THE MICHIGAN DAILY


era Black Studies Middle Eastern Cu tures,

Talks to Political Leaders in Seminar Tour

t

By JEAN HARTWIG
"Why, don't you take a picture of
my Turkish roommate-she's much
more interesting than I."
"No, it has to be of you. Why
don't you wear my special Chinese.
dress with the big long slits. You
could wrap up. in that cloth from
India."
Barbara Black, '59, lives in a
half-decorated modernistic-coloni-s
al style apartment on East Uni-
versity Street with Sue Davis, '59,
and Esin Aka, Grad.
"It's really not quite finished,"
Miss Davis explained, indicating
the bookcase supported by un-
painted boards. "We've qot to do
a. bit more painting, and those
blue curtains in the dining area
have simply got to go."
Choose Roommates
When asked'how they happened
to decide to live in the same apart-
ment, Miss Aka, who eventually in-
tends to return to her home in
Istanbul to teach art in American
and British universities there, ex-
plained that she had been looking
for an apartment, heard there was
room in this one and just sort of
"wandered in and fell asleep."
When she woke up, she had two
new roommates.
Miss Black, who recently repre-
sented the University in a 'maga-
zine article, was finally persuaded
to discuss her travels in the Middle
East and Europe.
Born in Kalamazoo, she has
lived most of her life in Phila-
delphia and attended Bucknell
University for two years, where
she studied sociology.
During the summer of 1956,
Future Teachers
To Hear of Work
Of Student N EA
The local chapter of the Student
National Education Association,
will hold an organizational meet-
ing at 7:30 p.m. Wednesday in the
education school coffee lounge on
the second floor of the University
Elementary School.
The meeting will. introduce new
students to the work of the Stu-
dent NEA. Juniors and. transfer
students entering the education
school or planning to obtain teach-
er's certificates are invited, as are
seniors and graduate students in
education.
An informal discussion of the,
values of a student NEA is sched-
uled. The Student National Edu-
cation Association is the only pro-
fessional organization for students
interested in becoming teachers.

-Daily-Allan winder
"NOW I THINK.. ."-Barbara Black seems to be expressing her
opinions-on the painting displayed by her roommate-artist, Esin
Aka. Miss Black has traveled widely in the Middle East, studying
the cultures, the economic and social problems and conflicts
present in this area of the world. She thoroughly enjoyed the
hospitality of the Arab and Israeli peoples, she said.

"Barb" was awarded a special
scholarship to tour the Middle East
with a group of university $stu-
dents who were also interested in
sociology and international affairs
in general.
"There were only 11 of us, and
I want to especially stress that it
was mainly on a seminar design,
not touristy at all," Miss Black
said. "One can learn numerous
facts about an area, but it is es-
sential to evaluate them, in their
full context. I only regret that our.
period of study was so short."
The group visited five Arab
countries and Israel and talked
to a great number of political
leaders in the Middle East.
Vidn't See Nasser
"I think we talked with everyone
except Nasser. He sent a note to
tell us that he was very sorry, but
he was too busy to see us. Shortly
afterward he nationalized the Suez
Canal. We did talk to socialists in
Syria and Iraq, though, and were
the guests of the future Lebanese
rebel leaders," she said.
When asked about her most
striking impressions of the Mid-
East, Miss Black hesitated a mo-
ment before expressing her sur-
prise at the comparatively western,
resort-like atmosphere of parts of
Lebanon. This she attributed in

part to the close economic rela-
tions with the West, the beauty of
the area and a mixture of Chris-
tians and Moslems in the country.
"I loved Cairo because it was such
a wonderful combination of East
and West culture," she said. "One
thing that impressed me in Egypt,
though, was the extreme economic
pressures facing this country and
the rest of the Mid-East. I don't
think we can ever understand the
Arabs until we can understand this
part of their culture."
Sees Conflicts as Economic
The struggles in the Mic-East
are mostly economic-social con-
flicts affecting many newly de-
veloping countries in the world,
according to Miss Black who ex-
plained that the rise of Islam does
not seem to be the most responsible
factor.
"There have been many Chris-
tian Arab leaders who have made
contributions to Arab National-
ism," she added.
Although her predominant in-
terest in the Mid-East is in the
study of Arabic and Arabic cul-
ture,' she feels that a "pro"-atti-
tude on either side of the Israeli-
Arab question gets one nowhere.
After touring the Middle East
during the summer, Miss Blackl
"just wasn't ready to come back
to the United States." For the next'
academic year, she studied social
theory and fine arts at the Uni-
versity of Edinburgh in Scotland.'

"I liked their method of educa-
tion very much. They treat a stu-
dent more as a mature person than
we do in America. There is much
more independent study. They
don't have mass education, though,I
so that does make a difference,"I
she explained.
- Miss Black, who is now studying
social anthropology at the Uni-
versity, was explaining her ex-
periences in traveling through1
Europe when Alan Harwood, Grad.,
joined the group gathered around1
the studio couch.1
"Tell about the youth hostels in
Europe," he said.
Thehostels, which cost about 301
cents for a night's lodging andl
sometimes breakfast are really1
good, according to Miss Black, who4
unknowingly rode a stolen motor-
scooter throughout Europe.I
Rides "Stolen" Scooter
"It isn't really as bad as it
sounds," she said. "I bought it
from a Presbyterian minister that
I knew in Edinburgh. It was ap-
parently put together with stolen
parts, and sold to him, but I cer-
tainly had a hard time getting
rid of it in Paris."
"You really meet more people
hitchhiking along' the way,
though," Harwood added.
"Oh, yes, hitchhiking is done
by everyone in Europe-allages,
sexes, everyone. I hitchhiked with
a boy throughout Italy, but it
wasn't regarded as at all un-
usual," she said.
Sees Granada Festival
In Spain Miss -Black was espe-
cially fortunate to see the festival
at Granada and the holy week
parades. In- Morocco she and her
girlfriend had their money stolen
by pickpockets and were the guests
of the Moroccan government for a
week.
"You'd better warn the males
that they wouldn't be made quite
as welcome as two young ladies,"
Harwood said.
The hospitality of Europe and
especially the Middle East was a
memorable experience, according
to Miss Black.
Belongs to ISA
Miss' Black, who regards her
study of social anthropology as
"sort of a luxury," is a member of
the University Senior Honor Soci-
ety and the International Students'
Association. She was chairman of
International Week last year.
She plans to continue her work
here in the graduate school. "I'd
love to go back to the University
of Edinburgh for some further
study," she said. "But I love it here
at the University and want to earn
my degree here."
Barbara Black is a true repre-
sentative of the University of
Michigan from Lebanon to Cairo
to Edinburgh to Kalamazoo.

SENIORS
February-June-August Grads
GRADUATION PICTURE
APPOINTMENTS
Must be made
IMMEDIATELY
Student Publications Bldg.
420 Maynard
Motiday-Friday 1-5 P.M.

WAA Announces Outcome
Of Residence Hall Games
First Round of Volleyball Tournament Ends;
This Week's Schedule of Opponents Listed
Scores for the first week of the
Woien' Atletc Asocatin vl-22; Kappa Alpha Theta 26, Sigma
Women's Athletic Association vol-Delta Tau 15; Stockwell I 25, Elliot
leyball tournament have been an- 24 and Mosher 25, Little I I8.
nounced. This week's schedule sees Mar-
The result of Monday's game
was Martha Cook 34, Palmer 9. ha Cook versus Betsy Barbour to-
The outcome of games played morrow and Chi Omega against
Tuesday was Chi Omega 30, Kap- Delta Delta Delta on Tuesday.
pa Delta I 15; Vicky Vaughan 36, Wednesday, Pi Phi II plays Zeta
Alpha Gamma Delta 18; Newberry Tau Alpha, Gamma Phi Beta plays
I 33, Jordan II 13 and Kappa Delta Geddes, Fischer challenges New-
II 25, Henderson 23. berry II and Delta Phi Epsilon
In games played Wednesday, will meet Alpha Omega Pi.
scores were Gamma Phi Beta 22, On Thursday, Alpha Xi Delta
Pi Beta Phi II 15; Geddes 22, Kap- will play Alpha Epsilon Phi and
pa Kappa Gamma 16; Alpha Phi Alpha Delta Pi will play Alpha
I 37, Hunt II 13 and Alpha Omi- Chi Omega. Further Thursday
cron Pi 28, Phi Mu 13. games will find. Jordan I versus
Thuarsday's results showed Al- Hunt III and Angell against Klein-
pha Chi Omega 30, Delta Gamma steuck.

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$1495

THIS IS JOAN

at the University Art Museum
Perplexed? W-E-E-L-L-L
maybe by the sculpture,
but surely not by her dress
One piece that looks like two;
charcoal tissue and top with
checkerboard wool skirt.
One of an enormous group
chosen just for.YOU

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