Evening star., 1939-11-12


where she majored in political econ
woman, deeply interested in wom-
ems problems, particularly those Of
her own countrywomen. As secre-
tary Of the Foreign Relations Com
mittee Of the Bulgarian University
Women's Club, she has been active
in Sofia in the club, founded in
1924.
"Club life is very new for u.s." she
said, "and we do not have the large
clubhouses for our meetings which
you have here in America. For sew
eral years we met In homes Of men,
bers, where speakers talked on a va
riety Of subjects. Two years ago we
bought a large apartment in Sofia
for our meetings"
Hope for Funds
To Sponsor Scholarship.
The principal aims Of the Bull
garian University clubwomen are
much the same as those of other
national university women's clubs,
Mile. Naoumof explained, including
encouragement of cultural subjects
and the promotion of better inter-
national understanding. There are
not sufficient funds at present for
the women to sponsor scholarship,
but the latter is hoped for in the
future, she added.
I'VE have membership Of about
600 in the university club" she con-
tinued, but that is really a small
proportion Of our university gradu-
ates. The majority Of educated
Bulgarian women are university
graduates. Education in my coun-
try is compulsory and most Of our
schools are co-educational."
Mile. Naoumoff, like the majority
OF her countrywomen, learned to
sew and embroider at an early age
IN the elementary school grades.
AL Bulgarian women are taught
to embroider," she said, "and, al
though they don't take as much
time now to embroider costumes as
in former days, the native costumes
are still very elaborate"
Many aprons, worn by women
IN certain sections of Bulgaria, are
woven and not embroidered, Mile.
Naoumoff said. Silk, used both
for cloth and threads, is manu-
factured in Bulgaria, where the silk
industry is an active one.
I'VE have two distinct Bulgarian
stitches" she explained. There
is the tapestry stitch, like the one
in the old Gobelin tapestries, and
the cross stitch, which is very much
used in Bulgarian embroidery"
Music is another interest of Mile.
Naoumoff, who studied piano for
many years, until an injury to her
hand, and who has long been a stu
dent Of native folk songs In her
leisure.
Folk Songs Preserve
National Traditions.
Although there is slight simi-
larity In the songs of the Balkan
countries" she remarked, "the Bull
garians have folk songs distinctive.
" their own. Songs" she con.
tinued, were the only means Of pre-.
serving national traditions during
many years Of domination by other
powers. The Bulgarian women sang
tales Of their people to the chill
dren during their work, for dancing
and in every way possible. There
are now over 5000 folk songs writ
ten and preserved in my country.
Music is one of the greatest Inherit
ances OF our past" Mile. Naoumoff
added. Instruments? Yes, we have
two national instruments, the 'gaida,
which is similar to the Scottish bag
pipe, and the 'kaval,' which is like
a flute and is played by the peasants
who also make the instruments.
Mile Naoumo1 said that in the
Bulgarian capital, whose popula-
ton Is less than half Of that OF
Washington, there are two SYM
phony orchestras and a national
theater widely patronized.
An association of woman painters
is actively afhliated with the AS
sociation Of University Women, she
continued, and every year art ex-
hibits are arranged. Recently Bull
garian artists exhibited In Yugo-
slavia as gesture toward better
international understanding.
The high mountains of the Bal
kans invite many of her coun-
trywomen to participate in outdoor
sports and both skiing and noun
tain climbing are popular among the
younger Bulgarians of both sexes
Mile. Naoumoh added.
Casually. the young Bulgarian
woman spoke of her own mountain
climbing. which included a noun