hair-dos, the commentator's tie, a politician's dimple. Why, recently, our little terrier bitch
got so excited, she darted forward and began smelling an alderman's dimple as he flashed it
at us from the screen. Let me give you another instance of the dangers lurking in the box. I
was discussing one of our politicians with a neighbour who shares my beliefs more or less. I
ventured to suggest, 'He's an honest man.' My neighbour agreed, but at the same time he shook
his head, 'Arr, but his image-his image won't get him anywhere!' In other words, it is not
principles, sincerity, but the superficialities which count -the avalanche of sentimentality
and technicoloured dishonesty. Unless we cultivate the habit of consulting the books in our
libraries -unless we search and sift -toughen our minds -I feel we are lost - we cannot
hope to decide for ourselves whether we really believe what the Americans, the British, the Sov-
iet, or even some of our more abysmal politicians, and of course our newspaper proprietors, tell us we should.

The blight from the box is one of the most pernicious Twentieth Century diseases. If
ever I appear on television, not from choice, but during some crisis when I feel I have to, im-
mediately people I pass in the street start turning on sentimental smiles, even though I know
the majority do not really approve of what I tell them. They probably wouldn't have understood
the language I speak, anyway. Quite often when I talk to children, even adults, they look at me
in blank surprise because I don't trot out the half-a-dozen telly clichés- for the most part
gifts from our American overlords - with which so many Australians communicate today - when
the minerals of language and thought are here in the libraries, waiting to be mined, as potent,
as important for our future as uranium.

The wisdom which surpasses money, cars, swimming pools, and sport... It seems to me when I
look around and see children toiling on the playing fields almost any day of the week that
sport plays the major part in Australian education. A mother tells me, 'Oh well, if my children
don't play sport they won't get good passes.' I like to think-I do believe that librarians
can combat to a great extent this pathetic attitude. You're in a better position than the
teacher, because we're all of us a bit averse to teacher and school, and we're not inclined to
think of you as crypto-teachers because your approach makes us feel more adult. I'm convinced
it will be sharp wits -moral strength -not muscle -perhaps not even armaments - that will
save us in a grim future. You librarians can offer us an antidote to mindlessness -and to