One of the simplest and most popular toys is the "Slinky". Who doesn't love a Slinky? They walk down stairs, they always pop right back into shape and they are just plain fun.
Richard James a mechanical engineer discovered the Slinky while working with springs for the Navy in 1943. He accidentally knocked one of his springs over and it walked. He knew he was onto something it wasn't going to help the project he was working on but he knew it had the possibility of being a really fun toy. He experimented with different types of metal and spring designs until he came up with the version we all know today. He showed it to his wife Betty who was doubtful. Mr. James showed the toy to some neighborhood children who loved it and well Betty was convinced. The couple got a loan for $500 and formed James Industries making 400 Slinky toys at a local machine shop. They packaged them at home then went about trying to sell them. In 1945 they convinced Gimbles department store to set up a slanted board in their Philadelphia toy department. The original 400 Slinky Toys sold out in 90 minutes!
Betty James came up with the name Slinky looking through a dictionary and it was her insistence that the toy be priced at $1. The toy sold well in the first 2 years over 100 million Slinkys. Richard and Betty James divorced in 1960. Betty stayed on running the company and Richard became a missionary. The toy was produced by James Industries until 1998 when Betty sold the company and the Slinky to a company called Poof Products.
The Slinky is still popular to this day because it really is fun for a girl and a boy.
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