Evening star., 1963-01-22
Fair EXCHANGE

anyone WOulQ mistake Lle
spirit of Mrs. Reischer's ar
ticle on foreign students in
your Sunday Magazine. Yet,
unhappily, this seems to be
true.
1t was quite clear to me,
at least. that Mrs. Reischer
does not consider the stu
dents who lived with her fam
lily as novelty toys" nor does
she have a "condescending
attitude" toward them. And
as for hanpering the cause
of international good will,
whatever happened to the
irate letter writer's sense Of
proportion, or humor, for
that matter?
These students are no Gin
derellas forced to work as
scullery maids, indentured for
life or even for two semes-
ters. They are hardworking,
serious students willing to do
the dishes and baby-sit now
and again in return for room
and board.
Living with a family, not
as a servant, but having GER
tain duties, which every mem
ber Of any family has, is a
warm and informal way of
being welcomed to America
and getting to know Ameri-
cans.
Finally, this fair exchange
is In the finest tradition of
American cooperation an
exchange that is known to
thousands of American stud
ents, by the way, who are
also short Of funds, and will
ing to provide baby-sitting
and dishwashing services for
room and board.
Julie Wright.
- -
There appears to be quite
a controversy stirred up by
The Stars article on foreign
students by Charlotte Reis-
cher. 1 think that it is a fine
thing that someone has taken
a positive step to help for
eign students. 1t is easy for
people who do nothing them
selves to criticize the actions
of Mrs. Reischer. These crit
les overlook the advantages
gained by the foreign stu
dent. First, he saves board
money. The room rent may
not be much by American
standards. but translated into
the students own currency,
it is probably three, four or
more times what he is used
to paying. The same is also
true for meals. We often for
get that our cost of living Is
very expensive. Second, the
student has the opportunity
to see first-hand how an
American family really lives
and what our problems are.
He is not being invited in for
just a Sunday dinner, but is
being asked to participate in
the American way of life.
Another thing to remember
is that 1t is an accepted thing
here for a student TO work at
least part Of his way through
school. Often, schools have
long lists Of part-time work
such as walters, cooks helpers
or lab assistants to help stu
dents. During the summer,
most boys look forward to
working full time for three
months - generally at poorly
paid jobs. This, too, is part OF
the American way.
II Mrs. Reischers' nice ar
ticle tends TO emphasize the
advantages gained by the
family who accepts a foreign
student, 1t is for the purpose
OF trying TO encourage other
families TO do the same. In
any such venture, both the
students and family will have
problems. BY solving these
problems, they will, In a
small but very important per-
sonal way. contribute TO in
ternational understanding.
Gerald v. Rolph.
History Department.
University Of Baltimore.
Mrs. Reischer's description
Of her experiences In taking In
foreign students in exchange
for babysitting and dish
washing should not be called
exploitation. I'm fact. this is
a very common practice in
Europe, called "au pair" by
which students earn part OF
their living expenses in an
other country by doing do
nestle chores. II they are
lucky 10 find a nice family.
they get 10 know the new
country that much faster.
Moreover, isn't II a time
honored tradition in this
country for students 10 earn