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Show s.-'h . „ WE NOMINATE Philip Khuri Hitti, an eminent Princetonian for wel| over three decades and widely known as interpreter of the East to the West and the West to the East, whose lifewor^has been responsible for the most, meaningful "Princeton book" of the Christmas Season-"The World of Islam." This 372-page, British-printed work, edited by James Kritzeck and R. Bayly Winder, is a rare tribute to a great teacher-scholar and a great human being, for the 22 essays included therein are without exception .the work of former students of Hitti's or colleagues of his in the University's far ranging department of Oriental Studies. The 73-year old Hitti, once described by an exhausted colleague as "perpetual motion in motion," has been one of the striking and dominant personalities on the Princeton scene since 1926. Although he officially retired from the University in 1954, he continues as the 'dean of American Arabists and, much like a magnet, attracts to Princeton an almost steady stream of visitors from the Islamic World, most of w h o m feel he is largely responsible for the introduction and rapid development of Islamic studies in the United States. In fact, it has been said that he has been more quoted in Arabic newspapers than any other spokesman for the Western World. In a sense Hitti's career is as American as pie a la mode. Born in Shimlan, Syria-on the slopes of Mount Lebanon-he was first introduced to American institutions of learning at age eight by a broken arm. It was a compound fracture which the shepherds, of his village failed to cure. Gangrene set in. A young medical graduate of the American University of Beirut recommended immediate removal to Beirut, where two operations saved the limb and his life. "My weakened physical condition," Hitti recalls, "confirmed m y family in its con-eviction that I should earn m y living by intellectual rather than manual pursuits." , Trained at the present American University at Beirut, probably the most distinguished American institution yet developed anywhere overseas, Hitti first came to* this country in 1913 to represent Syria at a world student conference and remained to take his doctorate af\ Columbia. The next decade, highlighted in 1920 by bis naturalization as an American citizen,.he divided between .Columbia and Beirut, finally returning,.\to this hemisphere in 1926 with, his appointment to the iPrince-ton department he was td develop into One of the world's great centers for Oriental Studies that^ has introduced scores of outstanding students to Arab culture. Princeton's pioneering Program in Near Eastern^ Studies, currently supported by foundations, private funds and government, stemmed from Hitti's herculean efforts during World War II when carefully selected military personnel were assembled here for training intelligence duties with Near Eastern commands. Radio Berlin-and Hitti relishes this story-was deeply impressed by the wartime program's potentialities. Nari propagandists warned Egypt and the Near East that American troops are mastering Arabic at an institute in Princeton run by a Syrian, "who cares more for money than his country." For meriting the tribute represented by the newly published "The World of Islam: Studies in Honour of Philip K. Hitti"; for helping bridge the gap between two great and enduring civilizations; for truly distinguished achievement in his chosen field; he is T O W N TOPICS' nominee for h / •' PRINCETON'S MAN OF THE WEEK arming's-Mayflower M0V1 NO-Across the Street' or Across the Nation STORAGE--45af est In Mercer ^County ' Call WAInut 4-1848 Off-Street 2F«nwal finmr 40 Vandeventei Ave. WAIout 4-OUt DECEMBER 27, 1959-JANUARY 2, 1960 |