Smyrna times., 1954-06-24
IMPRESSIONS
OF EGYPT TOLD
Mrs. Henrietta RO t h we /
Howard Writes to Brother
In Smyrna About Trip
HABITS AND CUSTOMS


Jr. from his sister, Mrs. Henrietta
Rothwell Howard who has been in
Cairo, Egypt for almost year.
Impressions of Egypt, the habits
and customs of the people, the
color of the desert country are all
told in her message to her family.
Mrs. Howard, native of Smyrna,
went to Egypt last August on a
Fullbright scholarship as a lectur-
er associated with the United
States Education Foundation. She
attended the Smyrna School until
her family moved to Milwaukee,
Wis, where she was graduated
from the State Teachers College.
She received her masters degree
at George Washington University,
and was living in Washington,
ID. C. before she went abroad. She
was a guidance counselor. At the
present time Mrs. Howard, who
finished her assignment in Egypt
this month, is making an extended
tour of several European coun-
tries and is expected back in the
United States in August. In her
letter she described a street scene
this way: "You must watch the
place where you step for two rea-
sons; there are many donkeys,
horses, few camels, and occa-
sionally you will meet two small
black robed Bedouin girls driving
a herd of goats and sheep, and
then the other reason is the terri
fic speed the taxis maintain in
spite of congested conditions, plus
the bicycles, and many pedestrians
carrying all types of things on
their heads" She spoke also of a
palace, not in use then, but guard
ed by a man with gun and fixed
bayonet. On Fouad the First Street
is a Socony Vacuum filling station
with the sign of the flying red
horse, an exact duplicate of those
in the United States. 1.-THE cars be-
ing serviced would not go thru the
District of Columbia car inspec-
tion station, but many makes are
the same" Most of the taxicabs
have missing door handles from
the inside, windows that will not
roll UP or down, the springs are
usually broken, and the motor does
not always work, but almost every
cab has rug on the floor, she
wrote.
-. COlOrful Shopping District =.
The shopping district is prob
ably the most colorful in contrast
to American cities, as shown by
the following excerpt from her let
ter: "The owner of the meat store
has initiative and inspiration. 1
don't think you will find another
store in Caro- that suspends dress
ed chickens with paper pin wheels
in their tails), pigeons with just
the right amount of feathers left
on their wings to give the appear
ance of flying, and ducks hang
ing together in chumny little
groups of three, all tied to strings
suspended from the front of the
shop to the trees at the edge of
the pavement. This is an unusual
store; most of the shop owners
pile their wares on the sidewalks
only. Peas, beans, cabbage, oran-
ges, lettuce, flowers are lined up.
These shops are not supermarkets,
and many are the size of six by
nine rug. Tailor shops are even
smaller. The tailor sits on the side
walk and sews a suit; the rug
mender spreads his rug out in
front of him; it all makes for
very friendly, informal atmos-
phere' Inside the meat store the
shop is clean but without refrig-
GRAFTON. 1.-THE meat is in a more
realistic state here" she writes"
you see the whole animal suspend
ed from a hook and can pick out
the piece you would like to have
cut" There is little pork as the
Moslem does not eat it. Every
square inch of meat is covered
with the pink government stamp.
Down the street and across the
Nile are the slaughter houses.
Friendly People
The visiting Fullbrighter was
impressed by the hospitality and
friendliness of the people. On her
return to America she writes that
she will miss the shopping excur-
sions in Cairo, the afternoon teas,
the numerous dinner parties, the
lectures, the warmth of the sun,
the smell of incense. Sounds as
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