UA-R-GC-1914-01-01-1942-10-16_Page-062

296 DIVISION OF EXTENSION THE AMERICAN UNIVERSITY AT CAIRO REPORT FOR THE YEAR 1941-42 The President, The American University at Cairo. Sir, The Eighteenth Annual Report of the Division of Extension is bubmitted herewith. Owing to the evacuation of our American community from Cairo on June 30 and July 1 and the great pressure of the preceding days, I was not able to partici-pate in the actual drafting of the report which fell therefore to Hanna Rizk; and it is his very comprehensive statement of the year's activities that I present with with but two or three comments. As pointed out by Hanna Eff. this year has been our best in the last ten, whether from the attendance, the quality of the programs or the cooperation of state departments. Vie have also had success in reaching wide audiences through the radio and the Government's Magazine of Social Welfare, both of which penetrate not only to all the provinces of Egypt, but to neighboring lands as well. Each passing year appears to indicate that "Khidma 'Aroma" is becoming more firmly established as an Egyptian institution with a beneficial influence on the life of the nation. And for the Providence which has guided our efforts we give profound thanks to God. ln addition to the very interesting facts and observations of the Report attached, I would mention the following: 1. The cooperation of the Division with the W.C.T.U. in providing quarters and some help in organizing a temperance exhibit for 15 days. Posters and models were displayed and lantern lectures given in Arabic. Some hundreds of persons attended. 2. Likewise our Exhibition room was loaned to the British Embassy as last year, for a week for the display of War pictures. There were likewise several hundred who attended this. 3. A difficulty in carrying through our lecture program in the second semester was encountered when Dr. Taha Hussein Bey took embrage at certain remarks reported to him as made by Dr. Adams in a lecture to British Troops at "Music for All," which Dr. Taha considered insulting to Egypt. No amount of persuasion could bring Dr. Taha to give his advertised lecture on "Egyptian Culture after a Quarter of a Century" unless Dr. A.dams or the University made public apology for the alleged "insult". Of course this was not done, so the lecture was not given. However, the Director seized the opportunity to point out as clearly as possible our principles of free speech and individual responsibility in such cases, as against official censorship of academic expression and collective responsibility Íb r it. The exchange of notes was conducted in a friendly spirit, and it is hoped that Dr. Taha will again lecture sometime from our platform as he has so often done in the past. 4. Attention is called to the high percentage of students among our subscribers. This is to be expected in a large Educational Centre such as Cairo, and furthermore, is a cause of gratification. Frequently men and women of position are met who refer to their student days and the pleasure they had from our programs. Two instances will illustrate. An Egyptian judge in the Mixed Tribunals and former under-Secretary of State, who is now a staunch supporter, once mentioned how greatly he had bee