The period of World War II presented significant challenges to many industries, including the toy industry. The use of metals in manufacturing toys was prohibited during this era, and the Electric Game Company needed to pivot to sustain its operations.
By the end of the 1930s, the company was selling its games to many major department stores, including Macy's, Bambergers, Jordan-Marsh, and Marshall Field. The company increased its advertising expenditures from $5,000 to $7,000. Sales in 1939 increased 500% from the previous year. There were still an insufficient number of games manufactured to fulfill demand.
A new game was in the works. It would be a question-and-answer game where a light would go off if you correctly answered the questions. The original plan, which proved too costly, was to have a second light for wrong answers. Outside engineers said such an electronic game could not be produced. James Prentice proved his critics wrong. Approximately 1,000 games of various types were made daily by the 25-30 skilled workers.
In 1941, George Prentice, father of James Prentice, left his employment at White & Wyckoff after 21 years of service and joined his son at the Electric Game Company.
In 1941, James Prentice moved from his home at 1934 Northampton Street to Burnett Street in South Hadley.
The transition to producing non-metal items for sale during the war led to the production of toys made from wood and plastic. Over 1,000 toy stoves were produced daily. Additionally, children's pull toys such as toy dogs, ducks, and various other animals were being manufactured.
The company also received military contracts. To fulfill orders for tents, tool rolls, and bedding, the company purchased rebuilt sewing machines, electric cutters, and other essential equipment.
Its second contract with the U.S. Army's Ordnance Department in 1943 was for 150,000 canvas tool rolls and pup tents. In 1944, it was awarded a U. S. Navy contract for bedding rolls. In 1945, a U. S. Marine Corps contract for additional bedding rolls was being fulfilled by 50 employees. The remainder of its workforce, which consisted of 25 to 30 people, continued to manufacture games.
In mid-1945, the company relocated to Front Street, occupying the former Lyman Mills warehouse. It now had 20,000 square feet of space on 2.5 floors. Electric toy manufacturing resumed. A new line of games for younger participants was being developed. The post-World War II era was beginning for the Electric Game Company.
Newspapers.com (paid subscription): Citations: Holyoke (Massachusetts) Transcript & Transcript-Telegram; Springfield (Massachusetts) Republican; publication dates and pages are shown.
Ancestry.com (paid subscription); Census and Birth records
Ancestry.com (paid subscription); Price & Lee, City of Holyoke (Massachusetts) Directories
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