Page 15 - Neglected Arabia Vol 2

.» ... «M ^ '*

NEGLECTED ARABIA 7

A visit to one of the many Arab villages scattered out among the date
gardens leaves one with the impression that the village boy has not half
a chance along side the city boy. Huts of reed, smoke-blackened walls,
and filthy by-ways strike a sharp contrast with houses of brick, frame
windows and paved streets. A city boy is the son of a merchant, trader,
:
or contractor whereas the village boy is of the fellanin. Sharp though
I
the contrast be with the city boy seeming to have the “edge” on the
S village boy in comfort and prosperity, it is the village boy in whom we
haYe most hope. He possesses corporate sense, a quality lacking in the
* chy boy. His village life teaches him that. This lack of corporate sense
* institutes another great problem for us for most of our boys are city
v-
boys. It is the great failing of the people of this land. Our school
■ orogram contemplates this lack and seeks constantly to foster a spirit of
j* co-operation, of respecting one’s fellows, of forgetting self for the sake

;■?:
V*

i

BASRAH SCHOOLBOYS ON A “HIKE”

of the group and of doing away with a false individuality so inherent in
the Iraqi. Self-seeking at any price is a big problem which Iraq has only
begun to recognize.
A third difficulty lies in the economic situation. Iraq possesses no in- !
I 4u»tries. Date growing is southern Iraq's only big business. The date
1 gardens are owned by a few wealthy Sheikhs and merchants and the
i people are so many vassals. They work on the land and receive a part
•f the produce as their earnings. This condition and the lack of indus-
■ trie* give no opportunity for independent ctfort. There are a few goveni-
Bcnt posts for which we can train our boys but they are the limit of
epportunity. As a result we find ourselves against a problem directly
Meeting the school. The government has not yet reached the point
•here it is ready to capitalize its two great assets, namely sheep-raising
tod farming. The lands which were once the great grainfields of the
world now lie economically impotent due to lack of vision and dispro-
portionate distribution of the budget. When the government rises to its