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December 20
1892 - Benjamin Harrison establishes 555,520-acre San Gabriel Timberland Reserve (Angeles National Forest). First forest reserve in California, second in U.S. [story]
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Barbie

Photo courtesy of The Strong National Museum of Play. Rochester, New York.

In the late 1990s, creators at Mattel decided it was time to make a Barbie doll devoted to the Deaf and hard-of-hearing community. Who better to advise the El Segundo-based toymaker than the staff at California State University, Northridge’s National Center on Deafness?

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The NCOD has provided services to Deaf and hard-of-hearing students as well as CSUN faculty and staff since 1964. Their services include a student orientation program, interpreting and transcription, academic advisement and tutoring.

Los Angeles Times article published in June 2000 reported that NCOD consultants and Mattel considered a Barbie with two hearing aids, but decided that Barbie as American Sign Language (ASL) teacher would appeal to a broader audience. The doll came with a whiteboard and reuseable stickers showing how to sign certain words. Barbie is signing “I love you.”

According to the article, Mattel reported “skyrocketing” sales when the doll was released — it was very popular among collectors. Mattel released two versions of “Sign Language Barbie,” one Black and one white.

The now-defunct Toys R Us chain originally sold “Sign Language Barbie” exclusively — and if you have one, you might want to hold onto it. These days, prices on eBay range around $50-$125.

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HIGHER EDUCATION LINKS
LOCAL COLLEGE HEADLINES
Thursday, Dec 19, 2024
The Santa Clarita Community College District Board of Trustees, which oversees College of the Canyons, swore in recently elected board members, named its new officers, received recognitions for service and set its 2025 meeting schedule at the board’s business and organizational meeting held on Wednesday, Dec. 18.
Monday, Dec 16, 2024
Wednesday, Dec 11, 2024
California State University, Northridge’s Wendy Ashley, chair of the Department of Social Work, encourages those experiencing elevated stress levels and anxiety to prioritize their own wellbeing. 
Tuesday, Dec 10, 2024
The Roy and Edna Disney/CalArts Theater announced its 2025 Winter-Spring season, running Jan. 16 through June 14, 2025.
Monday, Dec 9, 2024
The city of Santa Clarita’s Film Office has released the list of six productions currently filming in the Santa Clarita Valley for the week of Monday, Dec. 9 to Sunday, Dec. 15.
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