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Calling
All Children
The Little
Dream Man for Little Bedtime People
Marga Frank
Stories that
come in from the air are moments of magic. Radio, when done properly,
not only conjures up pictures of fantasy, but provides
for emotions as well. And, the best stories of all are the ones that
send children to sleep with dreams in their pockets and smiles on
their faces. And, this was children's radio as it once was! And,
in Austria, it was all thanks to one woman!
It was 1955.
The age of new radio in Austria. A period of excitement when
things were invented and methods didn't come from a course. And so it
was, that against this pioneering background of oneness Marga Frank
started The Little Dream Man, a program for children. And this,
indeed, was something quiet special.
It began
around bedtime, and its little listeners were not only on the way to
their beds, but also looking forward to a moment they loved. And the
reason was simple. The Little Dream Man stories had the magical
quality of ending each day on a high. And, that's what made them so
special. And, the programs were loved by both children and adults
alike. But, of course, the telling of good stories wasn't all that
it seemed.
Each
story was a challenge. They not only had to last for exactly 4
minutes and 45 seconds, they had to conform to Marga Frank's high
standards as well, and, it was this that made The Little Dream Man
successful. And, that wasn't all. The program went out every day,
and that meant 365 brand new stories each year! And that was a
challenge! But, everything always happened on schedule, and, as the
years went by, so did the stories.
And
the generations moved on as well. The Little Dream Man was so popular
that it lasted for almost 40 years, and the first little listeners
eventually grew up to become the grandparents of the last little
listening dreamers. And then television arrived and the Little Dream
man sadly disappeared into its shadow for ever.
And,
Marga Frank was happily still with us until just a short time ago.
And, with her more than 90 years, she was able to look back upon a
life of providing great pleasure. And, Austria, too, said thank you
in a very big way. She was awarded the Austrian medal of honour for
her work. The highest honour of all! And, quite rightly so. For she
– after all - was the one who sent millions of children to bed
every night with a smile and a wonderful dream!
Selected
Vocabulary
Conjures up
– hier zaubern
period
– Zeitalter
provides for
– sorgt für
Children listening to The Little Dream Man - Austria 1965
Diarikom
is sponsored by Mag. Karl Brieber
Wirtschaftstreuhänder
– Steuerberater – Unternehmensberater
