Episode
GuideEpisode
Guide
PROGRAM #001 Colombia Story of a boy who works for a gamekeeper, looking after animals, making sure that no poaching is going on and that the animals are in good health. We see him rescue a dolphin and prevent the killing of an anaconda snake at the hands of frightened villagers.
Alabama Fourteen year old Wendy Holcomb from Alabasta, Alabama, started playing the banjo when she was twelve. She goes on tour, plays at neighborhood nursing homes to lift the spirits of the old people and dreams of becoming a country-western music star.
Dear Pen Pal is included in this show.
PROGRAM #002 Hawaii Keith lives in Hawaii. We see him learning how to make a surfboard - see him surfingthen meeting and surfing with a world champion surfer.
Italy Maura visits her uncle on the Island of Sardenia, Italy, to learn a little bit of the history and traditions of the Island. Her cousin Carlo is partaking in the traditional festival called "La Sartiglia" - a jousting event.
USA A "special" segment featuring famed Broadway actor Jack Gilford. In an urban setting he sings John Prine's haunting ballad "Hello In There." The song contains a message that old people are still important and we must reach out to them.
Dear Pen Pal is included in this show.
PROGRAM #003 China Story of a young girl who is a member of the Chinese Opera. Shows the student's vocal and physical training (calisthenics, acrobatics, tumbling).
Illinois James Edwards, age 15, convicted of robbery has been confined to Little City in Palatine, Illinois, as part of a work- school therapy program, to train him to deal with problems of life outside. We see him attending scholastic classes, budgeting money, participating in sports and social activities and receiving group therapy.
Dear Pen Pal is included in this show.
PROGRAM #004 Uruguay Father of ten year old boy brings leading gaucho and rodeo performer to his ranch to train his son.
Pennsylvania Mary Ellen Ronco, from Redding, PA - an equitation champion. We see her in training and at the National Horse Show at Madison Square Garden.
Belgium Story about Yvan Janssen, age twelve, a young man brought up by deaf and dumb parents who works with blind people. He was inspired to do this work by a blind nun. He designed a game for a blind friend which a sighted and blind person can play together. He also translates books into Braille and has invented a special cane for the blind.
PROGRAM #005 Cayman Islands Story about Barbara Card, age fifteen, a Scuba Diver, who lives on Grand Cayman Island. She is seen cataloging fish, going down to see wrecks and being drilled in scuba diving techniques.
Morocco Thirteen year old Ali envies his friend Brahim because Brahim owns a lutar and Ali desperately wants to buy one but he doesn't have enough money. We see Ali devise ways to earn money for a lutar.
Dear Pen Pal is included in this show
PROGRAM #006 Switzerland Story about Andreus, age ten, and his father who train St. Bernard Dogs for rescue operations in the Alps. We follow them during a dramatic simulated rescue.
New York & New Jersey Typical weekly routine of eight year old Tisha Campbell. We see her at school working with her mother who is her voice coach, at play with her brother and performing live at a jazz concert in New York's Greenwich Village.
Japan A boy who lives in this highly industrialized country is maintaining ties with tradition by studying Keno - an ancient martial art.
PROGRAM #007 South Dakota Cindy's assignment for her school newspaper is to do a story on the mysterious creature, Bigfoot, who has been sighted in rural South Dakota.
France Fifteen year old Hugo Perrier is a member of a team that plays basketball on skates. They entertain disabled youngsters. We meet his family and friends at home. The team practices skating at school and stages a charity game beneath the Eiffel Tower.
Bhutan The everyday life of apprentice monks in the mountains of Bhutan.
Dear Pen Pal is included in this show.
PROGRAM #008 Austria Story about three students who attend the ski Gymnasium in Stams, Austria, a school that specializes in teaching skiing. We see these students in ski practice sessions both outdoors and indoors. We also view them studying academics. Story ends with Fritz entering a ski competition.
Texas Mel Kimbro, 12, from Boerne, Texas, rides bucking bulls. Last year, his first as a pro, Mel earned the title of American Junior Rodeo Reserve World Champion. We see him teach his younger brother Jim, 9, and benefiting from his dad, ex-rodeo champ Clyde Kimbro.
India A 12-year old boy works as a diamond grinder in the same workshop as his father. The family's need for additional income has forced the boy to leave school.
Dear Pen Pal is included in this show.
PROGRAM #009 Missouri A rafting celebration on the Mississippi river in the tradition of Huck Finn.
Illinois Story of Michelle Emerson of Wheeling, Illinois, a female hockey goalie on an all boys team called the Shields. Her older brother coaches her in hockey and her older sister coaches her in figure skating. We also see her in music classes in school.
Spain Twelve year old Manual becomes a new member of Bemposta School (a total community - students live, work and play there). Baldeon ( an older student) orients him, taking Manuel to meet Father Silva (founder of Bemposta). They go to the school TV station and see a music and dance show that Baldeon is in, visit a gymnastic practice and watch other students training horses for a circus act.
Dear Pen Pal is included in this show.
PROGRAM #010 Iceland Traditional Icelandic gathering of eggs from the tall cliffs on three tiny islands off Iceland's southern coast. Whole families work together in this exciting once a year event.
Florida Story of ten year old Maria, who works in the fields on weekends to help her family of nine brothers and sisters and three nephews. Besides helping out around home she spends as much time as she can on school work as her dream is to go to college and become a doctor.
Dear Pen Pal is included in this show.
PROGRAM #011 "My Seventeenth Summer" - Part I A four part serialized adventure story which takes place in 1923. The story concerns itself with the evils of prejudice within a framework of an exciting fast action adventure chase involving World War I aircraft, period cars and a steam locomotive.
Canada Story about John Alleyn and Sabena Ulman, both students at the National Ballet School of Canada. We see them in grueling dance classes, rehearsing for an upcoming performance, attending academic classes and spending time with classmates.
PROGRAM #012 "My Seventeenth Summer" - Part II (See Program #011)
Minnesota Seventeen year old Jon Weaks, who flies private planes, learns the special skills of Aerobatics with Champion stunt-pilot Debbie Gary of Alexandria, Minnesota.
Dear Pen Pal is included in this show.
PROGRAM #013 "My Seventeenth Summer" - Part III (See Program #011)
Brinydeep A group of teens sail across the Atlantic on the route of Christopher Columbus' first voyage; following the trade winds to the Americas.
Kenya Story of a young boy who works on a farm with his family. His uncle, a wood sculptor takes the boy on as an apprentice.
PROGRAM #014 "My Seventeenth Summer" - Part IV (See Program #011)
Environment...And Not a Drop to Drink The first in a series of "Big Blue marble" pieces on the environment and conservation. This segment deals with the problems of the overuse and misuse of the world's precious water resources.
New York & Colorado Fourteen year old Peter Wyrick, a cello student at Julliard is seen studying and rehearsing at school and at home. He travels to Aspen, Colorado to participate in the famous music festival. In performance, he plays Beethoven's "A Major Sonata".
PROGRAM #015 Scotland Two youngsters investigate the mystery of Nessie, the monster of Loch Ness in the Northern Highlands. Their search is aided by well known Nessie hunters, including Tim Dinsdale.
New York & California Greg Wilson, young magician and TV personality, performs in rehearsal with his father, magician Mark Wilson. We also see Greg performing at the Magic Castle in Hollywood and at home with his family and friends.
South Carolina The Blue Marble Mobile with Clark Brandon aboard, visits a farm where they breed miniature horses and even a miniature cow.
Dear Pen Pal is included in this show.
PROGRAM #016 Egypt Story of the life of a twelve year old actress in Cairo who auditions for a new children's show.
Utah Twelve year old boxer Amber Hunt is fighting Frank Avila, one of the few opponents who previously beat her. We follow her through rigorous training sessions leading to a 3 round encounter at the Salt Lake Fairgrounds.
Guatemala An Indian family lives just as its ancestors did centuries ago. We see life revolving around this close knit family, high in the remote Sierra Madre Mountains.
PROGRAM #017 USA Story about fourteen year old tennis champion, competing at the Rolex Tournament in Port Washington, New York. We follow her through victory against stiff international competition.
Easter Island Story about Raquel Hardel Haoa and Jose Belsano Raputuki, who live on Easter Island. We see them riding horses, exploring the statues and caves of their ancestors and singing the traditional music of the Island.
Missouri The Blue Marble Mobile visits Gary Nunn, a twelve year old chef who demonstrates the making of his unique Popsicle.
PROGRAM #018 New York A few days with Jim Plattner, the bat boy for the New York Yankees. We see him practicing and working with the players, as well as trying out for the team at Yankee Stadium.
Poland Story about a teenage girl who is a member of the Mime Theatre Gest in Bratslava. This classical theatre form thrives on the streets and stages of modern Poland.
Dear Pen Pal is included in this show.
PROGRAM #019 England The activities of a twelve year old Gypsy as her family sets up camp at the famous fair at Appleby. We see her socializing with many friends who come to Appleby from all over the British Isles to sell and trade horses.
Environment: Vanishing Firewood The second of a group of shows dealing with environmental problems. This focuses on the scarcity of firewood in certain Third World nations and, specifically, its impact on children.
New York Candice Coster, a model and aspiring actress is seen at work with a photographer, and at home rehearsing with her father. She also is seen horseback riding with a friend in the country.
Dear Pen Pal is included in this show.
PROGRAM #020 New York & California Krae Van Sickle, age seventeen, wins the World Frisbee Championship at the Rose Bowl. We see him practicing with his father in New York and competing with the nation's best Frisbee throwers in Pasadena.
New Zealand A Maori student at St. Stephens School brings a white schoolmate home for the holidays. Segment explains ancient Maori traditions in rural northern New Zealand.
PROGRAM #021 Costa Rica & Washington, DC We see members of the Youth Symphony Orchestra of Costa Rica, going to school and rehearsing in preparation for a special trip to the White House to play for the Carter family. We see the performance on the White House lawn.
New Jersey Youngsters compete in the Big Blue Marble National Marbles Tournament in Wildwood, New Jersey. Thirteen year old Dean Feinauer and thirteen year old Diane Bertosh emerge victorious among more than two million competitors.
Italy A visiting art student begins work on a piece of sculpture near the Carrara marble quarry; the same quarry used by Michelangelo.
|Dear Pen Pal is included in this show.
PROGRAM #022 Treasure Island - Part I The first chapter in a five part animated serial of Robert Louis Stevenson's "Treasure Island," using a radio program recorded in 1944, starring Basil Rathbone as the narrator and Long John Silver, as the soundtrack.
Kenya An intimate study of a young Masai herdboy and his exotic tribal life among East Africa's wildlife.
Dear Pen Pal is included in this show.
PROGRAM #023 Treasure Island - Part II (See program #022)
Hungary Story about Zoltan Gyonayosi, a fifteen year old member of a water polo team in Budapest. We see him training and working with Hungary's number one water player, Gyorg Harkai.
Indiana "Big Blue Marble" visits a high school animation workshop in which we follow a class through the entire process of producing an animated cartoonfrom the first story idea to the finished product.
Dear Pen pal is included in this show.
PROGRAM #024 Treasure Island - Part III (see program #022)
North Carolina The Blue Marble Mobile visits Spivey's Corner for the annual National Hollering Contest. This "down-home" version of Swiss yodeling is still active among the young and old of rural North Carolina.
Bahrain A visit of the Persian Gulf Kingdom of Bahrain to meet a young Sheik. Abdulla Al-Khalifa is learning the ancient customs of his land finding time to explore the desert in a dune buggy.
Dear Pen Pal is included in this show.
PROGRAM #025 Treasure Island - Part IV (See program #022)
New York The world's greatest soccer player gives some spectacular lessons to a group of talented youngsters from around the world at his soccer camp. We follow a group of seven boys and girls from Finland in a memorable week of lessons from the master.
Dear Pen Pal is included in this show.
PROGRAM #026 Treasure Island - Part V (See program #022)
New York Nine year old Katherine Healy is seen working with Britain's Olympic gold medal figure skater, John Curry, as he develops a new art form, skating-ballet. She appears with other top skaters in "Superskates" at Madison Square Garden where she performs a solo dance to Offenbach's "Le Papillon".
Dear Pen Pal is included in this show.
PROGRAM #027 Pennsylvania Hurdler - Candy Young, a world champion hurdler, is training for future Olympic games. We see her at home and competing in a key race.
County Limerick, Ireland Farrier - When eighteen year old Liam Brennan finishes his apprenticeship to his father, he will have become an accomplished farrier. We get a detailed look at the training needed to practice the art of shoeing horses.
PROGRAM #028 Sarasota, Florida Sailor Circus is unique in that most facts of the operation are run by kids. The segment focuses on three youngsters who are accomplished aerialists and veterans of the circus.
Atlantic Ocean Seaman QE2 - Seventeen year old Tony Hayes is a Senior Ordinary Seaman aboard the QE2. We see him performing his various duties during a transatlantic crossing and join him on one of his infrequent visits to his home in Clanfield, England.
PROGRAM #029 USSR Tchen-Burti - Adventurous young horsemen in the high Caucusus, compete in the traditional Georgian game of Tchen-Burti - a demanding polo-like game played with sticks similar to those used in lacrosse.
Maryland & New York Puppets - Kevin Clash has been making puppets since he was ten and now at eighteen he performs weekly on a local television show in Baltimore. Kevin's teacher for the last few years has been Kermit Love, the creator of the famous Muppets. We see Kevin and Kermit perfecting skills, and performing at a school for handicapped children.
PROGRAM #030 California 1/4 Midget Racer- Tommy Vaninwagen enjoys playing with model cars, but unlike most kids, he's also involved in the real thing: Quarter Midget Racing. Under the close supervision of his father, Tommy works on his car to get it ready for the big race - and what an exciting one it is!
Peru Cuzco Kid - We meet a young guitarist who lives in Cuzco, Peru, the ancient capital of the Incas. He and his father travel to Machu Picho to entertain Foreign tourists and we learn that they still sing in the Inca language and keep alive the Inca culture.
PROGRAM #031 Ventriloquist Act Angie Doyen is a thirteen year old ventriloquist who won first prize in the 1976 National Ventriloquist Contest. We see her rehearsing, preparing scripts with her mother and performing for both young and old.
Zambia Dance Troupe/singer Banda is a member of an aspiring troop of dancers. We see them perform a dance that celebrates the role young people played in the country's fight for independence.
PROGRAM #032 Florida Water Skier - Cory Pickos is a world champion trick water skier, and trains each day with his father and two brothers. This is a big week - today Cory celebrates his fifteenth birthday, and tomorrow he'll put on an exhibition of trick skating at world famous Cyprus Gardens.
Dominican Republic Merengue - Rosanna Estrella Fernandez is a ten year old girl who signs and dances the merengue. Rosanna combines her love of merengue with her work as a tour guide by performing for tourists.
PROGRAM #033 Connecticut Stained Glass - 90 year old Len Howard, who for the past 50 years has operated a one-man stained glass window studio, is visited by his 13 year old granddaughter, Elizabeth Ann Howard. Mr. Howard is working on windows for a church in Sharon, CT. Elizabeth Ann assists and learns some of the secrets of this "lost art."
Iran Falconry - Though falcons are not used for hunting in Iran today, the tradition of training falcons is still popular. Fourteen year old Karim is taught the various aspects of falconry by one of Iran's greatest falconers.
PROGRAM #034 Wales Spider Girl - The countryside outside the village of Clydach in Swansea, Wales, is a kind of living laboratory for sixteen year old Clare Moseley. Clare is a naturalist who studies spiders and other insects, mot of which she finds right in her own backyard.
Kentucky Coal Mine - eleven year old Valerie and thirteen year old Marshall are aspiring photographers who receive permission to photograph a coal mine. We join them on their ride into the mine tunnel, and later see them processing their photos. (Repeat)
Hong Kong Floating City - Within Hong Kong there is a floating city named Aberdeen, where young Lim Sien Fong lives and works as the driver of a water taxi. We spend a typical day with him and learn of his unusual way of life.
PROGRAM #035 Pennsylvania & Texas Pentathlon - This segment chronicles young Michael Storm's intensive training for Olympic competition in the five event Pentathlon, which includes riding, swimming, fencing, running and target shooting.
Korea Little Angels - Fourteen year old Shung Wha Sung is getting ready for a big day. Shung is a featured performer with the "Little Angels," a world famous dance troupe, and today they begin rehearsals for their upcoming world tour. Though the work is hard, the rewards are great, and the results speak for themselves.
West Virginia Kayak - Jo Ann Lee demonstrates the excitement of learning to ride in a Kayak in the Lafayette Station Rapids. She describes the practice and training that are part of kayaking while she takes a breathtaking ride.
PROGRAM #036 Wyoming Mountain Climbing- Seventeen year old Carolyn Ortenberger of California climbs Teepee Pillar in the Grand Tetons under the guidance of her father, an expert mountain climber.
Greece Honey Farm - On the island of Tasos lives an 11 year old boy who is going to become a honey farmer. He learns from his uncle, who owns a farm where nectar bees produce honey. The complex process of getting honey from the bees is illustrated, as is the machine that removes honey from the combs. (Repeat)
PROGRAM #037 Featurette A look behind the scenes at the production of Big Blue Marble's dramatic serial "Witch's Sister," including pre-production, location filming, editing and music scoring.
Philippines Movie Star - four year old actor Nino Mulack is seen rehearsing his part in "Harabas Con Bulilit" an adventure film. Two action scenes are filmed, and we learn much about movie stunt work. (Repeat)
PROGRAM #038 Witch's Sister - Part I Witch's Sister, a six part dramatic serial based on the book by Phyllis Reynolds Naylor, tells the story of Lynn Morley, 10, who thinks her sister Judith, 16, is being turned into a witch by a mysterious old woman. As Lynn and her best friend struggle to unravel the mystery, they are plunged into a series of strange adventures, which finally forces them to face the fact that the truth is not always what it appears to be.
Nevada Goldmine - A ghost town is the setting for a gold mining expedition undertaken by a young boy and an old time gold miner. The intricate process of searching for gold, mining it, and refining it is explained and demonstrated.
PROGRAM #039 Witch's Sister - Part II See Program #038
Missouri Bluegrass - Young Butch Lesterson, a self taught guitar player and singer, participates in a colorful Bluegrass Music Festival. (Repeat)
Austria This segment features Margarete Scan and Gephardt Fuchs, apprentice chimney sweeps living and studying in the city of Linz.
PROGRAM #040 Witch's Sister - Part IV See program #038
PROGRAM #041 Witch's Sister - Part IV See program #038
USSR Go-Carting - Evaldes Misounas and his friends are young go-carting enthusiasts in Vilmius, the capital of Soviet Lithuania. We follow them through preparation and an actual race for the regional championship of boys fifteen and under, a race run over a difficult road coarse.
PROGRAM #042 Witch's Sister Part V See Program #038
Colorado Divorce Part 1 - "Children Facing Divorce" is a counseling program for children and parents who are struggling with the realities of a broken home. We follow a family enrolled in the six week program and observe changes in their lives and attitudes.
PROGRAM #043 Colorado Divorce Part 2 - see show #042
Witch's Sister Part VI See show #038
PROGRAM #044 Philadelphia, PA Harlem Globetrotters - Superb basketball skills, and a comic flair for the absurd blend on "Big Blue Marble" when Gene Ausbee, son of Harlem Globetrotter's star Geese Ausbee, visits his father and the team at the Philadelphia Spectrum. Gene also accompanies the team at a benefit performance at Philadelphia's Children's Hospital.
PROGRAM #045 New Jersey Girl Jockey - at age seventeen, jockey Karen Rogers is an experienced rider. The skill, composure - straight forwardness and courage of this athlete are revealed in an intimate portrait of a racing star.
Egypt The Wissa Wassef family has, for two generations, run an unusual workshop in the small village of Harrania, Egypt. Here, village children are instructed in the intricate are of creative tapestry weaving. We follow a young weaver who is involved in the various tasks associated with this work - from raising sheep and preparing dyes, to designing and weaving tapestry pieces.
PROGRAM #046 Australia Animal Orphanage - At the Toronga Park Zoo, a teenager, Marian Dunkin, heads up a unique animal orphanage at this world famous zoo. We also see her and other zoo personnel on an animal rescue mission in the bush, outside of Sydney.
Colorado Cross Country Skier - Cross country skiing on the majestic mountain trails of Telluride, Colorado. Rigorous training and road work prepare Jamie McAsh for the 30 ki cross country skiing race which climaxes this segment.
PROGRAM #047 Illinois Blind Athletes - When Missy Ackens swims the 100m butterfly she hears the crowd cheering, she feels her competition closing in, she counts the strokes to know where the edge of the pool is before a turn, because Missy and all the people she swims with are legally blind. The Handicapped Olympics in Illinois are a celebration of the determination and spirit of the children participating.
Israel Jeweler - We travel to the ancient city of Jerusalem and spend a special weekend at home with a young Israeli and his family.
PROGRAM #048 Nevada Adopt-A-Horse - the Adopt-A-Horse program, run by the U.S. Bureau of Land Management, supervises the welfare and maintenance of herds of wild mustangs which roam the vast public lands of the West and Southwest. In this piece we see the exciting action of a wild horse roundup, and the breaking of a horse for "adoption."
Spain Jai Alai - Jose Asole, a twelve year old boy from the mountains of the Basque Country is training in the popular Latin American sport of Jai Alai. The basics of the sport are explained while Jose effectively communicates the excitement of the sport.
PROGRAM #049 Italy Bike racing - Competition in this demanding sport requires discipline and practice. We visit a young racer at home with his family as he makes the necessary preparations for the race, and then join him and his friends as they compete in a local race which sends them careening through the medieval piazzas of the ancient city of Vicenza.
Florida Marineland - Robin, sixteen, is learning to be a trainer and performer at Marineland of Florida, one of the oldest "aquatic zoos" in the United States. Presently she appears, after school and on weekends, in the "Electric Eel Act" and is an apprentice in dolphin training.
PROGRAM #050 Arizona Elephant Girl - A trip with a traveling circus in Arizona provides an "up close" look at the hectic life of a fifteen year old girl who rides performing elephants.
Australia Aboriginals - Before European settlers arrived, Australia was inhabited by a unique race of aboriginals. We meet a young health worker and share his experiences at the hospital, as well as seeing tribal ceremonies and ritual dances that are part of his culture.
PROGRAM #051 France Couturier - "A stitch in time" can be the beginning of an arduous and fascinating career. We visit a young fashion designer and watch while she learns some of the tricks of her trade in the workrooms and salons of one of the great Couturier houses in Paris.
California Hobiecat - We ride the wind with a young Californian, who races one of the world's fastest sailboats - the Hobiecat.
PROGRAM #052 India Street Performers - The colorful streets of New Delhi, India are the backdrop for a group of young street performers. Families have passed their skills down from generation to generation and we see the result as the youngsters prepare for a big show at a local orphanage that includes magic, puppetry, acrobatics and singing.
Oregon Wheat Harvest - There's a lot of effort required by all the members of the family, when the assignment is a 2000 acre wheat farm. That's what we learn in this episode from Janet (16) and Kathy (10) Bowman of Pendleton, Oregon. We see how two critical situations are handled: 1) a fire in the field; and 2) the rush to harvest the crop before a rainstorm hits. There's much information too, on the kinds of equipment used on today's farm (Repeat).
PROGRAM #053 "Do Me a Favor ... Don't Vote For My Mom" - Part I This dramatic serial starring Dina Merrill and Kelly Reno focuses on the problems fourteen year old Bryan Adams faces when his widowed mother decides to run for political office. Valuable lessons are learned by all as the tensions of the campaign create difficult situations for those involved.
PROGRAM #054 "Do Me a Favor...Don't Vote For My Mom" - Part II See Show #053
Pakistan Shakil Mubariz is celebrating his twelfth birthday and his cousins tent-pegging team is putting on a show just for him. Tent-pegging is a favorite sport of Pakistan horsemen. Wooden pegs are put in the ground. Galloping at full speed the horsemen try to spear the pegs with wooden lances. The team members are such experts, they make spearing the pegs look easy. Shakil's celebration ends with an extra surprise a performance by a dancing horse and camel. (Repeat).
PROGRAM #055 "Do Me A Favor...Don't Vote For My Mom" - Part III See show #053
England Channel Swimmer - Twelve year old Marcus Hooper goes about the rigors of preparation for his second attempt to swim the English Channel. In the face of high winds and heavy seas the courageous youngster embarks on his perilous adventure.
PROGRAM #056 "Do Me A Favor...Don't Vote For My Mom" Part 4 See Show #053
New Guinea Asaro tribesmen who live high up in the jungles of Papua, New Guinea perform the "dance of the dead man's skin." The story tells of a battle in which Asaro warriors are defeated by a powerful enemy. How the Asaros outwit their enemy is the subject of this exciting story. (Repeat)
PROGRAM #057 New York Children's Theater - A professional theater where all the performers are children? That's the First All Children's Theater in New York City. Preparation for the opening of their new musical involves lots of practice for the participants and we see it all.
Lapland Reindeer Roundup - Reindeer herding, in this land above the Arctic Circle, lasts as long as the snow does - - which is most of the year. A family of three children is featured in this segment which gives a full picture of life in Lapland. (Repeat).
Kentucky Gospel Singer - In Russellville, Kentucky an aspiring gospel singer, thirteen year old Sha Cross, sings with her family at local churches.
PROGRAM #058 New Mexico "Cowboys haven't changed much from when my dad was a kid to me now...I don't think cowboying's going to change for a long time..." says young Tim Muncie. At his family's ranch in Truth or consequences, New Mexico, we see Tim at work roping, herding cattle, riding steers, mending fences.
Indonesia Pencak Silat is a movement in self defense. Thirteen year old Dewa Ayu is attending the Pencak Silat School. He explains the mystical martial arts system which blends ideas from India and China to achieve harmony of mind and body. Designed to build inner strength and character, Pencak Silat is supervised by a guru. (Repeat)
PROGRAM #059 Norway Thirteen year old Ellvid Pettersen works with his father on a small commercial fishing boat. He lives in a small village north of the Arctic Circle, on the historic island of Senja.
Hawaii Spectacular volcanic eruptions are part of Hawaiian folklore and also part of the photographic record. We follow a young girl who works with a team of scientists as they trek across vast lava fields and extinct craters and learn that a volcano is something quite more complex than a mountain with a hole in the top.
PROGRAM #060 Canada Rising young pop singer, France Joli is just finishing recording her second album. We see her laying down final singing tracks, at a photo session, and in performance. We also spend time with her family.
California Marshall, the 12 year old son of Gossamer Condor inventor Paul MacCready is learning to pilot a newly designed lightweight experimental aircraft, presently being prepared for its maiden flight. We also see Marshall learning acrobatic flying to further his aviation skills and helping his father in the launching of the Solar Gossamer.
PROGRAM #061 Phoenix & Utah Fifteen year old Mike Poulson displays his skills in the winter Bicycle Motocross Nationals in Chandler, Arizona. Similar to a motorcycle race, BMX takes place on a dirt track with embankments, turns and jumps. This fast growing sport now has more than 20,000 participants - most from the West Coast.
USSR We visit the Central Asian City of Samarkand in the Soviet union and meet two twelve year old girls, Saodat and Zulfia, who are shown embroidering floral designs on traditional costumes.
PROGRAM #062 Argentina Seventeen year old Holly Payne uses the facilities of her scientist parents' whale research station to study the behavior of a large colony of sea lions who live on the rugged coast of Patagonia in Southern Argentina. Holly's careful and patient observations of these large mammals in their natural habitat have led her to some interesting new observations about their behavior.
Canada Story about John Allyn and Sabena Ulman, both students at the National Ballet School of Canada. We see them in grueling dance classes, rehearsing for an upcoming performance, attending academic classes and spending time with classmates. (Repeat)
PROGRAM #063 Yugoslavia In a village outside of Kopriznica, Yugoslavia, we see how the peasants integrate painting as an art form into their everyday life. It is a tradition which has been passed down through generations; there is no formal instruction.
New Jersey Fourteen year old Danny Rochelle, pilots his own iceboat across the "hard water" of a frozen lake in northern new Jersey. Iceboating requires great skill and endurance as Danny and his family demonstrate as they prepare for competition.
PROGRAM #064 New York Like her parents, sixteen year old Jennifer Howard breeds and shows silver Persian cats. This segment focuses on Jennifer and her young female cat, Lolita. Jennifer will be showing Lolita at the Long Island Club Cat Show. It is her first experience in an adult competition. We also see Jennifer performing her daily responsibilities in the caring of Lolita and her family's other cats.
Colombia Story of a boy who works for a gamekeeper, looking after animals, making sure that no poaching is going on and that the animals are in good health. We see him rescue a dolphin and prevent the killing of an anaconda snake at the hands of frightened villagers. (Repeat).
PROGRAM #065 Connecticut Twelve year old Regina Christopher, who is deaf, travels to Waterford, Connecticut where she spends a week working with The Little Theater of the Deaf, an internationally renowned company comprised primarily of deaf performers. Regina hopes that her theater experience will help overcome her handicap and increase her access to the hearing world.
Canada David Horn, sixteen, is a star lacrosse player who lives on an Iroquois reservation near Montreal, Canada. In this segment we see David and his teammates practicing and competing against another Iroquois team. We also join David on a visit to a nearby factory that makes lacrosse sticks.
PROGRAM #066 New Mexico Following the footsteps of his father, fifteen year old Scott Vesley has become one of the best young balloon pilots and ground crewmen in Albuquerque, New Mexico. This segment features his experiences flying and racing his family's balloon.
Sardenia Maura visits her uncle on the Island of Sardenia, Italy to learn a little bit of the history and traditions of the island. Her cousin, Carlo is partaking in the traditional festival called "La Sartiglia" - a jousting event. (Repeat)
PROGRAM #067 Germany Twelve year old Gregor Luetje of Munich, W. Germany is an opera singer. We observe Gregor studying opera and follow him to Dusseldorf to see him sing the part of the price in Debussy's opera "Pelius" with the Dusseldorf Opera Company.
Grand Cayman Island Story about Barbara Card, age fifteen, a scuba diver, who lives on Grand Cayman Island. She is seen cataloging fish, going down to see wrecks and being drilled in scuba diving techniques.
PROGRAM #068 NYC and New Jersey - Tisha Revisited Tisha Campbell is now twelve years old. Three years after filming this young singer for Big Blue Marble we revisit her - now starring in the title role of Rosie in "Really Rosie." This show, written by Maurice Sendak with music by Carol King, is now in its second year at the American Place Theater. The segment includes clips from the earlier Big Blue Marble piece.
Mexico City, Mexico Andres Cruz is a sixteen year old baseball player associated with the amateur Omega League in Mexico City, Mexico. Like many boys his age, Andres dreams of becoming a professional ballplayer and of someday playing in the major leagues. We watch Andres in training and getting tips from the pros. We also join Andres as he visits historical sites near Mexico City.
PROGRAM #069 Zimbabwe For the past 20 years the Jairos Jiri Association has set up centers throughout Zimbabwe to help educate handicapped youngsters. We follow a handicapped teenager as he leaves academic school in Salisbury for his new home in Blawayo, where he will begin training in his chosen craft. We also visit Victoria Falls where goods made at the training center are sold.
New York and Aspen Fourteen year old peter Wyrick, a cello student a Julliard, is seen studying and rehearsing at school and at home. He travels to Aspen, Colorado to participate in the famous music festival. In performance, he plays Beethoven's "A Major Sonata." (repeat)
PROGRAM #070 People's Republic of China The building and flying of kites is a very old and very honored tradition in China. In this segment we see young teenagers in the coastal city of Tianjin as they study with an old master and learn to build and fly their own kites.
Green River, Utah The Green River in Utah is one of the most exciting and scenic white water rivers in the American west. Two youngsters navigate this river in a raft, along with a veteran boatman. They travel through rapids, camp on the sandbars and experience the unique wilderness of Desolation Canyon.
PROGRAM #071 People's Republic of China Inner Mongolia is an autonomous region of The People's Republic of China. This is the real story of a twelve year old boy who returns home after the school year to spend the summer working with his family on the plains of Inner Mongolia. The segment focuses on many facts of the boy's life; from driving herds of Mongolian Steppe ponies to attending a banquet honoring his father.
PROGRAM #072 England In the north of England, where sheep farming is an important way of life, farmers and their families take pride in their specially trained sheep dogs. Responding to a series of whistle commands, these dogs help with the herding of sheep. Sixteen year old Tony Cleasdy attends a yearly fair in his community and competes with his friends and neighbors in a contest to see which farmer and dog do the best job of herding.
Brinydeep True life adventure about a group of teenagers who sail across the Atlantic Ocean in a 200 foot schooner on the route of Christopher Colombus' first voyage; following the trade winds to the Americas. (Repeat)
PROGRAM #073 South Africa Ingrid Nordh, age thirteen, works with her parents on a game preserve outside Johannesburg. Their primary work is in the study of the cheetah, a highly endangered species. Ingrid and her younger brother Eric have grown up with the cheetahs and other animals and move freely among them in their daily work on the preserve.
Oklahoma & Dallas Jimmy Henley, a seventeen year old banjo and guitar player from Broken Arrow, Oklahoma is a member of Roy Clark's band. We see him playing duets with Roy at a charity concert and competing in a fiddling contest in Texas.
PROGRAM #074 Switzerland In the mountains of the Ticino, the Italian and southernmost section of Switzerland, children spend the summer milking cows and rounding up goats. Their families, who remain down in the village, supply the children with food by sending it up on cable cars.
Yugoslavia The folktale. A 16-year old boy demonstrates how he makes hundreds of drawings, photographs them, and - with the help of friends - does the soundtrack for his animation of the tale, "The Secret of the Czar." In the tale, a barber discovers the Czar's secret. He reveals it to no one. Yet, the secret becomes known to everyone. The moral is, "Don't kid yourself, truth will come out."
Iceland A young boy spends the summer working on a fishing trawler. He explains that in his country everyone who is over thirteen years old has a regular summer job. Parents show appreciation for their children by honoring them on Iceland Independence Day.
California Excerpts from the Caleveras County International Frog Jumping Contest are enhanced by the original song, "No Place Like Earth."
Connecticut The original song, "Simple Life," sets the atmosphere for an American girl as she exercises horses, leads pony rides and dreams of someday owning one herself.
Tunisia A young boy, Muhammed, and his father and brother load their camel with sheep, rabbits and beans and begin their journey to the market more than five miles from their farmhouse. Muhammed sells his sheep which he raised since birth. Then he joins his friends who are playing soccer and dancing to the beat of drums.
PROGRAM #075 Taiwan The Gwang Ren Children's Orchestra performs. As their music continues in the background, the scene shifts to children practicing their Chinese calligraphy.
Nevada A ghost town is the setting for a gold mining expedition. Those involved are a young boy and an old-time gold miner. The intricate process of searching for gold, mining it, and refining it is explained and demonstrated.
France The folktale. "The Bridge of St. Cloud" is a tale about how the bridge was completed after signing a contract with the Devil and how the Devil was finally hoisted with his own petard.
England Kevin shows and tells what it is like to be a deckboy on a tugboat in the harbor of Southampton, England. They were one of five tugs to bring in a 200,000 ton oil tanker.
Guatemala A traditional ceremony carried down over the centuries is performed in this feature. The ceremony is called Palo Valador, or Flying Pole. The Palo Valador was originally performed to please the gods so they would bring a good corn crop. Performers dress up as El Mico, the Monkey - the messenger between the people and the gods. The performers climb to the top of a 130' pole and swing from the top of it. One of the performers is a fourteen year old who has been "flying" since he was seven. Accompanying the ceremony is a piece of original music entitled "Indian Scene."
PROGRAM #076 Ireland Jack Nolan is a young apprentice jockey who attends a boarding school called the Racing Apprentice Center of Education (R.A.C.E.). The students learn all aspects of training and controlling a horse. They learn how to fall properly and they also study such subjects as botany. The feature concludes with an original song called "Riding."
Belgium Brussels has the world's largest population of marionettes. The Toone Theatre is the most famous puppet theater. The Toone family founded the Theater 150 years ago. Toone, the puppetmaster, puts on a play for the audience. He does all the voices while seven assistants manipulate the marionettes.
Make Your Own Nature Picture A girl describes and demonstrates how to make a nature picture using flowers, crayons, wax paper and glue.
California A sport that started in Europe has caught on in California. That sport is hang-gliding - body kiting. The son of one of the first hang-gliders in the United States demonstrates the thrills and pitfalls of this sport.
China The folktale. A rich and greedy pear seller acts as a perfect foil to a poor but generous priest in this tale entitled "The Priest and the Pear Tree." The ending is a typically mysterious Oriental one.
Bermuda The day after Christmas is Boxing Day here. Young Gombey dancers in colorful costumes parade in snake-like formation toward the town. They take a ferry boat across the bay and continue dancing for the tourists. The music in this feature is original and live using a whistle as an instrument.
PROGRAM #077 Germany The death of Winter is heralded at a farmer's festival in the Bavarian Mountain town of Saldorf. Every year a whip-cracking festival called Aperschnaltzen is held to scare away the demons of ice and snow. Whip-cracking teams compete for prizes. The team that won was headed by the first girl ever to be captain of a team.
Taiwan It is the Year of the Tiger and in Taiwan the first day of the Chinese New Year is being celebrated. This festive day is marked by a special dinner and the popular Dragon Dance. The dragon is the symbol of China and the dance in his honor will bring good luck.
Sweden The folktale. A fairy princess grants seven wishes to a lazy boy who finally reforms after making five very foolish wishes in this humorous tale called "The Seven Wishes."
Venice Renowned for its beautiful glass, Venice is the appropriate locale for a feature about an apprentice to a maestro in a glass factory. The difficult process of creating glass objects is shown in great detail. Speed and timing are essential qualities in glass making. The apprentice demonstrates his increasing skill at this difficult art.
New York Although the setting is New York, the feature opens with an aerial view of the Caribbean; for the Caribbean was where the steel drum was invented. The man who created steel drums from oil barrels is Ellie Minette, who now lives in New York. He expounds on the history of this instrument while he makes a drum for a young member of a steel drum band.
PROGRAM #078 San Francisco Children visit the Exploratorium, a science museum built especially for kids. Here machines are meant to be touched and played with. Your hand can create sounds, your feet can create electricity, your voice can create pictures.
Thailand The Walking Buddha is a monastery where young boys learn to practice the teachings of Buddha - the middle way - without self-indulgence or self-denial. They learn that work should be done with pleasure, not ambition. They learn that wisdom is to be found in the languages of all men.
Mock Mosaics Viewers are shown how to make a mosaic using egg shells, food coloring, cardboard and glue. They are informed that originally mosaics were made with bits of colored tiles.
London A montage of Madame Tussaud's Wax Museum and people sculpting wax figures is shown with an informative song as an accompaniment. The theme of the song, "Madame Tussaud's" is that here, time stands still.
Ethiopia The folktale. The main characters in "Fire on the Mountain" are a wealthy prankster and his servant who earns his freedom by most unusual means.
Quebec Ice hockey, Canada's national sport, is featured here. Youngsters play, while aspects of the history and rules of the game are explained. The kids are joined by a famous Canadian hockey player, Henri Richards. He reveals some helpful tips about the game.
PROGRAM #079 Belgium The 500 year old, three day, pre-Lent carnival of Binche features parades, dancing and prizes awarded by the mayor for best costumes. Rites of spring are performed to ward off evil weather and poverty; oranges are thrown to bring good luck; and finally, fireworks are exploded to usher in Lent.
Hong Kong Within Hong Kong there is a floating city called Aberdeen. After school, many of which are housed on roof tops, a young boy named Lim Sien Fong earns money for his family by driving a water taxi. He ferries people all around one of the world's largest harbors until after nightfall.
Germany The folktale. This humorous tale, called "The Castles of the Two Brothers," carries a subtle message to all overly-possessive people. The dialogue accompanying the animation rhymes.
New York A fifteen year old girl from Virginia earned ballet scholarships that brought her to New York City. She lives with six other girls in a penthouse apartment. She practices ballet several hours a day. In an unusually articulate fashion, she describes the pains and pleasures of practicing to be a ballerina. The feature ends in a dream sequence.
PROGRAM #080 Utah A Navajo Indian girl describes what life is like for the Navajos today. Her grandmother relates an ancient Navajo fable, which has been animated by a Navajo teacher in an attempt to preserve their culture for future generations. The animated version of the fable about a toad and a coyote is shown.
England A dog training school where children learn proper car and training for their pets is featured. The teacher's theory is that there are no disobedient dogs, only inexperienced owners.
Colorful Collages A girl explains that collage means "paste" in French. She then proceeds to create a collage of her own. Viewers are encouraged to create their own collages by pasting all sorts of different things on paper.
Russia The folktale. "The Humpbacked Horse" turns out to be a magic talking horse, as well. The horse and his owner, who becomes stable master to the Tsar, succeed in doing the impossible. The tale ends with the traditional: the young owner marries the beautiful girl and they live happily ever after.
San Blas Off the cost of Panama lie the approximately 365 San Blas Islands. An eleven year old Cuna Indian boy describes life on Nalunega, one of the islands. He lives in a straw hut, goes fishing every day, helps grow vegetables, and plays basketball with his friends. Cuna Indian women hold a very important position in the tribe. When Cunas marry, all the money is turned over to the bride.
PROGRAM #081 Colorado Mike Yeats has been mountain climbing for six years. He is twelve now. He and his parents have just climbed 14,000 feet high Mt. Evans. They are preparing to rappel, or descend, the face of the cliff. Mike explains the purpose of the equipment and proper techniques. The feature flashes back to the Yeats' ascent of Mt. Evans earlier in the day.
Caracas Venezuelan children help make their capital city beautiful. They paint murals on the walls of buildings. The subject matter is entirely up to the individual.
England The folktale "King John and the Abbot of Canterbury" is a classic tale of impossible riddles and mistaken identity so popular in English literature. The King, an accurate portrayal of the 13th Century King John I, is a ruthless ruler. A court jester and his talking parrot play key roles in this amusing tale.
Scotland The courtyard of Dunvegan Castle on the Isle of Skye is the site for Highland Bagpipe playing. The best player in the Children's Pipe Band is selected to play alone in the courtyard where Scotland's greatest pipers have always played. A fourteen year old named Angus Monroe is chosen. As he proudly plays his grandfather's pipes, he dreams of becoming the finest piper in the land.
PROGRAM #082 France Sand yachts race along Normandy Beach. These three-wheel sailboats can go as fast as 80 mph. Nine year old Natalie impatiently waits for next year when she can enter the race. Meanwhile, she contents herself by sailing in her father's sand yacht.
Hong Kong Carolyn Leung's father owns a snake farm. She and the manager of the farm point out poisonous Malaysian mangrove snakes, pythons, Cambodian elephant - trunk snakes, cobras. Venom from the snakes is collected in jars and shipped to research laboratories to make anti-venom. Carolyn's father wants her to run the farm someday, but she says she would prefer to do something more unusual.
Thailand The folktale. This take, "The Parrot and the Lorikeet" proposes that the lorikeet was the only talking bird with a mind of its own. The lorikeet humorously explains the circumstances that ultimately convinced his successor, the parrot, to resign himself solely to mimicry.
Stamp out Potatoes! Cut a potato in half, then cut out a pattern in one of the halves. Put some paint in a jar lid. Dip the potato in the paint, and you have a potato stamp. Decorate wrapping paper, stationery, or greeting cards with different designs and colors from your potato stamps.
Holland Four year olds lift up trains with one hand, kids step over three-story buildings, planes fly under human legs. The place is Madurodam, a miniature duplication of parts of Amsterdam, Rotterdam, Utrecht, and The Hague. The Maduro family built Madurodam in the 1950's for their son George.
Colorado Featured in this segment is a rodeo for high school students. Calf roping, bronco riding and other rodeo events are included. The original song "A Rodeo Cowboy" is featured.
PROGRAM #083 Colombia Boys help earn money for their families by shining shoes in Bogota. Jaime reveals his secrets of how to get more generous tips. His ambition is to be a football star and own more shoes than anyone has ever seen.
Copenhagen Copenhagen has many unusual playgrounds. There are playgrounds full of animals. There are "junk" playgrounds where kids can play and build with discarded materials. There are driving playgrounds complete with real traffic signals and little cars to ride in. There is even an Iron Age village.
Nigeria The folktale. The moral of this tale, "A Test of Friendship," is true friends examine both sides of a situation. An old man tests the friendship of two fellows by purchasing a hat which is black on one side and white on the other.
Macao In this Asian province of Portugal is a fireworks factory. There is a tour of the factory. Lam Dai Sing helps make some fireworks. And, after a permit is obtained by the police, Lam Dai Sing purchases some firecrackers. He carefully sets them off that night and takes pride in knowing that he helped make them.
New York It's time for the clown auditions at Madison Square Garden. A girl named Lynn Tarrell is auditioning. She explains that if you are accepted you go to clown college in Florida, where you just "clown around."
PROGRAM #084 France Spelunking in or rather under the countryside of southern France is featured here. A twelve year old girl is the youngest in the group. She explains how caves are made and the difference between stalactites and stalagmites. The group climbs to an underground river where they embark on rubber rafts for the conclusion of their journey.
U.S.A. The folktale. Entitled "The Runaway Squash" this piece of fantasy is about a boy who plants a squash seed which immediately begins growing and carries the kid all over the countryside. At the end we find out he has been dreaming.
Singapore A thirteen year old competes in the Men's Table Tennis Championship of Singapore. He is the only child entry. His opponent is twenty-six.The opponent wins three out of three games, but the competition is tough.
Utah The crew on the paddlewheel steamboat, the Canyon King, consists of Anna, the captain's daughter. She explains how steamboats work as they sail up the Colorado River on their way to pick up sightseers. Anna gives the history of the steamboat and mentions how lucky she feels to be riding one of the few steamboats left in America. An original song "Somedays I Just Want To Go Somewhere," concludes the program.
PROGRAM #085 Canada Bathtubs filled with water? No, water filled with bathtubs! It's the International Bathtub Race from Nanaimo, on Vancouver Island, across the strait to Vancouver. These bathtubs are equipped with motors and are decorated with great ingenuity.
Philippines The Bajao tribe live practically their whole lives in boats or in houses on stilts in the water. Marita and Abdul are Bajaos. They do not go to school. Instead, they spend much of their time diving for shells. Then they sell their dried out shells to a factory which makes buttons out of them.
Italy The folktale. The message in this little tale is that some people judge others superficially. The tale is called "Princess Clothes" because a little girl's clothes make all the difference as to whether she is treated like a princess or a peasant.
New Jersey "Games" is the name of this original song that introduces the National Marble Tournament in Wildwood, New Jersey. The winner receives a $600.00 scholarship. Twenty-one girls and boys have entered. The rules are carefully explained. A fourteen year old boy and a thirteen year old girl are the finalists.
PROGRAM #086 Puerto Rico Meaning "fine step" the elegant Paso Fino horses are native to Puerto Rico. On this ranch, or finca, 11-year old Neysa has been helping her father raise and train Paso Fino horses since she was five. A horse is put through its paces while the characteristics and history of this breed are described.
Puerto Rico The folktale. The well known calypso rhythm of the Caribbean sets the beat for this lyric folktale, "The Three-Cornered Hat of Bad Miguel." Miguel tries to hoodwink a wealthy man into believing Miguel's hat can produce an endless stream of pesos. But sunstroke punishes hatless Miguel for his evil schemes.
Isle of Guernsey If this is low tide, it must be time for mudlarking. Junk cars race through the mud as they do their best to demolish one another. If this is not messy enough, try riding in sleds pulled by the cars. And the mudlarking will continue, until the tide rolls back in.
United States A girl dons her helmet as she prepares to go ballooning. The giant balloons are controlled by increasing or decreasing the amount of hot air in the bag. As the manned balloons float through the air, the original "Say Hello to the Sky" is sung.
PROGRAM #087 Bali Ancient Hindu legend has it that monkeys once saved a princess from an evil king. Balinese perform the Kachek Dance, which acts out this legend. They dance to music created by human voices with no instruments involved. Every gesture holds special significance. This is only one of the hundred of dances performed in Bali.
Spain The folktale. "The Wonderful White Donkey" is the story of a gullible man who is tricked into believing that his donkey has turned into a man. Actually, his donkey has been stolen. The man gets his donkey back at the end, but he never realizes that his donkey is just a donkey.
England You don't need snow or water to go skiing in England. The sport is grass skiing, and fourteen year old Phil Jennings is the country's youngest instructor. Grass skiing is a cross between ice skating and skiing. Phil demonstrates as he explains the technique.
Global Gourmet You don't have to be Italian to love pizza. A boy shows how to make pizza from scratch. The recipe is flashed on the screen. It seems that the pizza takes longer to make than to eat!
Los Angeles The hoola hoop is back! Young champions of all ages demonstrate their proficiency as "Hoopin'", an original son, is sung.
PROGRAM #088 Texas Boys and girls fourteen or younger came to Texas to compete in the first World Invitational Minicycle Championship. A fourteen year old from Australia who thinks he will win walks the track to familiarize himself. He talks about the racing he has done back in Australia. He does not win, but he still plans to enjoy his American holiday.
Bulgaria The folktale. Trinka is a very very spoiled little girl in "Trinka." Her parents spoil her so much that when she gets married, Trinka is helpless. Her husband reforms her and they produce several unspoiled children.
St John Donna and her friends are asked to get some salt. Instead of going to the store, they do their own salt harvesting down at the salt pond. On their way to the pond they stop and pick some bay rum leaves, play a game with soldier crabs, and eat part of the top of a cactus.
Amsterdam After school, Jess goes to school. But this school is circus school. He is learning to ride a unicycle. The children in circus school make money giving performances all over Holland.
PROGRAM #089 Ghana This segment features a glimpse into the daily life of members of a village in Ghana. A fourteen year old native visits the market while his brother goes fishing.
England A magician with a rabbit puppet named Theodore entertains children in the audience.
India The folktale. This tale is about a narcissistic princess who has her necklace stolen by an envious monkey. The hero, in this case the gardener, figures out a way of finding out which monkey took the necklace. The title is "The Princess' Necklace."
Cozumel This is an island in Mexico off the coast of the Yucatan peninsula. Jose works with his father taking visitors on sea trips around Cozumel. One of the visitors is an American boy named Andy. Andy and Jose become close friends as they explore Cozumel together. "Come Be My Friend," an original song, accompanies this feature.
New York The Star Spangled Banner in sign language introduces this feature about Carol, a ten year old deaf girl. Carol reads lips and knows sign language. Now she is working with a speech therapist at a school for the deaf to learn how to speak. The therapist is helping her practice for her part in the school play. The feature ends with the children putting on their Christmas play, "Babes in Toyland."
PROGRAM #090 Colorado Steam locomotives are extinct now but Old 483 is still huffing over the Rockies. Kelly, the daughter of the engineer, accompanies dad on a check run. She explains how the locomotive works and who invented it. An amusing original song called "Save the Dinosaur" is sung as 483 chugs along.
Ethiopia Farmers and wandering herdsmen people the highlands of Ethiopia. fifteen year old Petro, a country boy, visits Addis Adaba, the capital, and shows the viewers the city's highlights. He relates a bit of Ethiopia's history. But Petro prefers the country, where he can play with his friends and visit the blacksmith forge. At school, which is outside, Petro learns the books of the bible from a blind teacher.
Australia The Folktale. Aborigines preserve their beliefs through oral tradition. "Dream Time" is the time when the world began. This dream time story, "The Frog and the Sound of the Wind," explains why frogs leap into ponds whenever the wind whistles through the grasses.
Singapore Kung Fu is an art of speed not power. It is a spiritual exercise invented by Buddhist monks to protect themselves from bandits. Kung Fu develops a sense of peace and confidence within oneself. The art of Kung Fu is demonstrated throughout this feature.
PROGRAM #091 Florida Diving for buried treasure is more than a dream in the Florida Keys. Eight year old Thomas has been scuba diving since he was four. Thomas' uncle is a treasure hunter. With the aid of a magnetometer, the boy and his uncle explore forty feet underwater in search of the remains of a 17th century Spanish treasure ship.
Bali Young apprentice stone carvers first go to a quarry to obtain a block of stone for their village's Master Carver. The apprentices add small details to a statue such as toenails or bracelets. The art of stone carving is demonstrated step by step beginning with a slab of stone and resulting in an elaborate statue for a Hindu temple.
Brazil The folktale. A South American version of the Tortoise and the Hare is "The Parrot, The Paca, and the Dull Brown Beetle." The parrot suggests a race between the paca and the beetle. The paca thinks he has it all sewn up but the beetle wins.
Holland "Muggen Ronde" meaning "gnat's tour" is the annual children's bicycle race through Holland. The race takes five days and covers 700 kilometers. There are 110 entries this year. Each day there is a sprinting event. Kids camp out in tents each night. The winner receives a trophy. "Round and Round" is an original song in this feature.
PROGRAM #092 Acapulco Ever since Carlos was four years old he has been diving. Each year he dives from higher heights. Now he is sixteen and ready to become one of the great Acapulco cliff divers. He is about to make his first cliff dive from 135' in the air. He carefully scales the cliff and stops to make a short prayer. When the wave is at its crest, Carlos dives. He has just become an official Acapulco diver.
England Yorkshire is one of the best areas for pot holing, the English term for spelunking. Two youngsters join Mr. and Mrs. Potts (!) the heads of the local potholing club. After donning underwater gear the potholers enter the cave and explore underground streams and passages for an hour.
Greece Once version of how the world began is animated in this myth of the same name. Animated contemporary Greek parents explain the myth to their children. Man was made from mud. Prometheus, the first man, was granted the gift of fire from the gods on Olympus. Pandora, the first woman who was overly curious, opened a box and released all the evil elements into the world. Only Hope still remained.
Utah There is no turning back once Gooseneck Canyon is reached. And that is where Terry and her mom and brother along with a river guide are headed. They are on a rubber raft trip on the San Juan River. They camp overnight, dig fossils out of rocks, and brave the rapids. "A Time To Live" is the original song that accompanies this feature.
PROGRAM #093 Jamaica Reggae bands, now gaining popularity in the United States, originated in Jamaica. This feature is one day in the life of the son of a reggae band leader. The boy and his drumsticks are inseparable. The climax comes when he gets to play in his dad's band that evening.
Philippines A new, larger canoe is being built for Hambre, who has outgrown his old boat. The canoe is cut from a single, mahogany log floated over from a nearby island. While the canoe is being made, Hambre tends the seaweed crop on the sea farms. Then he climbs a coconut tree and drinks some coconut milk. By then, his new canoe is ready and he proudly sails off in it.
Ireland The folktale. True good fortune comes from the honest labor and diligence ... with a little help from a magic, golden bottle. This humorous tale features an evil landlord named Nickels O'Nasty and an old peasant couple, the O'Flynns.
California A three and a half mile stretch of beach is divided into one hundred sections in preparation for San Diego's sand castle contest. Not only sand castles are built. There are models of Indians, dragons, dogs, hippos. All ages can enter. Prizes are awarded for originality, design, and overall effort.
PROGRAM #094 New York (Upstate) A man jumps off the top of a castle onto a pile of cardboard boxes. He is a professional stunt man. His young son, Greg, is very proud of his dad and tries to emulate him. After his father rappels the face of a cliff, Greg gets his chance. It's harder than it looks, but Greg makes it.
Holland Canals in Holland are as common as highways in other countries. And living on a barge is not uncommon. For barge families there are barge supermarkets and barge schools. This particular barge transports petroleum products. Barges are almost always on the move, but this one ties up long enough for the children to enjoy a fireworks display. The original song in this feature is appropriately called "Floatin'".
The Netherlands The folktale. Written in rhymes, "The Widow and the Wheat" tells the story of why and how the opulent port of Staveren became destitute. This humorous ballad proves that greed and jealousy do not pay.
Spain The Rodriguez family has been famous for generations for the excellent guitar making. Grandfather Rodriquez, now eighty-six, has been making guitars for seventy years. Their guitars are made 100% by hand. The step by step process is demonstrated. At the end of a hard day, the Rodriguez' serenade one another on their home-made guitars.
PROGRAM #095 Alaska Near the North Pole at Point Hope, Alaska, some Eskimo children are preparing for winter. They are putting away their umiak, a boat with a frame of wood and whale bone covered with seal skins. After the winter arrives, the Eskimos travel by dog sled. They stop at their cache, an Eskimo refrigerator which stores whale and seal meat. When the snow comes, caribou hunting and ice fishing begin. Once again there will be enough to eat.
England This time the magician shows the audience how to make its own puppets with a handkerchief and a little bowl for the head. Draw a face with a pen. Your fingers become the arms. And you have your own instant puppet.
Global Gourmet The recipe for today is crepes. After you combine the ingredients, the trick seems to be in the flipping. The problem can be solved by skipping the flipping altogether. But not if you want to be a true French chef.
A Jewish Tale Called "The Payment", this droll folktale features Samuel, a regular schlemiel, a Jewish Stan Laurel; an extraordinarily patient woman; and the Rabbi. In short, the woman pays Samuel, a clock fixer, for repairing her clock. He loses this payment. She rewards him instead, with a plant. He abuses this payment and every subsequent one by following the woman' directions for the previous payments.
Yugoslavia A children's folk dancing class is rehearsing for a public performance that evening. Most students begin their training at the Conservatory when they are only four years old. They practice several hours every day. An ensemble from the Conservatory goes on tour all over Europe and North America.
PROGRAM #096 Kenya A game refuge for all kinds of wild animals is where twelve year old Hassan lives. He lives here with his grandfather, a game warden. White rhinoceroses are the largest animals at Meru Park. Hassan exercises the rhinos and discusses their characteristics.
Batik a T-shirt Children show how to make batik.
Israel Two thirteen year old boys live by themselves in a little house. There are six hundred members in their family. They live on a kubbutz. Children learn responsibility and independence early here. Everything is shared. The school is right in the middle of the kibbutz, and classes are held six days a week. In Israel there are now 240 kibbutz settlements.
Japan The folktale. In this parable "The Axe of Gold", honesty is rewarded and dishonesty punished. The characters are an old, humble and honest woodcutter and a younger, greedy and dishonest woodcutter. A goddess of the forest pond passes judgment on these two by awarding an axe of gold to one and a rusty, pitted axe to the other.
Arizona/Nevada The Colorado River flows along the Arizona-Nevada border. In 1935 the Hoover Dam was constructed across the Colorado. Old filmstrips of the celebration marking the completion of the dam are shown. The functions of the dam are explained. Three little girls explore the enormous construction and one of them temporarily gets lost. The original song in this feature is called "Dynamite day."
PROGRAM #097 Bali Boys and girls perform another one of the hundreds of Balinese dances. Accompanying this dance is a percussion orchestra called gamelan. All the movements in the dance convey messages just as lyrics do. The name of this particular dance is the Trampong, an Eastern dance done in Western costume.
Florida Fishing is one of Florida's most popular sports. Tarpon and bone are two of the most popular sport fish. An eleven year old girl goes fishing with her uncle, a fishing guide. Live shrimp is used for bait. When fish are caught in sport fishing, they are thrown right back.
Canada The folktale. This tale is an old Indian Tale from Manitoba called "The Moose's Coat". It tells about the days when all animals had thin, gray coats. One day the Great Spirit gave each type of animal a different coat. The moose missed out and ended up with his baggy coat and ugly horns.
India In New Delhi, a fifteen year old boy is taking his final sitar lesson before his first public recital. He has been studying the sitar under his guru for three years. The characteristics and history of the instrument are described.
PROGRAM #098 Canada Five miles off the coast of British Columbia lies Lennard Island. The only people who lived on the Island are the chief light keeper and his family. An assistant light keeper and his family move in in this feature. The intricacies of running a light station are explained and illustrated.
Mexico It is Mexican Independence Day and part of the fiesta includes the performance of the well-known Mexican Hat Dance. This is also the day that young Juan tries to become a charros. A Charros is the equivalent of our rodeo performer. Juan has practiced hard with his lariat. Finally it is time for the Charriada, or rodeo. The new Charro always goes last. Juan and his lariat give an impressive showing. He becomes one of the elite Charros of Mexico.
South Sea Islands The folktale. A frivolous tale called "The Spots on the Moon" claims that the moon has spots because a jealous braggart threw mud at it after he failed to hook the moon with his fishing rod.
New York (Upstate) Billy hangs around the local airport and fantasizes about flying in one of the planes. One day he is asked to help roll out one of the Tiger Moths. Then to Billy's great delight he is invited to go for a spin in the plane. He learns tall about the instruments on the panel. After his ride he is more determined than ever to be a pilot.
PROGRAM #099 Egypt Almost 4500 years ago the great Pyramid of Giza was built. It is still standing today. Tourists rent camels to visit this 500' high monument to King Cheops. Eleven year old Ahmed rents out some camels. He saddles the camels and provides a kuffiyeh, Arab headdress, for each tourist. They visit the famous sphinxes and examine the intricate wall carvings of one of the Seven Wonders of the Ancient World.
Connecticut "Say Hello to the Sky" is an original song which sets the tone for an eight year old walking alone in the country on a beautiful day. He feels like flying, so he does the next best thing - he makes a kite out of two sticks, some string, and wrapping paper.
Iran The folktale. A woman is preparing some shish kebob for supper. Her woman friends come over to gossip and end up eating all the shish kebob. When her husband returns he is furious to find only rice for dinner. His wife claims the cat ate the three kilos of mutton. But when the cat is weighed it weighs only three kilos. The distraught wife vows never to lie again, as she goes out to buy more mutton. The tale is called "Shish Kebob."
Ceylon (Sri Lanka) An eleven year old boy is in love with a twenty-five year old, three ton, long nosed girl elephant. His brother is a professional Mahut, elephant trainer. The life of an elephant and its Mahut is featured.
PROGRAM #100 New York City Students at the Walden School here learn how to improvise. they are visited by the Children's Theater Group of Actors. After demonstrations and pointers by the Theater Group, the students put on their own improvisational play about a giant who is unhappy because he never frightens anyone anymore.
If Children Ruled The World The topic in this program is clothes. The child reprimands her father for dressing sloppily.
England The original song "Games" introduces this feature on the International Marble Tournament. The fourteen year old boy who won the Wildwood (N.J.) Tournament is here competing again. The difference between American and British rules are explained. The tournament begins -- the U.S. team emerges victorious.
Classic Tale "The Boy Who Cried Wolf" is animated, put to verse and given a dash of humor. The message is still salient.
Poland The Palace of Youth in Warsaw is the setting for the water ballet of "Swan Lake". The ballet is presented by teenage girls. The girl with the lead role discusses how she feels about being in the ballet and gives viewers a glimpse of her city.
The Dear Pen Pal segment is included in this program.
PROGRAM #101 Maryland A fifteen year old girl has the unusual job of being ball-and-broom girl for the Baltimore Orioles, a major league baseball team. She enjoys her work and her family is in the stands rooting for her just as if she were another Brooks Robinson, one of the great players.
If Children Ruled The World The son patiently explains to his perturbed father that he should try to get along better with his boss--after all, he is not going to work just to have a good time.
Senegal Senegal's national sport is wrestling. Her the wrestling is done on sand. Unlike the United States, in Senegal, the match is over as soon as one of the knees touches the ground.
Greek Myth The well-know legend of Echo, the broken-hearted mountain nymph, and Narcissus, the beautiful but vain mortal, is animated in the style of the early Greek vase painters.
Mexico A young girl is Acapulco enviously watches paraskiers soar through the air. If only she had enough pesos, she, too, could paraski over the Acapulco harbor. Being a resourceful child, she decides to sell cold drinks to thirsty laborers. Soon she has the required amount of money and gets to go paraskiing.
The Dear Pen Pal segment is included in this program.
PROGRAM #102 Haiti Voodoo, a religious cult, is still practiced in Haiti. A young Haitian girl learns of the sacred dances and trances used to evoke spirits in an outdoor church on the island. Voodooists believe in one god, the God of Wisdom.
"Dump Daisy" This is a song about a child who is walking through a trash dump on her way home from school. Amid all the garbage she sees a little flower growing out of a discarded sneaker. When she returns the following day to see if the daisy is still there, she finds the bulldozers have turned over the original sneaker, and instead of one daisy she now finds two, proving beauty can survive even in an atmosphere of ugliness.
A Classic Tale "Rumpelstiltskin", a classic Grimm Fairy Tale, is adapted and endowed with humor and imagination in this animated version.
USSR The Moscow Circus School is the topic of this feature. Classrooms surround the circus arena so the students can see how acrobatic or aerialist feats are properly performed. Talented youngsters demonstrate their various abilities. After attending the Moscow Circus School for two years, a young person is regarded as qualified to perform.
PROGRAM #103 Paris A group of man-sized penguins nonchalantly walk in the Metro - the underground subway train system of Paris. They are actually being filmed for a movie. Children standing by are invited to don some penguin outfits. This feature focuses on special effects used in movies. A workshop where props (such as foam rubber horses) are made is visited during this segment.
Greek Myth "The Golden Touch' is an operatic rendition of the famed King Midas myth. This rhyming version is lively and humorous. The ending has a particularly witty twist, but the storyline, on the whole, remains faithful.
India Camel breeders from western India are featured in this segment. A young camel breeder describes the origin and characteristics of these animals. The method of plowing with camels is also demonstrated.
If Children Ruled The World Trying to get Daddy to understand the importance of doing his homework is the child's task in this feature.
New York City A Double Dutch tournament is in progress in Manhattan. Double Dutch is jump rope using two ropes that swing in opposite directions. Music accompanies this visually exciting feature. The winners of the tournament treat the viewers to an encore.
The Dear Pen Pal segment is included in this program.
PROGRAM #104 West Virginia Jo Ann Lee demonstrates the excitement of learning to ride in a Kayak in the Lafayette Station Rapids. She describes the practice and training that are part of Kayaking while she whips through the waves.The segment ends with a breathtaking ride.
Classic Tale "The Riddle of the Sphinx", an ancient Egyptian legend is animated and set to a musical refrain. Children will enjoy the riddle and appreciate the antiquity of the riddle form.
England In a particularly sensitive segment, we see the "Special Olympics" through the eyes of a young girl who has been disabled by cerebral palsy. The International Olympic Games for handicapped children poignantly demonstrate how much handicapped children can do and wish to do. Exercises, like wheelchair races and javelin throws give the children the opportunity to improve their physical condition at the same time help their self-esteem.
If Children Ruled The World This segment pokes fun at the dress selection a mother makes. The daughter urges her to purchase "that sweet pink one" instead.
Brazil In this segment we visit the State of Sao Paulo in Brazil to see young boys who are learning to be race car drivers. The teachers are all professional drivers. The boys have classes in mechanics as well as regular school subjects. The segment ends with a race. The child points out the value of accepting the disappointments which are part of competition.
PROGRAM #105 South Carolina Sixteen-year old Jim Blackwell tells about his long wait to grow old enough for the adventurous sport featured in this segment - skydiving. preparatory steps, packing the chute, and getting suited up are shown and Jim goes for his first jump from 2800 feet!
Classic Tale "Bad Habits" is an African folk tale about a rabbit and a monkey whose bad habits annoy one another. The resolution of the story is an accommodation of each others habits, "Live and Let Live."
Hungary In this segment we visit the Budapest Pioneer Railroad, an organization of young Hungarians similar to a scout group. The boys run a diesel locomotive, exchanging jobs each time they work the 38-minute trip. The featured boy's parents came to meet him at the end of the trip and they celebrated his birthday in a nearby restaurant.
If Children Ruled The World In this spoof, children have something to say about their parents' bedtime.
Canada In the Caribou Mountain area, British Columbia, we visit a 12-year old boy who demonstrates snowmobiling and iceboating. He puts a ski from a skimobile on an iceboat and he and a young girl sail off to the delightful song "Skim Along".
PROGRAM #106 Los Alamedos, California Debbie Fyke, a 17-year old gymnast is training for the Olympics. She takes the viewers through some of the events as she talks about the hard work and will power required for her training. She has been in national competitions as well as events in Russia, South Africa and Germany.
If Children Ruled The World The topic in this program is friends. The child reprimands her mother about her choice in friends.
Denmark In this segment we visit a training ship for the Danish Merchant Marines that takes 80 boys on a voyage through the Carribbean. Kaspa, the featured child, is nervous because he has never been away from home. He talks about learning responsibilities for himself and others. We work the rigging and learn about the 6-month training course. The segment ends at sunset as Kaspa is thinking about home.
Classic Tale "The Emperor's New Clothes"
Africa In this segment we make an intriguing visit to the Ivory Coast to see human jugglers. In this town one must be both an orphan and chosen to be a juggler. The juggler and his three children dance to entertain the townspeople. We see all the makeup and costume preparations as well as the actual performance.
The Dear Pen Pal segment is included in this program
PROGRAM #107 St. Croix, U.S. Virgin Islands St Croix provides a beautiful backdrop for two young boys to go Spinnaker Flying. The children are instructed by an expert in this unusual sport in which the child sails in the air over the water via the sailboat's Spinnaker.
Netherlands In the Netherlands we visit a famous Carillon School where a master tells about casting of the bells and shows children how a Carillon is played. A young boy tries it out and plays "Big Blue Marble."
If Children Ruled The World A young boy does a humorous take-off on words parents often have about allowances.
Classic Tale "Pegasus," the Greek myth about the Winged Horse of the Gods is done in exciting animation.
England Tracy Southerland, a 13-year old, is an expert figure skater. She goes to the rink six days per week and practices four hours each day. She first started figure skating at five years of age. Tracy speaks of her ambition to compete in figure skating championships.
The Dear Pen Pal segment is included in this program
PROGRAM #108 Louisiana Scott Morin, 12, and his father ride a helicopter to a gas-well platform thirty-five miles off the coast in the middle of the Gulf of Mexico. Mr. Morin is an oil company engineer. He explains to his son how gas is processed and the difference between a production platform and an oil drilling platform.
Global Gourmet The tasty dish prepared in front of your very eyes is chocolate fondue from Switzerland. Heat up the chocolate, cut up some fruit, dip the