The Farmville herald. (Farmville, Va.) 1957-current, 1962-07-06
Citadel Professor Describes The
Situation In South Wet Nam

versity is quite different from
American universities, accord
ing to DR.. Durham.
Some students whom had
never seen appeared to take the
final examination DR.. Durham
said. Glasses supposed to be-
gin August l, actually began
September g."
He had this to say of the uni
versity:
l. There is no strong admins
tration. More emphasis is put
on the student doing his work,
rather than the American sys-
tenn of required class atten-
dance and specific assignments.
g In the school is the Chinese
tradition Of memorizing notes
for the examination. One salts
faction gained was getting the
students to discuss the course,
ask questions in class, and draw
their own conclusions on the
subject an innovation in the
school, he said.
3. The students are older and
more mature than the average
American student. Most of them
were teachers or full-time gov
eminent officials. An academic
degree was required to become
high government official.
4. Classes were to be taught
in English, which required his
speaking very slowly and dis
tinctly, plus much use of the
blackboard. Also, it was neces-
sary to decrease the reading re-
quirements and supply a great
deal Of the background material.
Student Attitude
5. The students are unfail-
lngly friendly and cordial, gen.
erous, studious, and very much
interested in erica and
Americans.
6. They speak Vietnamese,
French, Chinese, and English.
English is increasing in impor-
lance and many professors be-
lieve it will become the second
language in the country, replac-
ing French in Importance. Il
Saigon University has no cen
trail campus but faculties To-
Gated all over the city a Fac
ulty of Letters, Fac Guilty of
Science, Faculty of Laws and
Faculty Of Pedagogy, DR.. Dur
ham said.
There is a plan to bring the
faculties of the university to-
gether at Tu DUO, some miles
from Saigon. Many professors
have already built homes there,
but they can't live in them be-
cause of fighting, he added.
In speaking of the people and
the culture Of the Vietnamese,
Dr.. Durham said:
THE men are small but good
looking and the women are the
most beautiful to be seen any
where. The woman's chief func-
ton in life is to make the man
happy.
Men have the social life.
Women will accept an invitation
to dinner but they never actu-
ally come
Social Life
The Vietnamese don't drink
much alcohol, but instead like
certain American soft drinks or
tea. They eat much spaghetti,
fish, vegetables cooked with
peanuts and make very good
soups which they eat with chop
sticks, he said.
They like to visit, which they
do often and at length. Mrs.
Durham had ladies visitin g
every afternoon who wanted to
speak English.
The theatre consisted of the
hat bOi. ancie Vietnamese
blend uf drama and music sup
ported by the old people; Cal
Luong a cross between Oriental
and western musicals with more
realistic acting; and varie ty
shows which had great mass
appeal, DR.. Durham said.
They had no straight plays in
the sense that we have. The
theatre is more Of a social gath
ering for the audience, which is
constantly in motion and not
too interested in what is taking
place on the stage, he said.
Most of the movies are west
ern, largely American with
French soundtracks. A Chinese
movie shown recently had a Chi
nese sound track and two sets
Of Chinese subtitles. The Vietna-
mese admire American motion
picture actors. One boy who
thought he looked like Tony Per
kinS called himself "Parlyinc -