SUBURBAN SHOWCASE

New Zealand Listener, Volume 9, Issue 217, 20 August 1943, Page 14

SUBURBAN SHOWCASE

In Praise of Window-Gazing

(Written for "The Listener" by

J.B.

B.

ATURE study has always been included in the school curriculum, largely because it is supposed to train the child’s powers of observation, and to this end large numbers of children are taken on periodical expeditions to the less built-up areas, that they may observe the throstle building its nest or the busy bee flitting from flower to flower, But, we ask ourselves, does not the town offer opportunities as varied as the country for training the child’s powers of observation? More varied, in fact. Too often the advantages of the country as a field of observational study has been cried at the expense of the

town, and country dwellers have come to feel that they have the monopoly of writing letters to the editor beginning "Dear Sir, I feel sure your readers will be interested in the fact that last Wednesday I was fortunate enough to surprise a-crested buzzard in the act of feeding her young." But think of the many occasions on which the suburbdweller could write, "Dear Sir, I am sure your readers will be surprised to hear that yesterday morning on my way to the office, I observed a King Charles spaniel closely followed by one green rabbit and preceded by another." Yet so common have sights such as this become to the city or suburb dweller that he does not even consider them worthy of comment. The hapless schoolchild, equipped with exercise-book, must spend many’ weary hours in the country before he can hope to fill a single page with noteworthy phenomena, whereas if he were turned loose in a suburban street we could guarantee his notebook full in two hours. And-a further point-consider the respective feelings of Crested Buzzard and King Charles Spaniel. The crested buzzard is averse to being disturbeddid he court attention he would scarcely bury himself in some sequestered glen. The spaniel, on the other hand, brazenly bids for attention’ by turning his back on the room he inhabits and staring out with unblushing cheek at the passer-by. He invites: our comments, the defenceless buzzard does not. % * Es E would, therefore, recommend that school children in our towns be encouraged to take up suburban window study as an alternative to nature study, if by suburban window study is meant not the indulgence of vulgar curiosity in regard to what the inhabitants are having for lunch or dinner (this would be comparable to spying on the crested buzzard), but the examination and evaluation of those objects d’art which, by their position on the window-sill, exist apparently for the sole purpose of educating, amusing or edifying the (Continued on next page)

(Continued from previous page) passer-by, and may, therefore, be regarded as the legitimate prey of the footpath observer. ES * HE amateur collector of windowphenomena may at first be content with a list such as the following, compiled by ourselves on a recent Sunday afternoon stroll along a half-mile suburban thoroughfare. For convenience, we have attempted a simple classification into Animal, Human, Inanimate and Vegetable. ANIMALES; Birds; 5; Rabbits, 275 Dogs, 8; ts, ~ » HUMAN: Male, 1; Female, 7; of the Two, 3. ; INANIMATE: Bowls and Vases, 12; 1; Aeroplane, 2. VEGETABLE: Plants, 2. Or he may elaborate a little, jotting down in his notebook the varieties of birds, beast, etc., observed. We quote verbatim from our last Sunday’s list. BIRDS: 3 Kookaburras. (all from the same mould), 1 Pelican, 1 Duckling, (Query-Why not parakeets? More colourful, surely) RABBITS: All from same mould, large head, long ears: 14 green, 4 blue, 6 pink, 3 white. (Intéresting field for research here. The Rabbit Menace. Do rabbits multiply as rapidly in town as in country? Perhaps Compensation Motive. At heart all New Zealanders devoted to rabbits. Compelled by profit motive and country’s interests to disapprove of them, therefore compensate by enshrining rabbit in home). : DOGS: Realistic (china spaniels, etc.), 3; Ridiculous (mis-shapen heads, googoo eyes, blue or gieen finish), 4; (cigarsmoking bulldog), 1. CATS; All mis-shapen, Cheshire grins, invariably blue with black noses. _ HUMAN: Male; One ill-dressed boy, whist(Another exhibit in this class had to be deleted, .as upon observation it .was seen to blow its nose). Female: One modern china figure, two shepherdesses, four Venus de Milo, The latter appear to have some functional value, apart from the ‘See, dearie, that’s what happens to little girls who bite their nails" aspect, for Salvation Army lass with collection box, confronted by joint stare of two from same window, pointedly does not enter). INANIMATE: Bowls and vases, Egyptian or late Victorian. (One half coconut, presumed Fijian). Obviously on show for intrinsic qualities, as none contained flowers. r) (Note comparative scarcity of "ships and aeroplanes. Gratifying indication that symbols of mechanical age not in keeping with upholstered atmosphere of The Home). PLANTS: Cactus, 1; aspidistra, 1, (Disappointing to notice decline in popularity of latter, Surely a more graceful object than top-heavy rabbit. Scarcity probably due to nature of street (fairly modern bungalows). a ms % EADERS will readily note that such jottings as those reproduced here will provide food for thought, not only during the walk itself but for many hours afterward. Not only are the objects themselves worthy of notice, but the combinations of objects are often piquant and arresting. We have mentioned earlier the spaniel flanked by two green rabbits, but readers will agree that .a Venus cold-shouldered by two blue cats is equally worthy of attention. We can, therefore, assure any reader who contemplates taking up the intriguing occupation of window-study that he has many hours of joy and profit ahead of him. At first he may be content with practising his new-found study in the streets near his home, but in no time he will find himself embarking on special trips to explore less familiar hunting-grounds, and his loose-leaf notebook will wax fat with accumulated phenomena from the inexhaustible treasures of the Suburban Showcase. We suggest only two rules for the guidance of our disciples,

1, Vases containing flowers are to be regarded as functional and are therefore not collectable, nor are objects left on the window-sill, but obviously not for show purposes, such as pipes, safety pins, hearth brooms, cups of tea. 2. Objects facing in to the room with their backs to the street are not fair game, as they are obviously intended for the edification of insiders rather than outsiders. 3. On no account must the windowstudent approach nearer to his quarry than the fence, for though the householder obviously wishes his ornaments to be admired, they must, like his wife, be admired from a respectful distance.