“Woody”

by Rev. Roy “Grampa” Tucker

            In the summer of 1933, 67 years before this was written, Albert F. (later Dr. Al) Tucker was the camp director for group of Boy Scouts in the Santa Rosa Mountains in New Mexico. In the mountains there are no bodies of water; the recreation is horse management and riding. The hobby is woodcarving. The main project was making the wooden dolls and their platforms (paddles) and dancing them to music. They were carved from California Redwood. Dr. Al brought one of these dolls back to Alabama on a visit back home.

        Dr. Al’s nephew was 2 years old. Fifteen years later when the nephew was 17 the West Point Manufacturing Company Fairfax Division Recreation Department set up a talent event. The nephew’s father was a Department Manager at the plant. A young man working under him was the leader of a stringed band group. He made the boast that his band would take first place. His Overseer (the above) took the challenge and made his first wooden doll. This one was about 1/3 larger than the present ones and the nephew’s mother dressed it in black pants, a red shirt and red cap and shoes. The nephew, Ray Tucker, played the piano and his father, W. R., danced the doll. We won the second prize. The first  prize went to a 6 year old blond who sang and the string band took third prize, which was $2.00 to be divided between 5 fellows.

        Later the dancing doll “Woody” was featured as the “between the acts performer” for a local theatrical and became noted for being at different local functions as an entertainer.

        No more action was taken on the doll project for about 10 years, when the grandchildren, Ray’s family, was growing up. It was then that the writer made dolls for the 3 children the size of the present model. And again his wife, the grandmother, dressed the dolls.

        As their popularity grew many more were made for family and friends. A register was kept for several years and a list of over one hundred dolls were entered. Time and space will not allow an account of all these dolls. Many sit on doctors' desk and they use them to show bone patients where surgery will take place. Others hang on walls in little girls' bedrooms, and toddlers drag them around by one leg. Many are overseas as doctors sent or carried them home. They have gone as far as California and Washington State and this summer (the year 2000) two of them will tour Alaska from Alabama. One of our Peace Corps workers gave them to home craft shops in Honduras and Guatemala for the shop owners to use as patterns to make them down there.

        Since the death of the grandmother in 1997 there has been a revival of interest. This time, North Palm Beach in Florida, the number has swelled to more than 200. They are used in church schools, retirement villages, Sunday school classes and other places.

        Recently they have joined The Tucker Brothers band where Grampa plays rhythm on the hand drum and the dolls.  In 1998 the grandchildren, now in their 40’s, have set up an open air work shop  for Grampa in North Palm where he (now 91) still makes the dolls.

        One nephew of the maker made one a classic painted in enamel that is a companion in Baptist Youth camps, where he and his wife drive the bus and chaperone the group. Most of the dolls are now hand painted or left in the natural state in cedar, cypress, pine and mahogany or other kinds of woods.

Copyright © 2000, Rev. William R. Tucker
All Rights Reserved