Woman's Intellectual Activity

Radio Lebanon devotes a corner to woman at half past six, certain times each week, in which it treats the various subjects that concern woman and society.

“The Woman's Voice” has decided to follow this series of talks, presenting them to readers in comments that may please and may anger.

We aim at the good and nothing but the good... and it is a section over which we suffer torments, and we know it. May our literary ladies appreciate these efforts, made for the sake of what we believe to be right.

The Editorial Staff

The atmosphere of legend is beautiful and spacious; in it the soul slips away into boundless distances. The nations deep-rooted in civilization are the nations rich in their legends, for legend is a deep and delicate expression of those hidden things which the human soul enfolds.

The Greeks are the masters of legend, as they are the masters of philosophy and poetry, and there is no doubt that Miss In'am al-Saghir chose very well in selecting the legend of “Orpheus the musician” and his beautiful beloved, who died of the poison of a serpent's bite; at her death nature, in its beautiful, sweet music, turned to sad and mournful strains, and her lover's lyre, on whose music nature had prided itself, turned to severed, mournful strings...

The legend in itself is very beautiful, and we warmly encourage this kind of literature, and encourage Miss al-Saghir to give us more of this splendid kind. Our advice to the refined woman of letters In'am al-Saghir is to attend to her style when she treats this color of literature, for it requires a supple, poetic style, and her style did not command all the means of soundness.

...Mrs. Widad Maqdisi Cortas is known for the deep study she gives the subjects she treats: she has rarely taken up a subject without exhausting its examination from every side. Her subject for the first half of last month, on Radio Lebanon — social service — was one to command attention and appreciation, for we are in the direst need of social subjects that acquaint us with our true condition.

In her talk she took up the problem of begging in the streets and the duty of government and people toward it. Then she took up the present painful state of the prisons, and declared her opinion frankly: the press does not do its full duty toward this state of affairs, for politics overruns everything we write. The lecturer gave a brief, swift picture of the systems followed to raise the prisoner's level and polish his mind and morals, so that he may return a useful member of society.

The subject is of great benefit and great effect, and it is in such subjects that woman's social activity shows itself. We have high hopes that the radio will concern itself with such living subjects.

Mrs. Cortas's style was good, as is her habit; we do not know why her voice was not entirely clear — she has accustomed us to otherwise.

The subjects of Mrs. Salwa Mahmasani Moumina, in what she writes in the press and in what she broadcasts, come close to being a unity complete in all its parts: she works hard at rearing the new generation with a sound, truly national upbringing.

Her latest subject, “The Fortress of Independence,” is a criticism of the course of the new generation, which flounders without guidance. A stagnation of mind pushes us toward the abyss, so that the foreign companies exploit us despite the abundance of intelligence in our sons.

She offered proposals for raising the country's level: educating the peasant and helping him materially; founding national universities; sending missions abroad for specialization; establishing laboratories to help extract the treasures in our soil; and strengthening the national industries... Mrs. Mahmasani ended by saying: we must free ourselves of illusory sentiments — a kingdom governed by sentiment is a kingdom whose destiny is ruin.

Mrs. Moumina's language is good, her voice a little above average, and her errors rare.

How abundant is the activity of the woman of letters Miss Rose Ghorayeb! She is perpetually in motion, active of mind, writing on every subject — on teaching, on the story, on society, on the politics of society... — and she composes lovely school songs that hold the innocent spirit of childhood and its beauty.

And here she is now, lecturing on “Gandhi”...

Mrs. Edvick Shayboub, editorial secretary of The Woman's Voice — and we shall not favor her; we shall say of her what we believe to be true.

Mrs. Shayboub has passed, in her radio talks, through several phases.

In her first talks she took an educational direction, and she was at the head of those who offered views on the rearing of children.

Then we saw her take, in some of her subjects, a national direction — in her talks on “compulsory conscription” and other subjects.

Her latest subject on the radio was of another kind: “Woman's Mission.”

It is as if Mrs. Shayboub draws her inspiration from the circumstances through which our life is passing. In the days when she was directress of the kindergarten, she lived for that childhood.

And in the days when the women's congresses convened in Beirut, she lived for “Woman's Mission.”

And woman's mission, as Mrs. Shayboub says, is to reform herself, her surroundings, and her home before she demands equality with man.

It is a sound opinion, and we agree with her on it entirely.

We think that Mrs. Shayboub — though her subjects meet with great success among the listeners — we would wish her to return to that sweet, soft, gentle atmosphere.

Her style is good, though it lacks a certain warmth, and the meaning sometimes betrays her. Her voice is one of the most beautiful on the microphone, and her errors are rare.

And with what a style the woman of letters lectured on Gandhi! On this man who called for the pursuit of truth, which is God; on this man who calls for purity of body and spirit, loftiness of thought, and moderation in life.

It is as if the writer, speaking of this man who comes near to being perfect, had grasped the imperfections of modern man, and the defilement in this material civilization, its scramble for matter and its squandering of the powers of the spirit.

Miss Ghorayeb's style was a graceful one, with a sweetness and harmony wholly suited to the subject; her language is excellent, and her voice above average.

Miss Nahla Marwa is new to the world of broadcasting; to this day her broadcasts have not exceeded two. We believe that when the radio presented her, it presented an excellent women's element. She treats her subject with understanding and with much sincerity and love.

Her latest subject is inspired by the pleasant atmosphere in which she lives among the children of the American University of Beirut.

Education Is an Art — read the piece in “The Woman's Voice” and you will know the atmosphere from which Miss Marwa drew her inspiration.

Her voice is good, her style fine — let her watch out for the grammatical errors.

Salma Sayegh once filled the whole eye of literature; she wrote and made speeches that shook hearts and platforms. We who were raised on the melodies of the author of “The Breezes” ask ourselves today whether Salma Sayegh is still at the summit.

Whoever hears her speak from behind the microphone — with such warmth, such exquisite harmony of thought and style, such sweet music, such a clear, distinct voice — will say that Salma is still herself: pure of style, and elegant in it.

As for me, to this day I know no style with the warmth that is in Salma Sayegh's.

But the great woman of letters, in her latest subject and in others, seems to be setting down old memoirs... Why does she return so often to the past?

Is there not, in our present life, in our present life, in all the struggle around us and within us, matter for inspiration?

And are there many pens like Salma Sayegh's to record this violent struggle in our life?

Salma Sayegh's pen must not slacken.

“Udhayna”

Note: our appointment is with the next issue.