In 1927, a gift arrived from America to Daiyon Azuma Elementary School. It wasn’t candy or toys. It was a doll named Mary, a blue-eyed ambassador of friendship. Daiyon Azuma Elementary wasn’t the only recipient. Thousands of these “Friendship Dolls” were sent to Japan, a gesture of goodwill between nations. Mary became a beloved member of the Daiyon Azuma Elementary School family. She witnessed the daily lives of students in the small village of Tone, nestled among mountains. She saw children playing along the Tone River, perhaps even visiting the magnificent Fukiware Falls. The children at Daiyon Azuma Elementary School treasured Mary. They knew her story, how she symbolized the connection between their village and a distant land. Decades later, Mary’s story was broadcast on national television in 1973. This broadcast sparked a nationwide search for other Friendship Dolls, many of which had survived a wartime order for their destruction. Daiyon Azuma Elementary School proudly displayed its precious doll. The school also welcomed a new blue-eyed doll named Erika in 1987. Erika, a gift from Sidney Gulick, 3d, represented a continued bond between the countries. The students at Daiyon Azuma Elementary School all knew about Mary and Erika. They even performed picture-story shows and sang songs about the Friendship Dolls’ history. They wondered about the fate of the 58 dolls Japanese children sent to America in return. Today, Mary’s legacy continues at Daiyon Azuma Elementary School, a reminder of a simple gift that became a symbol of lasting friendship.
Центральный дом работников искусств
Step through the grand wooden doors of the Central House of the Workers of Art, and you’ll be transported to