They Were There

British children are now learning about the U.S. from British children who have been there. Quiz sessions are run jointly by Britain's interdenominational Talbot House (popularly known as Toc H) and the London OWI.

After tea about a hundred 14-to 17-year-old veterans of the London blitz gather around the fireplace in the headmaster's living room of Westminster School, adjoining the ancient Abbey. Under the chairmanship of an OWI girl, they fire questions at a brain trust of two or three young people repatriated after living in the U.S. The brain trust is coached by Author Christopher Morley's smart 24-year-old daughter Louise, now the wife of Cameron Highlander Captain James Cochrane.

Mother of Boasting. Brain-Truster Eleanor Caddick, a 19-year-old student at the London School of Economics, attended Swarthmore College while in the U.S. One question put to her: "Why do Americans boast so much?" Answer: "In a pioneer country as people moved west they needed self-confidence to cope with floods, earthquakes, Indians, etc., so they boasted about their strength and courage to give themselves self-confidence. . . . A tradition of boastfulness was established and it continues." Later Miss Caddick remarked that every U.S. child has a musical instrument. Miss Morley quickly corrected her.

Another question put to Miss Caddick: "How does Shakespeare come over in American theaters?" Answer: "Don't you know that much of the slang in the American language comes right out of Shakespeare?" Comment by the questioner: "Well, I still don't think the American accent is suited to blank verse."

Some of the answers seem to make them envious: U.S. schools have more self-government groups and special clubs than British schools; neighbors are in and out of one another's houses more than in England.

British youngsters were puzzled as to why the U.S. needs so many refrigerators, furnaces, canned goods. The size and climatic variety of the U.S. seems hard for them to grasp. Many questions concern education: the difference between a school certificate and a diploma or between a college and a university; the means of working one's way through college; the spread of education. One conclusion heard at a session last week: "Well, I suppose then that Americans are a bit more educated than we are."

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