In Society

★ On Sunday, October 14, the president of the Lebanese Women's League, Mrs. Heneni Tarcha, left us by air for Brazil.

Her departure was without any fanfare, in deference to Mrs. Tarcha's wish and her insistence: she refused to have a farewell party held for her, or to have her departure officially announced, lest her many friends take upon themselves the trouble of coming to bid her farewell at home or at the airport.

The family of The Woman's Voice, the members of the Lebanese Women's League, and Mrs. Tarcha's many friends — who prize in her person this modesty, this self-denial, and this devotion in work — wish her a blessed journey and every success in accomplishing the first purpose of this long journey of hers: namely, the exertion of wide efforts on behalf of the League's two projects, the kindergarten and The Woman's Voice...

During Mrs. Tarcha's absence, the duties of president of the Lebanese Women's League are being carried out by the vice-president, Mrs. Hassana Daouk.

The Woman's Voice, which bears every respect for the incoming president, appreciates the many difficulties that face Mrs. Hassana Daouk in taking up this great responsibility, and has full confidence that she will exert her every effort to raise the League's two projects to the standing worthy of them.

★ Among the honored guests who visited the family of The Woman's Voice was the noble emigrant and great poet George Saydah, accompanied by one of the League's members, Mrs. Afifi Majdalani, and a member of the Board of Trustees, Mr. Naim Majdalani.

The discussion turned upon curricula of instruction and the various directions our children take after they graduate from the schools. The poet George Saydah commented on several issues of The Woman's Voice, in a manner that showed a deep understanding of Arabic literature and a sound following of most of what the pens of the writers and poets of this country produce...

Before his departure, Mr. George Saydah and his wife gave a “cocktail party” at the Normandy Hotel. The occasion was distinguished by elegance and lavishness. It was attended by a number of the state's high officials and a company of writers, journalists, and friends.

Mrs. Saydah and her charming daughter moved about among the guests, ensuring — with the taste and warmth that are hers — a family atmosphere in which gaiety and delight spread abroad; and all this in spite of her knowing no Arabic!

And there was a pleasant surprise, when His Excellency the Minister of Information came forward and pinned upon the noble emigrant's breast the gilded Lebanese Medal, in appreciation of his signal services and of the material and moral effort he has expended for Lebanon's sake — whereupon the customary speeches were exchanged between the great poet and His Excellency Fouad Ammoun, leaving the most splendid impression upon the souls of those present.

★ During the past month Lebanon witnessed a great gathering of women, come from all parts of the world to take part in the general conference of the Young Women's Christian Association, most of whose sessions were held at the Grand Hotel of Beit Mery.

The number of delegates who took part in this conference reached 180, from more than forty countries — among them American, Japanese, Indian, European, African, and other women...

The countries of the Arab East represented at this conference were Iraq, Jordan, Egypt, and Lebanon.

The world conference of the Young Women's Christian Association began its work on October 18, under the chairmanship of Miss Barnes, president of the world YWCA and delegate of America. The Lebanese branch then called a press conference, held at its office in Beirut, at which the delegates expressed their first impressions of Lebanon, and the hopes attached to this meeting of theirs, drawn from East and West, for cooperation in solving the world's problems — especially those that touch woman.

The opening ceremony took place at the UNESCO Palace, Beirut. His Excellency Mr. Charles Helou deputized for His Excellency the President of the Republic, and delivered a word of welcome that made the loveliest impression upon the conference members.

Then Mrs. Salma Khoury Makdisi came forward and delivered the address of the Lebanese branch; and she was followed by Miss Barnes, president of the conference, who set forth the nobility of the aim that had gathered together this great number of the world's women, and expressed everyone's pleasure in making the acquaintance of beautiful Lebanon.

Besides the agenda concerning the Association's affairs, the conference examined the urgent world questions and problems of the present, and how a women's institution may face them and work toward their solution.

It likewise discussed the problem of lodging for girls far from their homes, how to raise woman's political and economic level, the conditions of the work given to woman, and the refugee question.

★ On October 14, at the Islamic Makassed College in the city of Sidon, the golden jubilee was celebrated of the proprietor of the magazine al-Irfan, the learned Sheikh Ahmad Arif al-Zayn — marking the passage of fifty years of his struggle in the cause of spreading learning and culture in the Arab lands, and the steady progress of his distinguished magazine along that path. The celebration was under the patronage of His Excellency the President of the Republic, and speeches were delivered at it by a company of great scholars, men of letters, and poets from all the Arab countries.

The Woman's Voice, in raising its congratulations to the venerable Sheikh Ahmad Arif al-Zayn, wishes him lasting health and vigor for the fulfillment of the intellectual mission to which he has devoted his life.

★ Last month, at Furn el-Chebbak, the wedding was celebrated of the young man of letters Mr. Philippe Hitti — son of the late Youssef Ayoub al-Hitti, proprietor of the now-vanished newspaper Arzat Lubnan — to the highly refined Miss Violette Elias Bechara. The crowning was blessed by a company of the clergy. To the bride and groom, the warmest congratulations.

★ The nineteenth of October marked the tenth anniversary of the death of that literary genius, May Ziadeh; and “Woman's Talk” on Radio Lebanon devoted its programs of that day to the observance of this immortal memory.

The station's address was delivered by the supervisor of the women's program, Mrs. Edvick Jureidini Shayboub, who gave a sketch of May's life, analyzed her literary style, and traced the graceful womanly personality through her writing. Finally she spoke of the great void that May's death has left in Arabic letters, and in women's letters in particular.

After that, Miss Nahida Fadli read selections from May's finest lyrical masterpieces, which made the loveliest impression.

The special program closed with brief remarks in the words of three great figures of letters: the writer Mrs. Julia Tu'mah Dimashqiyah, the women's leader Mrs. Huda Hanim Shaarawi, and Dr. Taha Hussein.

And thus the memory of “May” is renewed in the hearts of those who love her and admire her living art, with the passing of the years and the turning of the ages.