Evening star., 1954-06-03
By SeIwo Roosevelt

No one could better typify the
progress of the modern Egyptian
woman than Nine. Ahmed HuS-
sein, wife of the Egyptian Am
bassador to the United States.
A tall, striking brunette, with
a dynamic personality. Nine.
HusSein combines the charm and
femininity Of her yelled prede-
cessors in the harem with the
new freedom and education
which is becoming the rule
rather than the exception in
today's Egypt.
Nine. Hussein was educated in
Cairo at the French Convent
School, the American Junior
College for Girls and the Amer
ican University. AS a result, her
English is perfect and has been
a great asset to her.
Shortly before the Husseins
came to America as an official
family, Nine. HusSein went on a
lecture tour of this country un-
der the auspices of the Ameri-
can Friends of the Middle East.
And since taking up her duties
as chatelaine of the Egyptian
Embassy in April, 1854 she has
kept numerous speaking engage
ments. In fact. she is returning
today from the University of
Chicago where she lectured yes
terday.
MY advice to anyone. who
wants to lose weight is to go on
a lecture tour!" she said. Every
time I sat down to a meal, it
was just before I was to give a
falkland then that awful feel
ing of apprehension and timid-
ity destroyed my appetitew
'The only thing that makes
1t possible for me to go on when
I have these attacks of stage
fright is the memory of a GER
tain Egyptian woman, Nine.
Hoda Sharawi, who 80 years ago
had the courage to defy MoSlem
conservatism and dramatically
threw her veil into the Medi-
terranean," she added.
Veil Not MosIem
Actually. Nine. Hussein ex-
planned, despite many Egypt
ians' horror at Nine. Sharawi's
action, there was no religious
reason for wearing the veil.
Contrary to popular belief, the
yelling of women was not Mos
lem concept originally, but be-
came an accepted social prac-
tice during Byzantine days to
indicate a high social caste.
And so the tradition began and
stayed firmly entrenched until
the goth century.
Egyptian women have come
q long way in the past 80 years"
Nine. HuSsein said. eve still do
not have the vote, but the idea
of the franchise for women has
been accepted in principle. We
are now preparing ourselves to
participate actively in public life
and when we do get the vote,
we shall be able to exercise it
with responsibility and effec-
tiveness."
AS an example Nine. HuSSein
pointed out that in the early
192OS there were about $4,000
girls attending schools in Egypt.
Today there are over half mil
lion girl students in the country.
Until 1927, she said, no women
were permitted to enter the uni
versity. Today Egypt's colleges
and universities turn out wom-
en- lawyers, doctors, journalists,
dentists, teachers and scholars.
can interesting change has
occurred in the thinking of the
upper classes with regard to
higher education for women"
Nine. Hussein said. Until a few
years ago it was considered de-
classe for a woman of a good
family to go to college-that was
only for girls who had to earn a
living or wanted to better their
social position. Now the indol-
ence Of the upper class. is no
longer fashionable!"
Aid for UnderpriviIeged
This change Of thinking is also
evidenced in the field of social