News of the Alumni Club of the American University

★ The assembly hall of the American University of Beirut recently witnessed a grand vocal concert, in which Mr. Alexi Karnaoukov, professor of singing at Le Conservatoire National Libanais, presented a group of his women and men students in an operetta and in a collection of classical songs by the most famous composers — such as Tchaikovsky, Verdi, Bizet, and others.

There rose in the air of the hall the voices of Lebanese young ladies, most of them singing for the first time — such as the Misses Shaaba, Sindjian, Hancock, and Boutros... and the heavenly ring of their voices left a tender echo.

These dewy buds, opening in Beirut, are nothing less than the good nucleus of a great Lebanese opera — for every citizen of refinement a cherished dream he longs to see fulfilled.

★ The elections of the president and members of the Alumni Club of the American University took place in an atmosphere of complete order and arrangement, the like of which has never been witnessed in Lebanon, neither in the parliamentary system nor in any of the other electoral systems.

The voting went on from eight in the morning until three in the afternoon. Afterward came the counting of the ballots, which lasted until a late hour of the night. The result was the victory of Mr. Emile Bustani as president, and of Dr. Zekin Shakhashiri as vice-president.

Those in charge of the elections showed an excellent sporting spirit, acknowledged by all who were present on that memorable day — Sunday, March 18.

Before the announcement of the results, an invitation to a Garden Party, to be held on Sunday, May 25, at the club, was distributed to all the alumni and alumnae, extended by Mr. Emile Bustani and his wife.

At the appointed time, Mrs. Lauris Bustani came to receive the guests on her own behalf and on behalf of her husband, who was kept from the party by pressing business that prevented his return from London in time. The number of those who attended this party reached two thousand souls; refreshments and sweets were passed among them, and they gave themselves over to dancing, in an atmosphere of gaiety...

And there was one thing that no one failed to remark upon with admiration and appreciation — I mean this magnificent building, the building of the Alumni Club, which was completed in this splendid form through the energy of the members of the former administrative committee, headed by Sheikh Said Takieddine,

that man of lofty resolve, who spared neither the dear nor the cheap so that the beautiful dream that had haunted all the graduates of the American University might become a dream come true!! It is indeed a mighty work, deserving the finest thanks and appreciation.

* On an earlier visit to Lebanon, Sheikh Abdullah al-Mubarak, one of the emirs of Kuwait, donated toward the building of the club the sum of twenty thousand Lebanese lira, which was set aside for the building of the "Kuwait Wing." And on a fleeting visit, on his way to Europe and America, Sheikh Abdullah al-Mubarak accepted the invitation of Sheikh Said Takieddine to the club, that he might show him the fruit of his generous gift.

Before a gathering of alumni and alumnae, Sheikh Said welcomed the honored guest and charged the vice-president, Mr. Ghassan Tueni, with pinning the Daniel Bliss Medal on the breast of the Kuwaiti Emir... Afterward the guest inspected the new club building, acquainted himself with its principal affairs, expressed his utmost admiration and satisfaction, and affirmed the necessity of cooperation and brotherhood among all the Arab countries.

This invitation was a kind and generous gesture on the part of the new president, Mr. Emile Bustani,

and his wife.

Worthy of mention is that this is the first time in the history of the University that so vast a number of alumni and alumnae have gathered simply to become acquainted and to strengthen old friendships.

On the twenty-second of the current month, God blessed Dr. Idriss and his esteemed wife with a baby boy, whom he named "Imad" — may he be the delight of his dear parents' eyes, and may the Lord keep him, with his brother "Ziad" and his sister "Shirin," in the shade of fatherly tenderness and affection.

The birth took place at the hospital of Dr. Abd al-Rahman Sinno.