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Childhood

Episode 2 of 4

From Trinidad to Australia, Kenya to Barbados, Canada, India and beyond, over the decades film-makers have captured the rich diversity of the Commonwealth. This edition looks at childhood.

30 minutes

Last on

Wed 9 Jul 2014 02:00

Clip

Filmography

Kindergarten

National Film Board of Canada 1962

Dir: Guy L. Coté

AÌýshort documentary focusing on one day in a kindergarten classroom.

We watch the teacher encouraging children to turn their curiosity into questions and organising group activities and play periods. Filmed at Van Horne Public School in Montreal.

Ìý

Schools OutÌý

Made by the Australian National Film Board 1954

Produced and directed by H. M. Scales.

The film demonstrates some of the activities of school children during their holidays and something of the efforts which have been made by a variety of clubs and societies to keep them from playing on the streets.

This film was screened at the inaugural Sydney Film Festival in 1954.

Ìý

The World About Us: The Magical Indian RoadshowÌý

ÃÛÑ¿´«Ã½Ìý 02/07/1978Ìý

AÌýlook at the life and culture of the traditional Indian travelling players.

Ìý

Living in the Commonwealth: Canada: 1: The Land of the Younger SonÌý

ÃÛÑ¿´«Ã½ 24/09/1957

Schools programme about life in British Columbia. This is the first transmission in the new ÃÛÑ¿´«Ã½ Schools' Television broadcasting service.

Includes National Film Board of Canada film on children going to school by boat. Also featured is a reportage from theÌýNFBC called Classroom on Rails, regarding aÌýrailway coach that brings school to children in a logging area of northern Ontario.

Ìý

The World About Us: Kenya Runner

ÃÛÑ¿´«Ã½Ìý 14/12/1975

Out of Kenya has emerged a very talented batch of longÌýand middle distance runners - mostly fromÌýtwo tribes from east of Lake Victoria.

We show an extract from the film featuring schoolboy Joseph Chepkwony, who aspires to follow the example of his brother Stephen, one of the fastest 1/4 milers in the world.

Ìý

Panorama: 169

ÃÛÑ¿´«Ã½ 5/10/1959ÌýÌýÌý

AÌýspecial on India, introduced byÌýRichard Dimbleby asks if India can develop successfully under her present system of government,Ìýand maintain her non-aligned status.

Our extract shows education of children on the streets of Calcutta. Filmed by German photographer and journalist Rolf Gillhausen.

Ìý

ÃÛÑ¿´«Ã½ Man Alive: Profile: Major Dudley GardinerÌýMBE

ÃÛÑ¿´«Ã½ 03/04/1975

Profile of Major Dudley Gardiner, who runs a 'meals on wheels' soup kitchen in Calcutta.ÌýÌý

Ìý

ÃÛÑ¿´«Ã½lands: 5: Nigeria

ÃÛÑ¿´«Ã½ 13/07/1990

Extract from a documentary on Chinua Achebe, one of Africa's foremost writers, showing schoolchildren reading his classic novel Arrow of God.

Ìý

ÃÛÑ¿´«Ã½ The Inheritors: 7: AustraliaÌý

ÃÛÑ¿´«Ã½ 16/12/1958

From a series on British influence in the Commonwealth. Aidan Crawley visits Australia, continent inhabited almost entirely by people of british origin,Ìýand looks at the character of civilisation they have produced. This extract features an outback boy who takes lessons by radio link with his teacher in Alice Springs.Ìý

Ìý

Jamaica - Schools for All

Overseas Film and Television 1959

From the series Our Government at Work.

Ìý

Writers and Places: 1:ÌýA Kind of Failure

ÃÛÑ¿´«Ã½Ìý 15/01/1981

Author Anthony Burgess returns to Malaysia after 25 years. He revisits many of the locations he knew as an education officer there before independenceÌýand comments on the new Malaysia.

Ìý

Youngsters from Outback Enjoy Holiday

From newsreel: Australian Diary 1951

The opening of the country children's holiday camp at Portsea.

Ìý

Malaya: Welfare and Supply

ÃÛÑ¿´«Ã½ television newsreel 24/09/1953

AÌýpublic information film on the Selangor children's home whichÌýis looking after orphans, most of whom are victims of the insurgencyÌý

Ìý

Signpost:Ìý West Indies: 3: Come ÃÛÑ¿´«Ã½ with Me to Trinidad

ÃÛÑ¿´«Ã½ schools programme 09/05/66ÌýÌýÌý

Ìý

Barbados - Better Safe than Sorry

Overseas Film andÌýTelevision 1965

Road safety film from Barbados

Credits

Role Contributor
Executive Producer Caroline Wright
Producer Elaine Shepherd

Broadcasts

Discover the OU’s Commonwealth on Film

Trace the progress of the English language across the Commonwealth.