UA-R-GC-1914-01-01-1936-11-13_Page-017

V. General University Matters (1) The Staff: The absence of Messrs. Cleland and Vandersall on fur-lough and the illness and subsequent death of Mr. McQuiston made the staff in Egypt feel very, very, much weakened. Dean Galt's health is a matter of real concern. His burdens this past year were unusual, for there remained on his Faculty only Mr. Howard as a full time permanent American. When we remember that Assiut College has on the academic faculty of its College four rien, Messrs. Russell, Hickman, Owen and McClanahan, not to count Mr. Scott Thompson on fur-lough and Mr. Hoyma.n, their treasurer, it will be reali ed that we at Cairo are running our College on a very precarious basis of personnel. The result was that, barely avoiding a break during the year, Dean Galt had to go into the hands of the doctor in the sumer and he begins a new year with a very slender margin of strength. Fortunately, this year, 1936-37, he will h ve the sturdy help of Mr. Vandersall, and the reinforcement of Mr. Badeau. But the question of who may serve as Acting Dean for the College next year when Dean Galt's furlough falls due, is a very perplexing problem. In proportion as there is only one man for each important post in our institution, the question of substitution becomes increasingly difficult. Nor do we get any relief by postponing a fur-lough. It merely endangers health by inducing overstrain. This past year an experiment was tried in the use of volunteer one year men. While from their point of view, this contribution represented devotion and generosity, our experience does not justify continuing the experiment if the period be for one year only. The reason for this decision is identical with that which deters us from engaging, except under exceptional conditions, paid workers for one year only. The difficulties of adjustment to a new environment, of an initial experience in teaching and of correlation with the hard and fast regulat-ions of an institution abroad, are too great to be overcome quick 1 enough to yield worthwhile results in one year. Practically all our short term contracts are based upon three year periods, and the first year has generally proved mere-ly introductory. The salaries paid have reflected this feeling and have been only $500 for the first year, 1600 for the second, 1700 for the third. Even these figures do not reflect the disparity in the values of the several years. The situation is much more difficult in a teaching institution where classroom efficiency is an inexorable and immediate necessity than would be the situation in a general mission where the new arrival can be given two years both for lan-guage study and for the purpose of orienting and adjusting himself. It is also recommended that instead of a so-called volunteer status being accorded, a special contract be given indicating the financial responsibility of the Uni-versity. During the past winter, the President enjoyed the assistance of Miss Anna Lister of the Philadelphia office, as Secretary. Only because of her efficient help was it possible to carry on a program of cultivation and pro-motion from Egypt, which took the form of two Printed Letters and no less than 678 personal letters to the American constituency of the University. For the winter of 1937-38, if not in some permanent way for the longer future, provision should be made for maintaining this important service. (2) The Library: The Library budget reminds one of the proverbial Miss-issippi boat that had such limited steam pressure in its boilers that when it whistled it didn't go and when it went forward it couldn't whistle. So our Library has had to choose between books and the time of an American Librarian. In recent years we have opted to have a librarian, but this past year we have bought books and remained satisfied with the voluntary and occasional super