N.B.G.S.

Let us contemplate enraptured the most exotic bloom in the garden of state in New Zealand, let us sink into its heavy fragrance, and, knowing already the admiration and attention which Is bestowed on this fair flower by all about us, let us examine its rich and varied qualities in some detail, to discover wherein lies its magic beauty. The full petalled, glamour blossom I write of is that teacher of the young and refresher of the old, that many hued repository of New Zealand's culture and knowledge and patron of the arts, the National Commercial Broadcasting Service.

This Cinderella offshoot of the National Broadcasting Service, acting as its own fairy godmother, with a little financial prompting in the role by the Government, solely on Its own charming personality has won an unchallengable place in the hearts and lives of the stolid, progressive New Zealanders, till now it is as much a part of their family fireside as the slightly odorous gas heater in the grate. The schoolboy is gently urged along in his history prep, by the stirring dialogue of "Coast Patrol," and by the [unclear: te] he gets round to his maths the Lone Ranger is riding again. Hi yo Euclid, away! The tired business executive, working late at the office, goes right through without any tea so that he may get home in time to learn what happens in the next instalment of "On His Majesty's Service." These are the things which matter now, these are the Facts of Life Fred and Maggie Everybody are another couple of Facts of Life, and the Easy Aces a few more. No longer is the soup course rushed when dinner is served at six, because with too much audible drinking Mother and Father will not be able to hear Jimmy Allen.

The author of "What Katy Did at School' could scarcely have written scenarios as touching and thrilling as these, I'll be bound. Nor are the classics neglected for melodrama. The N.C.B.S. sees to it that its listeners get a well balanced education, and how can their attention be drawn more sharply to grim reality than by "The Citadel" and "David Copper-field." The scenarists who dramatised these two works must have been inspired. Such a fine sense of dramatic values is theirs that they can have served their apprenticeship under no less a master than one of Walt Disney's animators, and even after leaving him they did not lose their keenness to learn. Rather did they broaden their scope, till now their touches can be seen in productions so widely different as "The Enemy Within" and "Lords of the Air." On each of these splendid works is the same fine hallmark of so much said and so little worth saying.

It is not till one looks keenly for it that one sees how skilfully the N.C.B.S. has gone about educating New Zealand with its serials, but what is at once apparent is that the service is thoroughly conversant with the value of progressing slowly in education, and letting everything be assimilated as the course moves along. It is upwards of five years since the service was established, yet surely the serials have not yet amassed a vocabulary of 2,000 words between them, and few of these are of more than three syllables. Progress along the path of learning must not be rushed, do you understand?

Why, with this home educational service already in full operation, is there any need for our children to go to school, or the W.E.A.?