while.
Quaero
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Re: "The Toy That Kills" article - 1950

Post by Quaero »

Yes, a classic. We should all give up our switchblades before everyone dies. :)
portlandmike
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Re: "The Toy That Kills" article - 1950

Post by portlandmike »

I've got a copy .. it's a great piece of history
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texans123
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Re: "The Toy That Kills" article - 1950

Post by texans123 »

Thanks you for sharing, I've never seen this article.
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john
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Re: "The Toy That Kills" article - 1950

Post by john »

Thanks for posting this ridiculous historical article.
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button_man
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Re: "The Toy That Kills" article - 1950

Post by button_man »

This reminds me of an article I read some years ago that lists the top three concerns of teachers back in the 1950s -- I might be a little off on the specifics, but it was something along the lines of "Running in hallways; chewing gum; talking in class". Compare this quaint relic of history to today's urban schools, which are increasingly difficult to tell apart from hellhole lockups like Riker's Island.

I actually do believe that drying up the supply of spring-knives with the federal 1958 law probably DID prevent some stabbings. It really could have been the right thing to do at the time. But the intervening 62 years have seen such a staggering devolution in American society that --like the concerns over running in halls, or talking in class-- the petty concerns of yesteryear have been eclipsed by an avalanche of corruption, decay, wholesale violence, and criminal evil.

I can't begin to imagine what kind of society the continuing downward spiral will have created in another twenty years.
As dear little Tiny Tim sagely observed, "God help us, every one".
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Chris51P
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Re: "The Toy That Kills" article - 1950

Post by Chris51P »

Did the same person that wrote this article write "Reefer Madness?" :lol:
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Jackalope
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Re: "The Toy That Kills" article - 1950

Post by Jackalope »

I carried a stiletto to school back in the 1960's. I've never killed anyone yet! 😐
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rock-n-roll$$$$$$
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Re: "The Toy That Kills" article - 1950

Post by rock-n-roll$$$$$$ »

Sir,my I please have a pack of Marlboro's and a switchblade,sure son that will be $3.50 ,and have a nice day.
sammy the blade
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Re: "The Toy That Kills" article - 1950

Post by sammy the blade »

Jackalope wrote: Sun Dec 20, 2020 5:35 pm I carried a stiletto to school back in the 1960's. I've never killed anyone yet! 😐
What you waitin on? You need to shank someone.
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Fishtail Picklock
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Re: "The Toy That Kills" article - 1950

Post by Fishtail Picklock »

What pure Socialist claptrap! Raise your child properly, with a modicum of responsibility and self-control, and these problems tend to resolve themselves.
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Luke_of_Mass
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Re: "The Toy That Kills" article - 1950

Post by Luke_of_Mass »

Fishtail Picklock wrote: Fri Dec 25, 2020 2:03 am What pure Socialist claptrap!
You sure? Hard to expect such agendas penned by one of Harry Truman's own ghost writers!

http://pdf.oac.cdlib.org/pdf/berkeley/b ... cubanc.pdf (page 3)

The ultimate bill itself, I think, was probably about minorities more than it was about the knives themselves, but it was an easy way to point to such a bill and say "hey, we're making progress!", without truly addressing issues. Possibly the most striking statement offered by proponents of the bill came in the form of a question to a witness from Senator Frederick G. Payne of Maine, who asked “Isn’t it true that that type of knife, switchblade knife … was developed, actually, abroad, and was developed by the so-called scum, or the group who are always involved in crime?” I read this, and think almost instantly that it was in reference to the Italian immigrant population, most notably in New York City.

Every stereotype has a grain of truth, right?
Knee-deep in the hoopla...
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