During the 1930s, the American production industry continued to advance and improve. The “shining star” industry of this period was Toys, which reached some major milestones. Movies, such as the first Disney film: Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs (1937), and board games, such as Monopoly which was introduced in 1935, became especially popular as well. The now famous Dick and Jane books, who assisted in the literary education of multitudes of children, made their debut in 1931. Stamp collecting, a popular hobby during this time period, was endorsed by President Roosevelt. With regard to clothing, the most notable improvement was the increasing popularity of the zipper.
The Viewmaster Slide Viewer was one of the main toys that came to life in the 1930s. It began in 1939 in Portland,Oregon, and was invented by William Grubber.
The three most significant board games invented during the 1930s were Monopoly, Sorry, and Scrabble. These games have been updated in style and detail since this period, but are still popular today.
During the 1930s, the now famous book series entitled "Dick and Jane" made its debut. These student-learning books were put in schools during the 1930s and were a reliable learning resource until the 1970s, when they were officially removed from the school system.
A major hobby of this time period was stamp collecting, which some people still do today. Franklin Delano Roosevelt was a publicly known supporter of stamp collecting, as seen in the middle picture above, and also had his own personal stamp collection. It is said that as a child he looked for stamps to gain knowledge about the world. During his entire life, even throughout his presidency, he spent time each day with his collection, as it brought him inner peace and relaxation.
Making monumental developments during this time period, the zipper began to rise in popularity; beginning in 1933 with the movement to incorporate zippers into the children's clothing market. After this movement, child psychologists begin to suggest that the zipper, being more expensive than buttons, is the choice of responsible parents. During 1939, the zipper reached its highest sell point yet, with 3 million zippers being sold throughout the whole year.