1958 - Everyday Life

Everyday Life

The Brussels world's fair opens April 16 with pavilions set up by 51 nations. Centered about a huge "Atomium," which symbolizes the safe and peaceful uses of atomic energy, the fair has its 1 millionth visitor April 26.

Fashion designer Claire McCardell dies at New York March 22 at age 53; Lucien Lelong at Anglet outside his native Paris May 10 at age 68, having retired 10 years ago.

Japan's imperial family breaks tradition June 18 by permitting Crown Prince Akihito, 24, to choose his own bride.

Americans buy 100 million Hula Hoops, introduced by Wham-O Mfg., but the fad is short-lived.

Lego creator Ole Kirk Christiansen dies at age 67, and the company he started in 1934 introduces a stud-and-coupling system that permits children to snap the bricks together. It will use plastic exclusively after 1960, when its wooden-goods warehouse burns down, and will later replace the cellulose acetate in its Lego blocks with acrylonitrile butadiene styrene, which is more stable (see Legoland, 1968).

Pledge furniture duster and polisher is introduced by the S. C. Johnson Co. of Racine, Wis. (see Off, 1957).