Pierre Cachia Oral History

Pierre Cachia was an undergraduate student at AUC from 1938 until his graduation in 1942. Cachia describes academics at AUC in those years, including drawbacks like degrees unrecognized by the government, faculty members varied in quality, and the ease of getting though without much exertion. Balancing these were the chance to choose one’s classes (including courses relevant to contemporary Egyptian society), instruction in and requirements for library research, and dedicated professors. Faculty who made an impression on him, like Worth Howard, Herbert Vandersall, and Amir Boktor, are mentioned. He describes classmates and the impact of coeducation with female students, as well as campus social life and extracurricular activities like the drama performances of the Maskers club. Cachia also discusses the limited impact of the Second World War at the university, beyond campus discussions such as in a class on war and peace. A British subject by virtue of his Maltese family background, after graduation he served in an Allied fighting unit for three years, and tells of discussions with classmates and teachers shaping his decision to do so (despite his pacifist leanings), and how his AUC education prepared him for the experience. Cachia later taught at AUC from 1946-1948, earned a doctorate in Arabic language from Edinburgh University and went on to an academic career at New York’s Columbia University