(children) ♪ Call on thy children ♪ ♪ of the hill.

♪ ♪ Wake swamp ♪ and river, ♪ ♪ coast ♪ and rill.

♪ ♪ Rouse all ♪ thy strength ♪ ♪ and all ♪ thy skill.

♪ ♪ Carolina.

♪ ♪ Carolina.

♪ ♪ ("Sherlock Bonz" theme music) ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ [dogs barking] <narrator> Now we begin our mystery with Chapter One.

♪ <speaker> Please come in.

Sherlock Bonz is in his office.

He's expecting you.

(door creeks) ♪ >> See anything interesting?

Private eyes are always looking for interesting facts, for clues to solve a mystery!

(chuckling) Do you know who I am?

Yes, you're correct!

I'm Sherlock Bonz, the greatest detective in the state... maybe the world!

I'm famous for... sniffing out crime... [sniffing] and... [sniffing] and tracking down lawbreakers.

[sniffing] Mmmm.

♪ [humming] Oh... heh, heh, heh.

Let me tell you about one of the most difficult cases I've worked on.

In fact.

I'm still working on it!

Do make yourself comfy, and I'll tell you how it all started.

It all started in a little school not very far from here.

♪ [ominous music] [engine rattling] [doors slamming] [horn beeping] ♪ >> Kevin, do you have your sketch pad?

<Kevin> Adam, I already told you, my sketch pad's in the classroom!

<Adam> Jeremy, have your recorder?

<Jeremy> My recorder's in my book bag!

<Kevin> You need to get your car fixed... you always make us late!

>> Hey, Mr. Tidwell.

<Jeremy> Hey, Mr. Tidwell.

You dropped your glove, Mr. Tidwell.

♪ >> Well...thank you.

I'd be missing that later!

Uh-oh!

You boys, you better hurry!

♪ [bell dinging] <Kevin> Oh, man!

We're going to be tardy again.

<Jeremy> Well, if your brother would get his car fixed, so it would start without pushing it... <Kevin> I know.

He should buy a new carburetor, but he's so cheap!

>> Walk fast, guys.

I think that was the tardy bell.

♪ ["William Tell Overture"] ♪ <speaker> Good morning.

This is your principal, Ms. Holman.

Today for lunch... sloppy joes, gator taters, apple, and milk.

And now this reminder for third graders.

All of you will be taking a school-wide history test in three weeks.

Our school's highest scorers will compete in a televised history competition.

So everyone buckle down, study, and do your best.

We expect you to be reading in your South Carolina history book every day to prepare.

Thank you, and have a great day.

<Kevin> Oh, man, did you hear that?

A big school wide history test.

I don't want to study for that thing!

<Jeremy> Me either.

History is boring.

There are too many names and dates to remember.

>> It's only boring to you because you don't think about it the right way.

<Kevin> Well, excuse me, Ms. Briana smarter-than-anyone-else in the world.

How am I supposed to think about history?

And by the way, you're tardy.

<Briana> I know I'm tardy and so are you, and you're wrong about history.

It can be interesting because it's the story of how people really lived, like pirates, Native Americans, and pioneers.

My dad teaches history at the university and he told me lots about it.

>> Wait up, you guys!

<Briana> Amy, you're hardly ever late!

<Amy> My little brother wouldn't get in the car this morning, until he found his little blue teddy bear!

<Briana> Let's see!

Your little brother made you late.

and his big brother made them late.

Sounds like we'd be better off with fewer boys in the world.

<Kevin> I don't think so!

[girls laughing] <Jeremy> Get ready for Mrs. Matthews to yell.

You know she hates tardies.

(woman screams) <Kevin> That was a little worse than usual!

<Amy> Come on, you guys we've got to go in!

<Mrs.

Matthews> All the South Carolina history books are missing!

They were right here yesterday!

Mrs....Matthews... we're sorry we're...late.

Never mind that.

Go find out how many history books are missing!

♪ ["William Tell Overture"] <Amy> Do you have any South Carolina history books?

>> How am I going to get the kids ready for that big South Carolina history test?

This is horrible.

I want to be alone.

♪ [somber violin music] <Briana> Do you have any South Carolina history books?

>> When I find out who took those books, they're going to get detention for the rest of their lives.

♪ Do you have any South Carolina history books?

>> The South Carolina history books have vanished!

Stolen!

♪ (Crying) >> Do you have any South Carolina history books?

>> I had such high hopes.

We were going to study, study, study and score big on the test and... be on television.

Detective Bonz>> Yes, all the South Carolina history books have been stolen.

No one knows how or why.

I was called in on the investigation and quickly began.

[file drawer sticking] boing, boing, boing... [chuckling] It's a beastly mechanism!

Surely a piece of rubbish, if I've ever seen one!

>> Mr. Bonz, I'm hearing you with that file cabinet again.

Remember, you just push the button to the right.

>> Right?

♪ Ohhhh!

[chuckling] >> Thanks ever so much, Ms. Marie!

Ms. Marie is my office assistant.

Couldn't do without her!

<voice-over> Ooh-la-la.

Now, where was I?

Oh, yes, the stolen books.

One stroke of luck...

I met four students at Sandlapper Elementary who are alert, courageous, and willing to help.

Kevin Williams.

Nine years old.

Loves art, soccer, and fishing with his brother.

Jeremy Lamotte, 8 years old.

Loves the computer, plays the recorder, likes to cook, and has quite a sweet tooth!

Oh, yes, Briana Johnson.

Making straight A's.

She likes to read and play tennis.

Oh, Amy Fernandez, 8 years old.

Loves science.

♪ She collects rocks and shells and is a member of the drama club.

I met all four students at Sandlapper Elementary that very day.

♪ ominous music ♪ ♪ <Mrs.

Holman> Detective Bonz, I'm going to provide you with four students to be your assistants.

They will show you around the school and help in any way you want.

Now, you students... be careful.

We're dealing with a very devious thief.

Detective Bonz, good luck.

Thank you, Mrs. Holman.

So, very nice of you chaps to help out with this investigation.

Now, we have two main objectives.

(Briana) One, find the thief.

Two, teach kids South Carolina history in case we don't find the books or the thief.

<Detective Bonz> Well, bravo, jolly good!

I hadn't thought of those.

I was thinking dust for fingerprints and have tea and dog biscuits!

<Jeremy> Anybody want some candy?

[barking and panting] Hey, what's this?

Some kind of giant calculator?

<Detective Bonz> It's a new piece of equipment called a Crimemetric Calculatory Digitizer.

But I call it my... [chuckling] Paw Pilot!

I put my paw on these different keys, and it's supposed to do everything else.

See, I have a calculator, fax machine, e-mail.

[machine keys] beep, beep Snack dispenser!

[chuckling] I do have a manual, but I haven't read it yet.

>> Oh, I see... you can enter descriptions of suspects and different topics for research!

<Amy> I've got a great idea.

While you're snooping around, we could access data about South Carolina history.

We can help third graders get ready for the test.

I'll go tell Mrs. Matthews.

I'll be right back.

<Kevin> I'll go with Detective Bonz.

I can be real helpful.

I can draw pictures of suspects, use my lucky fishing line to tie up the thief, and protect us with my famous soccer kick.

in case we get into danger.

Hiyah!

<Briana> That's a karate kick, Kevin, not a soccer kick!

<Jeremy> Mr. Bonz, may I hold it?

I'm quite an accomplished computer expert.

<Briana> That's why you're going to stay here with me.

You'll enter "South Carolina history" for a search and try to pull up some facts.

>>Sounds like an absolutely delightful plan!

Be careful about what buttons you push, especially that green one.

I haven't a clue what that does, yet.

[cat meowing] Oh, my goodness!

Will you excuse me for a moment?

I have to check on something.

You're no match for me, you frazzled feline!

>> Mr. Bonz, wait for me.

♪ >> I wonder if Kevin caught up with Detective Bonz.

♪ <Kevin> I wonder where Detective Bonz is?

<Briana> We still have Detective Bonz' Paw Pilot.

<Jeremy> I wonder what this does.

<Briana> Maybe, we can look in the manual.

>> Or we could just... >> No, Jeremy!

Oh no!

♪ >> Jeremy, you just had to hit the green button!

Look at our clothes.

We're in a different place and in different clothes!!

What's going on?

Where are we?

<Jeremy> Well, we're not at school.

That's for sure.

Let's see what Paw Pilot says.

<Briana> It just can't be!

>> Look!

♪ drumming and flute music ♪ >> Quick!

What do you remember about Native Americans in South Carolina?

>> My dad told me that they were the first people to live in South Carolina over 15,000 years ago.

>> Wait!

<Jeremy> No, come on.

We can meet the people we've always read about in books!

<Briana> Okay.

♪ ♪ <Briana> What are you doing?

<Jeremy> Trying to communicate.

See, I smile, so I'm your friend.

>> I speak English.

Come sit by the fire.

<Jeremy> Who are you?

>> I'm a Catawba native.

<Jeremy> Catawba...that's the name of an Indian tribe.

In ancient South Carolina, there are more than 25 tribes.

Two are the largest... Catawba, Cherokee.

Cherokee are the most numerous.

<Jeremy> Ooh, is that body paint?

<Catawba> Yes, many of us paint our bodies, but not for war.

Body paint was first used as protection from the sun, wind, and insect bites.

We also to signify a person's rank within the tribe.

<Jeremy> What is that racquet for?

>> Catawbas love athletic games.

Sometimes we settle disagreements by playing stickball.

<Briana> I've read about that.

Your game's similar to lacrosse.

Do you live near here?

>> I don't see any tepees.

>> Indians in South Carolina do not live in tepees.

Catawbas build round durable houses made of small trees and covered in bark.

<Jeremy> What were you doing with that deer skin?

>>I was sewing deerskins into a shirt for my husband.

Nature is important to us.

We ate the deer meat last night.

We get our food, clothing, and shelter from nature.

<Jeremy> I think I hear a river close by.

>> That is the Catawba River.

>> Does that mean something special?

>> Catawba means "the river people."

Native Americans have given names to many of South Carolina's beautiful rivers.

Waccamaw means "coming and going."

Chattooga means "rocky waters."

Saluda means "river of corn."

Oconee means "water eyes of the hills."

>> What about the Santee River?

>>"Gentle."

<Jeremy> Wow!

This is incredible!

>> I know, but we need to get back, or someone's going to worry, and they might wonder where we are!

>> Looks like we're going to have to try this again!

>> Here we go.

[whirring sound] ♪ >> So...you see what my first day was like investigating at Sandlapper Elementary.

An extremely challenging day indeed, what with a thief on my hands and Jeremy and Briana disappearing and then reappearing.

But I did come up with one finding...

I think it was an inside job.

Yesterday there were no visitors at the school, only students, staff, and two regular volunteers.

[sighs] Now to find out who stole the books and why.

It's a puzzling case, very puzzling indeed.

I'll have to think on it.

[cuckoo clock sounding out the time] Hmmm.

<narrator> Will Detective Bonz learn to open his file cabinet or will he have to depend on his trusty secretary, Ms Marie?

Will Detective Bonz be able to detect who stole the South Carolina history books?

Will Ms. Matthews recover from the news that the South Carolina history books are missing throughout the school?

The mystery continues next time as Detective Bonz searches for the thief.

♪ For more about South Carolina history, read the following books.

♪ <Bette Jamison> Wow!

Detective Bonz and the South Carolina History Mystery.

Hello!

I'm Bette Jamison with the South Carolina Department of Education's Instructional Television.

First there was Rin Tin Tin, then there was Lassie, followed by Snoopy, and now in our studios here South Carolina ETV, the most famous dog of them all, Detective Bonz.

He's great at detecting, dog on the trail of the thief.

And no detective can be so doggone good without their trusted assistant.

Welcome, Ms. Marie and Detective Bonz to our studios here at ETV.

Well, I guess our first question should be.

Did Mrs. Matthews ever recover?

<Detective Bonz> Well, yes.

She did, actually.

We brought her into the student lounge and I gave her a dog biscuit.

Sprung her right up to her feet.

I didn't know humans spit out when they were happy, but she just was going peh, peh, peh.

<Bette> I didn't know you had such medical experience.

But I do know that you are a famous canine investigator.

Where did you go to school to learn your trade.

<Detective Bonz> Oh, several places actually.

But, my first experience was in canine school in the south coast of Wales, a little town called Tenby.

Have you been there?

<Bette> No, I haven't.

<Detective Bonz> It's an excellent place to visit.

A lot of sniffing going on there.

<Bette> Well, do you have to continually study to keep up your sniffing skills?

<Detective Bonz> You know, you have to keep on track with everything, you know.

You should never let anything lie dormant as it was.

Like this cookie, for instance.

It's been sitting in my hand for a long time and I needed a little snack.

Sorry about that.

<Bette> Well, while D.B.

is, Detective Bonz is on, Detective Bonz is eating Ms Marie- <Ms.

Marie> When isn't he eating, Bette?

<Bette> Well, that's true.

Why don't you talk a little bit about your important role as his assistant?

How do you go about keeping him on track?

<Ms.

Marie> Oh, my goodness.

It is a full time job.

When I came into this job in the office, I sort of thought it would be something in my retirement years just for fun.

But, he needs so much assistance.

Now, he's a fabulous investigator, but I keep track.

I keep lists of everything because he's so gifted at investigating.

But organizing, that is not his strength.

<Bette> Oh!

<You see.> And what do you see as his strength?

<Ms.

Marie> Well, I see his strength as his very instinctive.

You know, they talk about animals having an instinct about where to go during a storm and everything.

Well, that's what we have as dogs, and.

And he can use that to his advantage when he's investigating all these crimes and whatnot.

So what I do, I keep the office running, I pay the bills.

I order things such as, well, you know, I have to keep lots of dog treats around the office because, he does work up a powerful hunger.

<Bette> If you'll point those to the camera, those are very nice.

<Ms.

Marie> Dog yummies.

Now, these are for mature, slightly overweight dogs.

And, you know, it's just we want to keep him in good shape.

We want to keep him in good shape.

<Bette> Well, now, who contract, who contacted you, initially, your office, about this, this crime of the South Carolina History books being stolen?

<Detective Bonz> Well, a little birdy stopped in and told me there was a terrible tragedy that had gone on at the school, you know.

I had one of these very things when I was going to school.

It didn't quite look like this, but I know how important history is.

So when I heard about it, who was that little birdy?

<Ms.

Marie> I can't remember.

So many phone calls come in to me and, you know, I'm just punching the buttons and answering and talking.

<Detective Bonz> But I dropped everything else when I found out it was about missing history books, because students need to find out about the past so they know where they're going.

<Bette> And that's certainly true.

So you found out about that.

What were your two main objectives really?

And in working on the case?

<Detective Bonz> The key any time you work on a case to be very observant about what's going on, you must listen.

In my case, you must smell.

(sniffle sounds) It's amazing the thing you can find out by what's in the air, so to speak, as you say or as I say.

But then when you listen and when you sniff and you observe what's going on, you can find out anything.

It's funny how things come to you when you are observant.

You should learn that when you're in school being observant, paying attention to all the details.

Sometimes things present themselves.

And if you are listening and looking and sniffing, in my case, you'll find out what you need to know.

<Bette> That's true, and it's true, really, for anyone, a student, any age, if you really pay attention, you might.

It might keep you safe.

It might keep you happy.

So that's great.

Okay, what about, now, this paw pilot.

I hope you brought your paw pilot with you.

<Detective Bonz> Of course, I don't go anywhere without it.

<Bette> Oh, good.

<Detective Bonz> Well, the paw pilot as you see here, I was very.

It was very difficult to get it back from the students once they found out about it, but I found this in the store, and I thought, this is very interesting.

What does it do?

And when I found out, it did my favorite thing of all, when I press this button, right here.

"Queek!"

<Bette> Whew!

<Detective Bonz> Oh, my it me a biscuit, which is my favorite thing to do.

<Ms.

Marie> Of course he would buy the model which has food storage capacity, you know.

<Bette> The dog biscuit dispenser.

That's quite appropriate.

Well, I've been wanting to ask you, too, about your outfit.

Do all doggy detectives wear raincoats?

<Detective Bonz> Of course they do.

They wouldn't be a detective if they didn't have a raincoat.

It's the thing that sets us apart from anyone else.

I mean, if you are serious, detective, you must have a London Fog.

(laughs) <Bette> And I know you've been doing a lot of detecting with this case.

Do you really think it's an inside job?

<Detective Bonz> Well, it usually is.

When something of this magnitude occurs, there's always a culprit.

And usually that culprit is someone on the inside.

So I paid very close attention to all of the potential suspects.

I just couldn't imagine children doing this, you know?

And I just couldn't figure it out.

Who could possibly be involved with this?

So, as my rule is, everyone is a suspect until they've been eliminated.

Even you, Bette are a suspect.

<Bette> Oh, my goodness!

<Detective Bonz> You could be.

<Bette> Well, okay, well, I want to know if he caught that distracting cat.

Thank you, Detective Bonz and Ms. Marie for answering our questions about Detective Bonz and the South Carolina History Mystery.

We know you want to see more, so be sure to check out the other chapters of this great history mystery, because you'll bark with glee and howl with anticipation to find out if Ms. Matthews did recover and if Detective Bonz hears anymore from that distracting cat.

Thanks for watching Detective Bonz and the South Carolina History Mystery.

♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪