Friday, December 5. lm SCARLET AND BLACK Page Nina Klein Describes Benefits For Fifth Year Students By Suzanne Gelber Naming the “grain of per- spective personally and pro- fessionally” as a major bene- fit of the Fifth Year Aboard program, returned ~Travel-Ser» vice scholars spent last Wed- nesday to Friday detailing their experiences. Phil Klein, who taught at Sacred Heart School in Con- cepcion, Chile, contrasted his . life wifli that of Steve Hoth and . Dorothy (Smardak) Palmer in the bush country of Nyasa- land. Now a member of the Peace Corps, Klein plans to return to South America before heading ior graduate school and work in Latin American studies. Baseball, typing, and teaching English language classes cov- er just a few of his activities at Sacred Heart School. An urban school, the Cathollc academy served junior and senior high boys and with an “excellently prepared” faculty of ”dedie Gated” secular and religious teachers. Klein’s duties centered about instruction in English conver- sation and idioms, but extend- ed to optional English classes for interested students and ac- tive social_ participation in the lives of the three student fame ilies with whom he boarded. First a “curiosity,” then 'a friend to his students, Klein commented on the problem of maintaining classroom discipline in the informal at- mosphere which he tried‘to establish. Departing from academic formality, Chilean soclal life rated a description of “liberal“ from Phil as he noted its ten- dency toward large parties, rather than dates in the Ameri— can sense. In his middle class environment, Phil observed a “critical respect" for the Unit- cd States among Chilean SIUv dents, many of whom wish to complete their higher educa- tion in this country. Lack of li- brary and study facilities ham- GLASSES Matle and Repaired in Our Laboratory Contact Lenses CASES AND SOLUTIONS EYES EXAMINED E. J. Jensen, O.D. Optometrist Across from Fosl‘ Office lpers the Chilean student in his academic life. Though Chile has seven unl- versities which are tuition free, Klein explained that only wealthy students can afford to attend because only they can forego the advantages of a salaried job in order to study. Kleln assessed Chile as "less Hispanic than other South Am eri c a l1 countries" and stressed the influence of heavy German and English immigra» tion on Chile. Fatalism char- acterizes the attitude Of the Chilean peasants for whom there is “a lot of hard work and little hope,” Neverthe- less,” Slated Phil, “Chilean citizens display a sensible na- tionalism, even in closed com- munities." The Travel scholar noted that the position of an Ameri- can in such a community is at once "unique and ambiguous" because of the cohesiveness of Chilean communities. "Can this be real?” thought Steve Hoth and Dorothy (Smar- dak) Palmer upon landing in Nyasaland to teach in the bush at Malosa School. A govern- ment supported mission school, Malosa ranks as one of seven secondary schools in Nyasa- land, a country with three mil- lion inhabitants. Acclilnating themselves to a pace of life far Steve found the Nyasa culture a "strange mixture of tribal African and European.” To gain independence on January 1, 1964, Nyasaland, now under BritisthfrIcan rule, will be renamed slower than ours, Dorothy and Malawi. Education of the “new Nyasalanders” who will grow up to “lead their country and their people" fell in part to the hands of Hoth and Mrs. Palmer. Sub- jects taught by the two range from history, agriculture. biology, gym, and English to French and current affairs, following the Cambridge syl- labus. Poor transportation inter- rupts national communication, but the tiny country is on the road to unity, claiming a na- tional language, trained volitiv cal leaders, and a greatly ex- panded educational system. Lon cated in the populous southern portion of Nyasaland, Malosa School attracts a widely vary» ing, coeducational body. Mrs. Palmer, who was mar- ried at lVlalOsa, noted that teachlng English as a foreign language can be difficult, and that teaching loreign language in general required a great deal of knowledge of the gram- matic basis of each language. Seen as American teachers by the Nyasalanders, the Grin- nell grads found it hard to be- come culturally integrated, to "cross the line that divides”. Neither scarce teaching ma- terials, nor a Collection of in- sects and lizards. deterred Hoth and Mrs. Palmer from meeting with and trying to un derstand their students. “En lightening and quite confus~ ing," observed Hoth as he den scribed Nyasalanders affection for politics, education, and the Twist. Yes. 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