Hit or Miss

New Zealand Listener, Volume 15, Issue 368, 12 July 1946, Page 15

Hit or Miss

A NOSTALGIC note crept into 4ZB’s quiz programme Musical Chairs with the introduction of the question "Who was the Gibson Girl and to whom does she owe her fame?" At least, that was the gist of the enquiry if not the exact wording, and it was worth three shillings

for a correct answer. Can you believe it, the money was paid over for an answer which attributed the creation of the Gibson Girl to a mysterious New ‘York theatrical producer, and which failed entirely to mention the name of Charles

Dana Gibson and the fact that he was an artist by profession? Yet the sensa+ tional question of the evening, value over ten pounds, was answered so nearly correctly that one felt a pang of disappointment on behalf of the competitor; he was asked on what lake and in what year did the British suffer a naval defeat at the hands of the Américans, and the answer was Lake Erie, and the year 1812 or 13 (I forget which!) The competitor answered Lake Michigan, 1813 (or 12-I forget which!) and of course failed to pocket the prize. To myself, who knew all about the Gibson Girl and nothing whatsoever about Lakes Erie/or Michigan, all thig seemed just another proof that quizzes in general are as accurate a test of mental efficiency as an arrow shot in the dark at‘a targot draped in black velvet.