UA-R-GC-1914-01-01-1958-02-24_Page-057

â Board Meeting 2/58-Appendix H IMPRESSIONS. OF THE ENVIRONMENT_ OF A. The Revolution of Egypt a Domestic success. Real achievement 1. Egyptians have inherited their country from foreigners and feudal lords: Clubs, hotels, streets, decent sober govern-ment, mosques. Family life and freedom of women have ended snob rule in social life. Morale is better. Faces happier. Standard of living seems better. Children have shoes, less filth and disease apparent, bicycles, metal water-wheels. Government is socially conscious, Fundamental education; competent and devoted experts in many fields, model villages and social centers, . 300 new schools per year, "Sirs el Layan" a revelation. 2. Foreign enterprises., including education, face uncertain future: "Egyptianization" of institutions of all kinds, banks, companies, etc., five years period of grace, strict cen-sorship and government control cramp business, "Fascist" tendency, no sign of communism, "Fasces" on the arches. Emotional patriotic appeal to the youth. Foreigners hurt also by Allied boycott of Egyptian needs. Hence turn to Iron Curtain for vital consumer goods, such as medicines, surgical instruments, lubricating oil, etc, C. A.U.C. in 1958 in Egypt and the Near East: Reassured by 1. High morale of Pres. and Mrs. McLain and their faculty 2. Unanimous purpose to attempt only what can be done with excellence. (LetQs not starve that effort by clipping wings) 3. A.U.C. once an opportunity now a MUST. (Ambassador Hare) One of the very few intercultural bridges left. If we go, the Near East is lost to the U.S.A. 4. The Revolution is fertile soil for dynamic education. It swept away rotten feudal corruption and welcomes new atti-tudes toward life. (Not so when I taught here; neither the Pashas nor the British wanted any disturbing ferment.) 5. A.U.C. has, at last, a clear definition of its educational mission and program