In 1990, Michael A Massa, a student at Capital University and State of Ohio Liaison Officer, created an innovative prehistoric cartoon creature for promoting children's learning and appreciation of the european Metric System. Massa had conceived, developed, and trademarked the figure with the Ohio Secretary of State's Office of Registration.
The curious creature was aptly entitled the 'MetricaSaurus'. The cartoon figure incorporated a dinosaur-like animal who's main attribute was a long lizard-like two-sided tail which automatically converted standard US measurements (inches, yards and foot measurements) to the European metric system of millimeters, centimeters and meters. The tail was comprised of a line of standard US measurements on one side, and the Metric Measurements on the opposite side. The smiling purple MetricaSaurus was often featured with inquisitive children; measuring buildings, trees and assorted other fun things, then flipping his tail around to conveniently convert those exact same measurements to the metric system. The amicable MetricaSaurus slept in a cave and his favorite foods were various numbers and numerical symbols, which he heartily consumed in all shapes, sizes and colors.
Focus studies had shown that children, as well as parents, were enchanted by the creature and its ability to convert most anything from inches to millimeters and centimeters, and so forth.
Children developed a natural interest in learning and assimilating the infomration.
The animal's clever creation was timed to coincide with the national dinausaur craze which was sweeping the nation at the time, and had become quite a lucrative revenue line for America's toymakers and entertainment outlets.
The US Department of Education was seriously considering using Massa's creation as the
focal-point of a national elementary school initiative to promote the planned U.S. national conversion to the metric-based system. One senior education policy maker stated that the idea was absolutely brilliant and credited Massa with creating "not only a practical tool for children to learn- but a fun one as well". Massa had also approached a Europeon Union Education Commission on the same Italian 'dinosauro cartoni' concept...
The Department of Education unfortunately did not fund the initiative due to fiscal contraints, but the affable MetricaSaurus remains a memorable creature and still serves a practical education purpose and inspiration for children in the US and Italy.
