The Milwaukee WPA Doll Unit
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The first doll made its appearance in the spring of 1936. It was 22 inches tall with a molded head and soft body, similar to the one pictured here. A young sculptor named Dick Wiken worked on the design of the doll's head with Mary June Kellogg (Rice). He created a mold of the face. Three layers of ribbed knit material were pressed into the mold and stiffened. The face mask was then removed from the mold, painted, filled, wigged, and attached to the body. The head was practically unbreakable. Helen Clark designed the soft body which consisted of percale stuffed with kapok. The doll was designed to be sturdy yet flexible enough to stand, sit, and move easily while being dressed by children.