UA-R-GC-1914-01-01-1939-11-17_Page-018

2. Library: During the year a few alterations have been made in the Main Library, improving both its appearance and its conveniences. There have been added during the year 758 books, the last accession number now being 19,933. The year's circulation record slightly exceeds that of last year. It was as follows: English books 3806, arabic 1427, French 829, Reserve 1136, or a grand total of 7198. Cataloguing is still in arrears while topical indexing leaves much to be regretted. In view of the urgent need for a richer collection of books foviuse by the courses now being taught, I would urge that a renewed appeal be made to the Carnegie Corporation for a special grant for books. 3. The Hostel: The Hostel underwent a major change this year when it had to give up its spacious and well adapted building and grounds next to St . Mary's Church and crowd itself into two apartments on the University grounds. However, two factors contributed to a satisfactory solution of this new and difficult situation. One was the leadership of the House Master and the other a satisfactory group of students. Mr. Robert Carson gave himself wholeheartedly to the task of mastering the new situation and set-up, and he was ably assisted by his colleagues who were housed in the Hostel. The student enrollment was small, only seventeen, but it filled up the limited space available in our contracted quarters. I would call special attention to a most valuable report which Mr. Carson has left us, giving interesting illustrations of the values of the Hostel life for influence upon character, as well as stating the problems faced and the solutions attempted. Think of combinations of roommates such as these: a Christian and a Moslem in one room; two Palestinian Moslems of politically rival families in another room; in yet another room an American, a Jew and an Armenian. The needs of Hostel life as well as the opportunity it affords cry urgently for the new accommodations planned for our suburban site. 4. Land and Buildings: (1) City Site: Nothing new needs to be recorded about our city site and plant save to say that building developments continue to enhance the value of our property, while the beauty of our buildings excite the constant admiration of the public. The use of wart Memorial Hall for important public functions such as To scanini' s two concerts in Cairo a few years ago and a recent meeting under the auspices of trie Ministry of Education and the constant use of the Hall by the Societe de Musique of Egypt for all its large and important musical events, have given to the University and its location a city-wide publicity. (2) Suburban Site: This property continues to be administered for purposes of agricultural revenue pending its use as a College site. However, the low price of cotton has prevented rauch of a profit after taxes and operating expenses have been deducted. The net operating income was only $900.57. A separate account deals with the improvement of the property, looking forward to its ultimate use for building and campus purposes. Here we can report the completion of the long drawn out task of filling in the ditch which adjoined the road, and which gave unsightliness to our frontage on the Pyramid Road. This filling-in was required also by a Government mandate on all property owners with a similar situation. 1