The White Falcon - 31.12.1971, Blaðsíða 4

A Word to the Wives
v by Dorothy Byrne
Would you beleive that half of us could be speaking
simple Icelandic in six short weeks?
Today in nonor of the New
Year, we suggest a New Year's re-
solution for Keflavik Base-called
Operation Icelandic.
It is a challenge—a challenge
that will cost nothing---no reams
of paper work, no man-hour stud-
ies, no cost analysis. For you
see, we have the capability here
and now. All that we need is
good old American "get up and go"
and one volunteer.
Do we need to learn? Most
Icelanders speak beautiful En-
glish, you say. True, they do.
But how do you feel about an
immigrant who comes to the U.S.
and makes no attempt to learn the
Language? You think he is rather
dumb. Therefore, surely we have
the conversational equivalent of
a two-year-old in the eyes of the
Icelanders. Unfortunately, the
more senior the man, the more he
needs to know Icelandic, and the
less time he has to learn.
Friendship is a two-way street.
Few of us are meeting our host
country half way.
Okay, you say; that may be
true, but we housewives must
think twice before we spend $66,
(plus $10 initial registration
fee and $5 for a book), for the
University of Maryland course.
Husbands get a rebate from the
government, but we don't. The
children need new boots and the
drapes are getting a bit worn;
that's a lot of money for Mrs.
Housewife to spend on herself for
language lessons. Many of us
simply don't have that much mon-
ey. Besides, the 6:30 p.m. class
hour is difficult for a young
Mother unless young Father is
willing to do the supper dishes,
bathe the little ones and read
their bedtime stories. Since wo-
men's lib has not yet arrived,
that cancels out some more of us.
Then, of course, there are duty
nights when baby sitting fees
would be neccessary if Mother is
stranded without the family car.
Last, but not least, some women
simply do not drive when it
snows. Yet, despite all these
excuses, the University of Mary-
land Icelandic course is FULL.
The next obvious possibility
is a command-sponsored free con-
versation course. The naval sta-
tion has not been able to find
someone willing to teach for some
time. Hopefully, proper funding
will come through to attract such
a teacher. Unfortunately, this
takes time.
To sum up our problem: We need
to know Icelandic; and we need a
cheap, easy method.
We have it) The tool-----radio!
The method---Sesame Street! The
cost---nothing!
Surely one of our Icelandic
employees or Icelandic wives
would volunteer to cut a series
of 15-minute tapes to be aired
twice daily on our radio station.
The tapes would be cut during the
regular working hours at the vol-
unteer's convenience and re-run
in sequence every six weeks for-
ever more. The lesson would be
simple: Good morning, Good Even-
ing, Do you have an apartment for
rent? With Sesame Street-type
repitition, we would all learn
conversational Icelandic—even
those who do not wish to-----just
as our hard sell advertising jin-
gles hit us at home.
The authority is there. Try
ComlceDeFor Instruction 1700.1A,
4. Objective and Policies, a.,
which states: AFRT - Keflavik,
Iceland is established to provide
programming for information, edu-
cation and entertainment of De-
fense Force personnel-military
and civilian.
The program format is tnere.
Try TM3 —313 Icelandic Introduc-
tory Series Language Guide. This
booklet was prepared by the As-
sistant Chief for Education and
Training along with records back
in 1962.
The possibilities are tremend-
ous . You could use language les-
son spot fillers. Our own educa-
tion and training group could
supply a mimeographed written
lesson to go with the radio pro-
gram. When the TV station gets
video-tape capability this sum-
(See WIVES, Page 6)
QUESTION: If you knew that
you were going to live up to your
New Year's Resolution, what would
it be?
WHERE ASKED:
Looby
Navy Exchange
NESTER
BUCK
• AME2 Donald Nester, VP-56:
"I haven't made any, but it would
be to write home a little more
often."
• Don Buck, son of TSgt. and
Mrs. Donald Buck: "Be good most
of the. time. "
GREAVER
WALKER
• ABH3 William Greaver, VP-56:
"I don't know...I would never
come up here again."
• AN Randy Walker, VP-56: "I
don't make any, I don't stick to
them. If I did, it would be to
quit smoking and drinking."
(See FORUM, Page 6)
Vet Administration
offers college program
The Veteran's Administration
has a new program to help you get
ready for college. The Prepara-
tory Education Program can help
you take a refresher course or a
remedial course.
If you take advantage of the
program, you will still retain
all the regular educational
sistance allowed under the
Bill. So look into the VA's Pr"
paratory Education Program.
:ain
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NEW YEAR’S EVE