Evening star., 1941-03-06
FriendIiness in United States
Impresses Latin Americans
Courtesies and Intimate University Contacts
Regarded os Features of Trip by Students

Peruvian poetress, Rosa Maria Rojas,
maintained as non-exiStent, any
eagerness for, or any mad rushing
after the new on the part of the
North Americans. as South Ameri-
cans, enormously, are won't to at
tribute to them.
Here's romantic people, in love
with its traditions and holding in
deep veneration the great figures
of the past" she said. Moreover,
these people, with their inherent
gentility are To the manner born
| indeed
Courtesy in other countries is
| purely an agreeable formula; here
1t has been transformed into one of
effective Service-into aid cheerfully
rendered to the stranger, with con-
tageous and enviable spontaneity."
The writer's small black eyes shone
as she pronounced the last words.
Rosa Maria Rojas has been enabled
to see for herself that the North
American family is not what it ap-
pears usually to be on the screen.
In this broad, free land, the home
is as well magnificent and shelter
ing castle!
You tell them," she added ener-
getically. THE sweetness of living is
felt here and 1t is transmitted to
the wayfarer. return to my home
land. re1uvenated, filled with new
emotions"
Pleased by School Atmosphere.
I talked as well with some STU
dents. The words of the Chilean.
Jorge Schneider, in my opinion.
epitomize what these visiting young
men are thinking.
I'VE have come to know, at least
he told me, what true university
should be; not merely the cold edifice
that hands out plethora of sc;en-
t1flc or technical facts, but a home
wherein the spirit of the scholar who
studies within its cloisters is formed
For instance, In Chile we do not have
that intimate almost familiar con-
tact, between professor and student
found in the North American uni
versity. This has been the great
feature of the trip for us. The
greatest feature-the most stimu-
lating: almost, I'd venture to say, a
needed and timely lesson.
Chilean students are more inde-
pendent and share no common
everyday life. Neither do they hold
one another in esteem or come to
know their fellow-students suff-
ciently. Contact with the professor
ends on leaving the class room: the
professor, being man who, outside
his working hours, holds himself
aloof from his pupils.
Happily, here it is Just the other
way round. The university seems as
another home - the professor a.
friend. There is life-there's spirit
there's a university atmosphere to
the evident advantage of pupil and
teacher alike and even, would ven-
ture to say, to the evident advantage
OF future generations and of the
Nation"
Professor Impressed.
1t is interesting to note what the
professors have to say on the same
theme. Raul Smith Sanchez, spe-
cialist in mathematics, gave imme-
diate reply to my questions:
I'm these six weeks I've received,
apart from general lessons, one |
lesson in particular-an impressing |
lesson in idealism. I wish to en-
phasize the cooperative spirit-of |
true brotherhood, current among
the professors and students of the |
universities of the United States. |
I'd say that, in our South Ameri-
can countries, study is carried on in
an egotistical way-to acquire
degree or earn money in the exer- |
else OF some profession. I am con-
vinced that in the United States,
exactly the contrary is taking place. |
The individual is submerged with
out losing any of his independence
or liberty. He retains his individual |
character, but he knows how to
orient it in a harmonious way, for |
the common good. The young man,
from what I've seen, doesn't just !
study for himself alone; he studies
for the benefit of the collective
whole, so that his knowledge may be
used benef1cially to this end. Edu- |
Gated in this way, by methods which |
could be called healthy he &C
quires greater confidence in him.
self; he knows how to conduct him
self, alone, throughout life, and he
does not feel later, that envy which
is like poison to the spirit. -
More Personal Visits Urged.
All the opinions gathered funda-
mentally coincide. Apropos the most
efficient manner of intensifying re-
lations between the peoples Of North
and South America, students and
professors are agreed on the neces-
sity of personal contact-of first
hand observation-in the land itself.
In a word, they are in favor of these
trips, initiated under good and gen.
erous auspices; they should be made
more and more from now on. The
trip, acquaintance with other lands,
is like a conversation among people
who are not acquainted with one
announcer, or, VINO from a1ar, 90 not
understand each other. Being
brought together, all misunderstand-
ings fade away.
AS for me, it is my belief that |
each new traveller from the South |
will be the discoverer of this land |
of the North, of its true reality. Of |
this land which is not only the land
of gigantic economic organizations,
but also the powerful Nation, of ad-
discipline. where the express
sion "buena voluntad" good wild
has its profound and transcendent
eiov,fEoonca could coiI /