While recently viewing the 2013 final episode of Poirot, which I found as emotionally devastating as the final Agatha Christie Poirot book, PBS presented a promo that triggered a most pleasant memory. In the promo a woman with an impoverished childhood told how PBS had expanded her horizons toward education and success. This reminded me how much I used to love the show Sunrise Semester. Although I had a wonderful and interesting childhood, with highs and lows to be sure, I had a similar uplifting experience. Long before PBS became a household phenomenon, CBS offered a college level program that aired from 6:00-6:30 am during the years 1957 to 1982. While in high school, Sunrise Semester introduced me to the mesmerizing world of British literature.
To catch the school bus, I didn’t have to roll out of bed until 6:30am, but I invariably got up at 6:00am to listen to what may be termed 18th century Brit Lit on Sunrise Semester while getting dressed. The TV sat in the living room, and I would turn it up loud enough to hear from the bathroom and my bedroom. Every now and then I would peek at the screen to glimpse the college professor giving the program. I loved hearing about authors and poets such as Alexander Pope and Jonathan Swift. Up to that point, our school literature classes had not covered those giants. I did have a classic child’s anthology with a smattering of British literature, but it mainly focused on the 19th century author, Charles Dickens, and I reveled in The Pickwick Papers.
I recall the professor talking about Jonathan Swift’s A Modest Proposal, wherein Swift suggested the poor people of Ireland should sell their children as food for the rich. Many people were shocked, not realizing it was satire that actually lambasted the uncaring sensibilities of the day toward the poor. This is where I learned what satire was. The prof quoted Jonathan Swift to the effect that he loved individuals but hated mankind. That seemed such a foreign notion to me at the time, and I have never forgotten it. The quote is: “I hate and detest that animal called man, although I heartily love John, Peter, Thomas, and so forth.”
Thank you, Sunrise Semester!
Cheers & Happy Reading!
Flossie Benton Rogers, Conjuring the Magic with Paranormal Fantasy Romance
I think I remember Sunrise Semester. Honestly, I don’t think I ever listened to it/watched it (I tended to sleep in to the last minute), but the name sounds familiar. And I had no idea all of those quotes belonged to Alexander Pope. Thanks for sharing the memory, Flossie. It sounds like the show definitely made a lasting impression on you!
Yes, it did, Mae– opened me to the wonderful world of literature. I’m glad you know the Pope sayings!
My favorite from Pope is An Essay on Man
“Presumptuous man! the reason wouldst thou find,
Why form’d so weak, so little, and so blind?”
As about Swift, I find Gulliver’s Travels as the most perfect form of satire. How great that you benefited of that show. I wonder do they do it nowadays?
I fear concern for education is no longer a must, at least where I live. Thanks for reminding me of the great classics.
And, by the way, Agatha Christie is my favorite crime author of all times.
Carmen, I love it that you know Pope. Thank you for sharing your favorite verse of his. They don’t do Sunrise Semester anymore. It left a long time ago, about the time that public television came into being here. Few people remember that a regular channel, CBS, did such a show.