Pan American World Airways teacher, Vol. VII, No. 5, May - June 1951

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Pan American ;
World Airways Teacher ^

May-June, 1951
Published by Pan American World Airways
VOL. VII, No. 5
Standard Oil Co. (N.J.)
By Lou A. Phillips
Webster says an island is “a tract of land surrounded by water, and smaller than a continent.”
Less than 24 hours from the U. S. by Flying Clipper there is an “island” which violates Webster’s definition. It is “The Island of the Arabs”—so-called by many of its inhabitants.
For practical purposes the million-square-mile Arabian Peninsula might as well be an island—cut off as it is on its only land side by thousands of square miles of sand. Furthermore; this ring of sea and sand around the peninsula is reinforced everywhere, except along its southern coast and around the head of the Persian Gulf, by an almost closed interior ring of mountains.
Until recently, people in the rest of the world knew very little of the area, one-third the size of the U. S., inside this double enclosure. To them it was merely the land of the Arabian Nights and Ali Baba with sheiks, harems and camels. A few of its cities, such as Baghdad and Mecca, were i slightly familiar but their overall picture of the region was vague.
During World War II, however, hundreds of thousands of Americans established daily contacts with Arab peoples. In addition the area’s strategic importance coupled with its valuable natural resource, oil, has made it plain that this contact will be a lasting and important one.
To help in assuring the effective maintenance and strengthening of our ties, Flying Clippers now offer weekly service to such points on the Arabian Peninsula as Beirut, Lebanon and Basra, Iraq. Connections can also be made with Middle East Airlines to Baghdad, Iraq and Dhahran, Saudi Arabia.
Saudi Arabia
The Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, with an area of about 600,000 square miles and an estimated population of four and one-half million people comprises the major part of the Arabian Peninsula. Surrounded on
EDUCATIONAL
Latin America
The Institute of World Studies Latin American Tours have been described in detail in previous issues.
These tours offer a combination of travel with short courses in universities in Costa Rica, Peru and Uruguay.
The Costa Rica group leaves New Orleans July 8, the group for Lima departs July 16. Those going to Uruguay leave the U. S. July 2. College credit may be earned.
Write immediately to Institute of World Studies, 423 Homer Building, Washington,
D. C.
two sides by the Red Sea and the Persian Gulf, it forms an important link between the continents of the Eastern Hemisphere.
Its strategic importance can hardly be exaggerated when a look at the map shows how trade routes connecting the Western World with India and the Orient pass along side the coast of the peninsula. Its religious importance is based on possession of Mecca and Medina, the two holiest cities of Islam. Politically it is the strongest, stablest and one of the most progressive of the Arab nations.
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AIR TRAVEL
Work Shop-Field Study Course Puerto Rico
New York University and the University of Puerto Rico again this year will offer the popular work shop in Puerto Rico for teachers and others in areas of New York City in which Puerto Ricans are numerous. Purpose of the course is to give participants a deep-seated understanding of the circumstances under which the Puerto Rican children grow up to the end that they may more intelligently deal with problems of adaptation and adjustment present when the Puerto Ricans transfer from an open
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