 I'm Charles Scott King, WANW News. At 9 minutes past 10, time for Sears Radio Theatre. Welcome from the Sears Radio Theatre. Tonight is a story of adventure with Richard Whitmark as your host. Did you get that, Mr. Moguvi? MacGuffie! Get what? The Sears Radio Theatre will begin after this message from your local station. Association and you know that cigarettes are a breathing hazard. Smokers, please don't add that extra offense. Give us a break for life and breath. A man sitting in the small whitewashed room under the slowly rotating fan is Arnold Moguvi, an American. We're in East Africa. Moguvi might be poised there before a battered desk staring at an ancient typewriter for any number of reasons. He could be a hunter preparing to write a letter home about the kill. He might be a journalist about to write the first of a devastating series of articles on poaching. Or he could be a novelist composing the landmark book on man's attitude when he at last faces death. Mr. Moguvi? Not now, Mr. Genera. It will only take a moment. Not now, Mr. Genera. Not just right now. The beautiful girl hesitates in the doorway, then impatiently waits. As Arnold Moguvi strikes the keys of the battered typewriter. To the Drug Enforcement Administration, Washington, D.C., attention. General Director, Dexter Hamilton. Subject, Intersect of Opium Shipment. Answers the age old question. What's Arnold Moguvi doing in East Africa? And that's only the beginning of our story. Sears Radio Theater, a new adventure in radio listening. Brought to you five nights a week by Sears Robuck and Company. Sears, where America shops. Your hosts? Lorne Green. I'll bring you stories of the Old West and the New. Andy Griffith with a look at the funny side of life. Vincent Price with tales of mystery and suspense. Cicely Tyson with stories about love, hate, and related things. Richard Widmerk. I'll bring you stories of pure adventure. Five nights of exceptional entertainment every week. Brought to you in Elliott Lewis production of The Sears Radio Theater. Our story, The MacGuffey Connection by Ted Shirtelman. Our stars, William Shalert, Peggy Weber, and Ben Wright. Come, spin the wheel of fashion. Discover a fortune of spring separates at Sears Junior Bazaar. Ah, silk blend skirt and pants in dusty pastels. A blend of polyester, rayon, and silk. Making them easy care, wrinkle resistant. Top them off with white down, white polyester, and cotton blossoms. Fashion is your fate at Junior Bazaar. Available at most larger Sears retail stores. Convenience and security. The Sears Best Garage Door Opener is just that. Digital control lets you select your own key signal from 512 different transmitting codes. Sears Best Garage Door Opener has a vacation switch that'll lock out stray signals when you're away from home for long periods of time. Of course, when you're home, you won't have to get out of your car to open up that heavy door. 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I can no longer wait. This will only take a moment. Can't you see I'm busy? This is to let you know I have not heard from my contact yet. And now doubt I ever will. Mr. McGuffin, please. I have to get this report off to my boss, Elena. That can wait. There's someone here who wants to study the termites in Kajiado district. And the alets are due to emerge from the mounds in a few months. I'm writing about intercepting an opium shipment due to arrive any moment. She's talking about termites and... What do you call them? Alets. They are the winged male termites. And the person inquiring needs a teacher. And I need a guard at the door to keep you from barging in. Winged male termites of all... Can we supply a teacher? Answer, yes or no? No. Now get out of here. Maybe I'll send him to the International Center of Insect Physiology and Ecology in Nairobi. Ms. Janera, please, just leave and close the door. I didn't know termites had been around for 250 million years. My word! I is how on earth. Without my contact, I am to intercept, confiscate and destroy a shipment of opium before it reaches Marseilles in France to be converted into heroin. Your instructions used to be very clear. For instance, when you first gave me my orders back in Washington. And we believe the freighter will first put in here at Mombasa in Kenya. As you can see by the map, it's in East Africa. Where's the ship coming from? From Rangoon, that's in Burma. I know where it is, Dexter. Why is it putting in at Mombasa? Well, I don't know. The operative in Burma thinks the ship is going through the Red Sea, the Suez Canal and then on to Marseilles. Who's the operative? Well, that's top secret. Your contact will get in touch with you about the freighter's arrival. And what am I to do in the meantime? Well, we've arranged a cover for you. Not like the last time, please. What was that? I was an American bullfighter in Spain. Oh, that. Well... I wound up being gored by a bull, Dexter, in Seville. Yeah, yeah, I remember now. Well, you won't be gored by anything this time unless you bleed when you open a school book. I beg your pardon? You're to start a school in Kenya. Start a school? Yeah, that's right. Under the auspices of some church. What church? Well, we'll make one up. Maybe we'll call it the... the Church of Faith. Ha, ha, ha, ha, ha, ha, ha, ha, ha, ha, ha, ha, ha. What's funny? Thought I should be a churchman running a school. That's better than bullfighting. Not much. And that's my cover of school? Yeah. I've arranged for the Army to supply you with a lot of self-teaching textbooks. Here's your plane ticket to Nairobi. You'll be met by one of our agents there, Perry North. Does he know about this cockamame cover? No, no. Bring him up to date. And keep in touch with me. Mr. McGuffey? I'm Arnold McGuffey. I'm Perry North, sir. Welcome to Nairobi, sir. Thanks. But my name's Arnold McGuffey, not sir. Yes, sir, Mr. McGuffey, sir. Did you have a nice flight? Good enough. Why the frown, Perry? You have several cases of school books. I thought we were to work on a drag shipment from Burma. We are. Any word from the contact yet? No, Mr. McGuffey. See, the books are our cover while we're waiting. We're going to start a school run by the Church of Faith. Here? Wherever we please. Nairobi, Mombasa, wherever. I lean toward Mombasa. It is cooler there because it is only in the ocean. It's also where the opium ship is due to put in. Ah, yes. And the school is to be our cover. That's right. Can you imagine a couple of narcotics enforcers posing as churchmen and starting a school? You're not laughing. I have a master's degree in education. It was once my dream to teach illiterates how to read and write. How come you ended up a narc? Ha! How come people generally end up doing something they were never trained for? Good question. The point is, I have to clear the way to let the Church of Faith start a school. I can help you with the authorities. Good. Then to get in touch with the contact so we can act when that opium shows up. What now, Perry? Oh, just thinking, sir. And maybe I'll finally get a chance to use my flashcards after all. What are you talking about? The school, Mr. Magaville. The school. Perry North was invaluable. Both in clearing our cover with the authorities and in organizing the school, we took a building near the waterfront in Montbassa. From my office on the second floor, I had a fine view of Killandini, the spacious harbor. I was observing various ships through binoculars one day when Perry North knocked politely at the door. Come in. Yes, Mr. Magaville, sir. From the contact? Not a word. The names they give some of these ships. Humber, dinghy. They give some of these ships. Humber, dinghy, Rosnovec. And it's a cruise ship to boot. Imagine saying, I'm sailing on the Humber, dinghy, Rosnovec. Oh, why I'm here. We need to teach the subjects the books don't cover like riveting, welding, Kenyan economy, counting. We've got textbooks on the county. Yes, but they are in dollars and we are in Kenya. We use pounds here. Ah, I see what you mean. Well, do what you want about it. It's up to you to run the school. I think we should divide the school into three parts. Three parts? I will act as dean of the primary school, teaching illiterates to read, write, and do simple sums. Then we need a dean of the technical school and a dean for advanced education. What is advanced education? Anything that doesn't fit into the other two schools. Like typing. So, line up your deans. I have, but there's one problem. The dean of the technical school also wants to be a student in the primary school. Wait, let me understand this, Perry. The dean of the technical school can't read or write? No, Mr. Magafi, but he's a genius at fixing motors, air conditioners, and so on. His name is Logan Peebles. A Kenyan? No, white Englishman. He's employed at, cannot call, taxis. Oh, and the dean of what you call advanced education? She's Indian. She? Her name is Olena Janera. She's employed by the high commissioner. How come you picked a woman? Well, I heard her on the voice of Kenya one night being interviewed, and she said she was very interested in doing something for our country. So I contacted the radio station, found her, explained the school, and she's very pretty too. Ah-ha, that's why she's dean, because she's pretty. Because she's bright. She also works part-time as a Red Cross volunteer at the Catherine BB Hospital. Well, Perry, it's up to you. When do classes start? Next week, I hope. Would you like to meet them? Me too. The deans, they're waiting outside. I'd like to come in now. Mr. McGuffey, this is Ms. Olena Janera and Mr. Logan Peebles. How do you do? Nice to meet you. I have to get back to the hacks. Mr. North explained you were employed by a taxi company. For the time being. And you'll get instructors and teach yourself? So long as he can teach me reading and writing. I can teach you, Mr. Peebles. Do I have to join your church? North here said you were operating this year's school under something called the Church of Faith. Oh, well, we are, but you don't have to join it. Nobody does. Unless he wants to. I don't want to. And I cannot. I am Hindu. And a very pretty one. So I have been told, Mr. McGuffey, numerous times. Well, is this it? Can I go back to my job now? Absolutely. Just wanted you to meet Mr. McGuffey, head of the operation. Oh, I will see you next week then. So long. Goodbye. A few questions, Mr. McGuffey. I'll try to answer them, Ms. ... Janera, Olena Janera. I can teach shorthand and typing in Swahili, Arabic or English. Which do you prefer? Well, take it up with Perry here. I mean, whatever you decide is okay with me. And I had some thoughts on the technical training. Things Mr. Peoples cannot handle. Oh, well, what thought? Uh, refer students who want such things as mechanical drawing, for instance, to the Mambasa Technical Institute. That's an excellent idea, Olena. Ms. Janera, if you please. Ms. Janera. Good idea, eh, Mr. McGuffey, sir? Oh, splendid, Mr. North. Mr. McGuffey, what are the binoculars on your desk? Well, I, uh, I like to look at the ships coming and going. Mm-hmm. Bon voyage, Mr. McGuffey. Mr. North? See you next week? Of course. Goodbye. I'll see you back to your office, Ms. Janera. I have a moped, so it is not necessary, Mr. North. You didn't tell her the real reason I was here, Perry. Oh, of course not, Mr. McGuffey. Well, then why the crack about the binoculars? Oh, maybe she was just curious. She's certainly pretty. I wish you luck. Old Exter seemed to be doing a thriving business thanks to the efforts of Perry North Logan Peebles and especially Olena Janera each night to discuss the progress of the students. But I listened with only half an ear because I remained anxious about intercepting that opium shipment. I spent most of my time looking at the ships as they came into Killendini Harbor. I also kept a watch on the sea-going dows in the old harbor of Lombasa for my daily walks to the bottom of the Krumar Road. It wasn't until Perry North asked me to have a look at his class and illiteracy that I even began to take an interest in the school. Now, class, pick up your pencils. I will show you a drawing, a picture of an object. Then turn over the card and you will see the letters that spell the object's name. You are then to write the letters after I turn the card face down on this table. Teacher? Yes, strike us. Are we to write in English or Swahili? I though one. Do I recommend you write both? The cards are printed in both languages like this. English and below it Swahili. Good teacher. Okay. Here's a picture of a lion. Does everyone see it? No. Now, I turn it over and you see the letters. The first is in English. Beneath it is Swahili. S-I-M-B-A. Okay. Height of fashion wherever I go requires many coats, but for home I need only one coat fashion surrounding me. Sears best easy living interior paint, one coat of easy living on the walls and every room looks stunning while I entertain or just relax. Choose from 24 decorator colors in easy living flat latex and semi gloss plus bright white ceiling paint for your home because with Sears easy living paint all you need is one coat when used as directed at most Sears retail stores. When my brother was my age, being in style meant wearing old jeans and about a pound of dirt, but today us guys are more sophisticated in our style and that's why Sears has style works. 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Start by saving $40 on a Kenmore sewing machine at Sears with a convertible free-arm for narrow sleeves, cuffs and legs, a built-in button-holer, even six stretch stitches. This free-arm Kenmore just $199.95 and save $30 on a wood veneer sewing cabinet. Sale ends March 31st. Prices and dates may vary in Alaska and Hawaii. Available at most Sears retail stores. Kenmore. Solid as Sears. The school is only his cover for the opium shipment he was in Mombasa to stop. Arnold McGuffey's interest grew after he visited one of Logan Peeble's classes and heard the Dean of Technical Education say, We're going to keep on studying carburetors till you learn what they're for, what they do, and how to fix them. Which one of you remembers how many different kinds there are? Three types are used in internal combustion engines, surface, weak, and jet. What's this ear-thing ear? Peoples. He asked me, not you. Why did you not answer him then? I'm calling you two out of this class. Is that clear? Thank you, boy. Yes, boy. I have to go to my own school now, so my assistant will take over. Uh, are you okay? I need to warm up, Peoples. Now, if anybody gets on a line again, you come tell me, clear? Yes, warm up, Peoples. Oh, uh, hello, Mr. McGuffey. I just thought I'd look in on your class for a while, Logan. Sorry about that, Rumpus. We don't have them as a rule. Sorry, you can't stay. I have to learn to read and write. I know. It was part of our deal, remember? I know, and it's all right. See you and the other two deans after school's out. Yeah. Peoples was the dean of technical education, although he was also one of Perry North's students. Perry, the dean of primary education, had the largest class, nearly 50 adults he was teaching to read and write. Nera, who was also the dean of advanced education, taught shorthand and typing to a small group of Kenyans, Asiatics, and Europeans. What do we give the students when they complete a course? Well, I, uh, I hadn't thought about it. Don't you think you should? Well, we can't give them jobs. Of course not. Um, maybe, uh, maybe a certificate of some kind that states each student is completed in whatever course he took. They've worked hard, studied as if their lives depended on it. They should have real diplomas, a real graduation exercise. Do you realize these people have never graduated from anything? Where would I get diplomas? The same place you get those silly certificates you were talking about. I don't even remember what a diploma looks like. I have several. Or you can go to any doctor's office. Well, bring one of yours in. Oh, excuse me. Hello? Uh, church of faith. Oh, yes. This is the church of faith. McGuffey? McGuffey speaking. This is Dexter Hamilton. Oh, excuse me, please. If that means for me to get out, it is not necessary. What does that mean? What do you mean what does that mean? I wasn't talking to you. Well? It is not necessary for me to leave. What does that mean? That's the second time you said that. I wasn't talking to you. And the second time for that, too. What do you want, Dexter? I have the contact for you. The name is Tawawa. You got a pencil? You got a pencil? Here. The name is Tawawa in Mozambique. Got it. This is private information. Private? Is he to get in touch with me or I with him and where? Tawawa will get it. Is there something wrong? Yeah, I need diplomas. Diplomas? For the school. Now don't forget what you're there for. I won't, but I still need diplomas. Look, will you forget about the diplomas and let me know as soon as Tawawa gets in touch with you, that opium must be stopped before it reaches Marseille and it's turned into heroin. Look, the line is noisy and I'm going to hang up now. Okay. Look, Miss Jenera, when this phone rings and I ask you to excuse me, it means you're to let me have my privacy. Under normal circumstances, I would let you, but this is silly. What do you mean silly? I was talking to my boss. The director of the Drug Enforcement Administration. The director? How did you know that? Mr. McGuffay, what do you think we Kenyans are? A bunch of children? Go on. You are like many foreigners who think of Kenya as a nation of illiterate blacks in a land of big game for you to hunt so you can hang animals' heads on your walls. We all speak Swahili, but most of us also speak English. How many in your country are fluent in more than one language? What's that got to do with it? Church of faith, it makes us laugh. We have Catholics, Protestants, Jews, Hindus, Muslims and the mosque's temples and churches to prove it. The Kenyan government was delighted to let you start a school, especially a glad of Perry North's efforts. But how did you know I was speaking to the drill? The plans for that shipment of opium have been known for months. Kenyan authorities are on the lookout for it 24 hours a day and not only in Mombasa but up and down the coast and in Nairobi in case the smugglers try to send it in by air. But it's going to... Never mind. I know. It is destined for Marseille to be turned into heroin. Mr. Mugoffe, we've known about it all along, but the school is more important. Maybe a mapping outfit. Seems to me I saw one in Zanzibar Road. What are you talking about? The diplomas. Maybe a mapping outfit can make them up. Good idea. Listen, do you know the name of my contact, too? No, but the Kenyan authorities probably do. We keep this a secret between us about the opium shipment. It is all right with me. The problem is, how does one keep a secret when hundreds already know about it? Good question. Well, I think I'll go call on that mapping outfit. And I will go to the hospital. It is my Red Cross Day. I suppose Olena Genera is telling me that she and lots of others knew of the opium shipment should have upset me. But it didn't. Maybe because the school had become important to me. I was now determined to give the students a graduation exercise they'd never forget. However, I spoke to Perry North in my office about Olena's knowledge of the opium shipment. He wasn't surprised. As I said, Mr. Genera is a very bright girl. Did you know the Kenyan authorities were on to this, too? Oh, yes, Mr. McGuffey. Why didn't you tell me? You're supposed to be my assistant on this thing. Well, I knew you'd find out in time anyway. Excuse me, Perry. Oh, don't leave. Hello, church of faith here. Mr. McGuffey. Mr. McGuffey speaking. This is Mr. Wawa. Miss, you're a girl? I was the last time I looked. A girl? But you're supposed to be my... Are you and Mozambique lost his mind using a girl to contact me? I don't know, Mr. McGuffey. McGuffey, get this, yes. Djibouti instead of Mombasa. The change was necessitated, but... Does Hamilton Dexter know you're a girl? And he hired you anyway? Mr. Dexter has used my services before Mr. McGuffey. Maybe, but this could be dangerous. And you're a girl? From Rangoon, Putin. At that time, with Djibouti. Goodbye, Mr. McGuffey. Perhaps she said all that was necessary. I can't believe it. A girl contact. I mean, I've heard of women's lib, but this is ridiculous. Why are you so surprised, Mr. McGuffey? I'm supposed to sneak aboard some unknown ship or freighter or whatever they're using, get several kilos of opium and destroy it so it can't wind up on the U.S. streets as heroin, and she talks about going with me. What are you doing? Oh, looking at the diploma you got from the mapping firm. Oh, you know, I don't think it should have that heading. Do you? Olayna said the Church of Faith was a laugh. She was right. It shouldn't read School of the Church of Faith. Maybe something like University of the Tropics. Hey, how about calling it the Equatorial University? Ah, I like that, Mr. McGuffey. Equatorial University. I want these students to have a graduation exercise that's meaningful to them, Perry. A valedictorian, a blessing by a man of cloth, a guest speaker. Do you think you could get the president? I can try. The way his eyes lighted up when I told him we were going to teach people to read and write, I can try, Mr. McGuffey. And each dean will hand out the diplomas. Hey, we're going to need something to wrap them in. Ah, mine was tied with blue ribbon. And how about the soccer stadium as a place to hold it? Oh, just fine. When does the opium arrive in Djibouti? I don't know. Tawawa doesn't know. Tawawa. A woman, a female contact for a drug shipment. Wait a minute. Rather than climb the walls, I'm going to order the diplomas and try to get a churchman to give the blessing. I decided to go to the Anglican Cathedral on Nakruma Road and tell my story to the Archbishop there. A few days later, he gathered some five religious leaders together and I explained what I wanted. To my amazement, they all wanted to give the blessing, claiming that the student shouldn't be restricted to just one faith. What do you think, Mr. McGuffey? But we only have room and time for one blessing here, Grace. Then it's up to us to decide who gets the job? Well, yes, sir, but only one can do it. I see. Does each of you gentlemen have a shilling? Yes. Fine, then we shall toss for it. Heads will be the first winners. Very well, gentlemen. You have tails, so you're out, and you, and you. That leaves me and the father here. Very well, father. If you lose, heads, I win. Oh, please remember, gentlemen, Mr. McGuffey came to me first. I could have just taken this assignment, but I did not. I called you all together here. It was resolved fair and square. We have five churchmen gambling to see which was to deliver the blessing on graduation day was a wondrous thing to me. And to Perry North, Elena Genera, and Logan Peebles when I told the three deans of the school about it. Those shillings to see who got it. They did. And the Archbishop won, so we'll have an Episcopal blessing. At least I'll understand it. So will the students, Logan. The diploma's turned out fine, Mr. McGuffey. Now each dean is to sign them for his or her students. We understand. What about the blue ribbon to tie them with? The red cross had only yarn at the hospital, so I got some ribbon from the Kenya Rayon Mills on Chongomwe. Twenty yards of it. Yay, white. Good. How'd you make out getting a guest speaker, Perry? The president will try to make it, but if he's held up in Nairobi, Mr. McGuffey, he'll send the vice president. Good. Now all we need to get is a place to hold the graduation and the valedictorian. I think I've got one for you, Mr. McGuffey. Who? He read his speech to me and, uh, well, it's important. Who is it? Striker, the big Kenyan who broke up the dice game. But he's illiterate, isn't he? Not any more, Mr. McGuffey. And the title of his speech, which he wrote himself, is What Education Means to Me. After this message from your local station. Here's a tip from your better business bureau. Are you looking for a nursing home? Well, here are a few tips. Start by getting a list of the licensed facilities in your area from your local health department. Find out whether they are certified to receive Medicare and Medicaid payments. Also, talk to your friends and talk to your neighbors who've placed a family member in a home. You see, it's important to visit a nursing home to check the facilities and the services. For example, food handling, patient care, in-service staff training, housekeeping, and patient activities. Now, before you sign an admission agreement, you read it carefully including the fine print and ask a lot of questions about what's included in the price. A number of nursing homes charge extra for such items as wheelchairs, air mattresses, and personal laundry. A tip from your better business bureau. What if you went off to college and found that you were different from everyone else, and everything was designed for them, not for you? Suppose you went to the library and all the books you needed were in Braille, and you were the only one who couldn't read. You'd feel left out, wouldn't you? And what if you went to class and found that there were no chairs, because all the other students rolled in with their own wheelchairs? Suppose one of your professors gave his lectures talking with his hands, only his hands, and everyone understood sign language except you. You'd think it wasn't fair. Well, that's how handicapped people feel now when they go to college and find extra handicaps. But things are changing, and we have free information that can help. Write Closer Look, Box 1492, Washington, D.C., 20013. A public service message on behalf of the United States Office of Education. Here's the concluding act of the McGuffey Connection. Equatorial University. Equatorial University? I was calling the Church of Faith. Who is this? Who is this? Arnold McGuffey. Is this Miss Tawawa from Mozambique? It is, Mr. McGuffey. Now, listen carefully. I am not a male chauvinist pig, but I won't stand still when they send a woman to do a man's work. Correction, you are a male chauvinist pig, and it's not a man's work. It's anybody's work. I just happened to be a woman. That's not my fault, and I will not... I will meet you in Jimboody the morning of the 10th of next month. Mr. McGuffey.