The Mouths of Babes

New Zealand Listener, Volume 35, Issue 892, 7 September 1956, Page 18

The Mouths of Babes

EXPECTED much from a programme entitled A Word from Children, a series. of unrehearsed interviews with children in the U.S.A., the United Kingdom and Australia, by Keith Smith, An international exchange of ideas, I thought as I tuned in, of pungent and vivid comment on the world created by their elcers, but which, unfortunately, they will have to inherit: this promised well. I found it quite trivial, and as for unrehearsed, tell that to the Marines, I muttered scornfully, as I- heard one pat phrase follow another. And where was the U.K.? Where the U.S.A.? Only the voice of young Australia assailed (and "assailed" is indubitably the mot juste) these ears, and on what subjects! The young team, none over eleven years: of age, and all, I judged, from outer, Sydney, were invited to give their views on childish destruction, smashing windows and so forth, and women’s hats, and whether make-up was a good thing. The most intimate confidences, fortunately anonymous, were made about Mum and Dad; Dad was a fool at fixing things, Dad thought he knew everything, and so on. Should children have to pay for the (continued on next page)

things they broke, queried Mr. Smith? Half, thought one ten-year-old with a passion for justice. And what about women’s hats? Vaingloriously, several primping Mums were reflected by the children, all in awful hats, spending hours in the shop, choosing two instead of one, taking them both back and choosing a third, when Dad didn’t like them. And what about make-up? Have any of you an elder sister? It’s very awful to have a sister, said an eleven-year-old, magisterially. No, they shouldn’t wear make-up if they’re young, said another, ’cos young women are beautiful, thus hoisting the banner of chivalry among these disenchanted critics. It all came out so pat, so forced, and was finally so tedious, that even Mr. Smith’s promise of some choice slum titbits from Redfern will not easily seduce me into listening again.