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A dentist, Hicks will be remembered more for his unusual collection. "He was the kind of guy who never met a lightbulb he didn't like," says Harold D. Wallace of the Smithsonian Institution's National Museum of American History. "In terms of numbers, his may very well be the largest collection in the world." Hicks collected more than 75,000 bulbs, including one of the first bulbs from the Statue of Liberty's torch, and displayed them in his free, private museum in Baltimore, Md. His fascination with light bulbs started early. "My grandmother always told the story that he didn't want to play with toys when he was a baby, so she put a lightbulb in his crib and he began playing with it," his daughter Frances said. His collection includes a 4'-tall, 50,000 watt bulb, a dashboard light from the Enola Gay, and a headlight from Hitler's Mercedes. The collection had 6,000 visitors per year. Hicks died May 14 from a heart attack in Baltimore. He was 79. From This is True for 12 May 2002 Suggestions for further reading:
 By: Ira Flatow List Price: $13.00 Amazon Price: $9.62 Editorial Review: An enlightening and fun look at scientific discoveries and the often wacky and accidental ways in which they have led to some of the most important inventions--by award-winning journalist Ira Flatow.  By: John R. Matthews List Price: $9.95 Amazon Price: $9.95  By: Deborah Hedstrom-Page List Price: $9.99 Amazon Price: $9.99 Editorial Review: For students ages eight to fourteen, the MY AMERICAN JOURNEY series presents a true history of the United States with a cleverly helpful dose of fiction. Each of the ten books recounts highlights from the life of a political, creative, or cultural legend. But to engage a student’s interest from page one, a fictional narrator—usually a school-age person who somehow knew the main hero—tells the story with youthful vigor. Adding to Deborah Hedstrom-Page’s unique lessons are illustrations from Sergio Martinez (Max Lucado’s You Are Special). Each book also contains study questions and activity pages for every chapter. Thomas Edison (1847–1931) was a bright American inventor and businessman best-known for his patent of the light bulb. His story as retold here teaches readers about the core value of hope—expecting good things to happen.  By: Marc Tyler Nobleman List Price: $22.60 Amazon Price: $22.60  By: James Lincoln Collier List Price: $39.93 Amazon Price: $39.93 |
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