Teachers, folks who know teachers---help!

Originally Posted By TALL Disney Guy

Hey y'all, I've been on a quest for something from my early school years, but so far have come up empty-handed.

In the '70s and '80s there was this awesome learn-to-read program called "The Letter People" that lots of schools used, and I got to experience it in Kindergarten. There were film strips, records, awesome blow-up characters of the Letter People called "huggables" that stood in our classroom windows, and there was even a PBS series called "The Letter People" that was made up of 60 15-minute episodes which were taped in St. Louis.

Now I have been doing everything I can to try and locate the "Huggables" somewhere...whether it's taking them off a teacher's hands if they're not using them anymore, or finding someone who happens to have them but doesn't really wanna hold on to 'em, whatever. These were such an important part of my childhood and I would LOVE to have them again.

I've e-mailed over a dozen teachers right here in Kentucky, but haven't heard back from any of 'em---not even a simple "I'm sorry, I can't help you". Just not a peep. (This is odd, we southerners are usually extra-polite). I went back to my old elementary school a while back to ask my kindergarten teacher if she had 'em, and she looked at me sadly and said she had *just* *thrown* *them* *away*. (!) OH man that hurt...to think these are so hard to find anyway (trust me, I've tried on eBay with no success), and the very ones I grew up with were simply tossed to the trash a day or 2 before I asked---okay, moving on before I cry...

So if anyone here is a teacher or knows teachers or educators who may have used the Letter People or know someone who did, or if anyone happens to see any of the "Huggables" (maybe they'll miraculously pop up at a yard sale or flea market), PLEASE let me know and I would love to acquire them. I do have the PBS series on DVD, which I love, and a couple of other relics, but these "Huggables" are my new quest.

Beware though---the Letter People were given a politically correct makeover around 1990 (*UGH*), and those are the ones I do NOT want.

Here's a page of the Original Letter People:

<a href="http://www.geocities.com/letterfolks/" target="_blank">http://www.geocities.com/lette
rfolks/</a>

You'll see a link there for a page that shows the "Huggables", so ya can see what in the world I'm talkin' about, lol.

Thanks to anyone who may be of help!

 

Originally Posted By DVC_dad

I am particularly skilled in procurring rare and hard to find ... "things" shall we say. But it'll cost ya. Give me a week or three.

 

Originally Posted By DVC_dad

<<film strips>>.... LOL

Now THERE's a term I haven't heard in AGES.

 

Originally Posted By TALL Disney Guy

I know, lol...back in more "archaic" times!

<But it'll cost ya. Give me a week or three.>

Hey, I'm willin' to pay---I'm at the mercy of anyone who finds 'em! lol

*gulp*

 

Originally Posted By chickendumpling

<<haven't heard back from any of 'em---not even a simple "I'm sorry, I can't help you". Just not a peep.>>

Well, you know "peeps" are disliked by many people and I guess now we know why....




I'll see if I can come up with anything. Gratis.

 

Originally Posted By LVBelle

Oooh, that's a tough one. I haven't seen any of the Huggables, just some of the old inflatable letters, I think the teacher next to me has some. I also recently got a Letter People record that someone was throwing out! I have no player to play it on but I just couldn't resist since I grew up with that album!

 

Originally Posted By TALL Disney Guy

<I haven't seen any of the Huggables, just some of the old inflatable letters>

Wait, those are the Huggables! That's what I meant by "blow-up", inflatable---just couldn't remember the word while I was posting, lol.

 

Originally Posted By chickendumpling

When TDLfan finds out you are trying to get "inflatables" he is gonna be MERCILESS to you!!!

<---sits innocently waiting for admin.

 

Originally Posted By Ursula

Is this what you mean?

<a href="http://cgi.ebay.com/Letter-People-N-20-inches-tall-huggable-inflatable_W0QQitemZ5670080136QQcategoryZ102943QQssPageNameZWDVWQQrdZ1QQcmdZViewItem" target="_blank">http://cgi.ebay.com/Letter-Peo
ple-N-20-inches-tall-huggable-inflatable_W0QQitemZ5670080136QQcategoryZ102943QQssPageNameZWDVWQQrdZ1QQcmdZViewItem</a>

I have no memory of ever hearing about this teaching tool. I guess my school couldn't afford them?

 

Originally Posted By Ursula

Or is that the new, PC version?

 

Originally Posted By TALL Disney Guy

Hmmm, I can't see eBay links here at work Urs, so I can't confirm yet---but if you go to my link in post 1, there is a link under "Contents" that says "The Letter People 'Huggables'" and it shows all 26 in individual pictures in a grid-like gallery.

I'm guessin' though the ones you found on eBay are the icky new PC ones, since I haven't seen the old ones there...over the last few *years* I've only seen a spare one here and there! *sigh*...

And not all schools used 'em, but a good percentage did I would guess...they seem to have been more used in the south and the midwest, but I think there were some in every area of the country that probably used 'em.

 

Originally Posted By DVC_dad

I was kidding about it'll cost ya. But not kidding about finding them. If they exist I will find them. Locating odd and hard to find things is a hobby for me. I LOVE it! My father used to collect out of print and rare books, which I think is where I got the taste.

 

Originally Posted By TALL Disney Guy

Well thank ya DVC_dad, I do appreciate it.

But I'm not kidding about paying---I mean, if anyone here finds someone who has them, well, if they *wanna* just give 'em away of course that's fine, but if they want them sold then I would gladly buy them (as long as they weren't *too* big a dent in my budget). I'll just do whatever it takes to find my "old friends" again!

 

Originally Posted By DVC_dad

Tall you remind me of me often. I too am a very nostalgic person.

 

Originally Posted By TALL Disney Guy

My sister and I are too, _dad...ain't nothin' like nostalgia, is there?

 

Originally Posted By u k fan

Nostalgia ain't what it used to be!!!

 

Originally Posted By TheRedhead

Come and meet the Letter People.
Come and visit the family.
Words are made of Letter People.
A B C D, follow me.

Good times.

 

Originally Posted By LVBelle

Let me see what I can do, Tall. The teacher that I think has them is retiring at the end of the year, I'll see if I can snag 'em if she has 'em!

 

Originally Posted By TALL Disney Guy

That's it, TheRedHead! The good ol' PBS theme...

Oohhhh LVBelle, thank you!! I'm so glad she's retirin', lol! As long as they're the *original* Letter People and not that ugly unimaginative PC ones!

 

Originally Posted By TALL Disney Guy

*BUMP*

Still lookin' to adopt good ol' fashioned vintage Letter Peole blow-up "huggables" that need a good new home...