While a good many summer school students were complaining about the lack of air-conditioning in Widener Library, thirteen Harvard students were having their lectures in the bar rooms of the MooreMcCormack Lines' "Good Neighbor Fleat."
These students were registered members of Economics $44 which began classes on June 28 when the S. S. Argentina sailed for the cast coast of South America. The group was headed by Professor Norman T. Ness of Pomona College, California, and was sponsored by the Countess Elaine de Pierrefeu.
Studied Trade
The group was composed of six Harvard graduates and undergraduates and nine other students representing educational institutions all over the country. Officially the party set out to study international trade and economics with special reference to the countries visited.
Actually, the group came into contact with varied problems ranging from economics and industry through politics and sociology. The visits in Brazil, Uruguay, and Argentina were facilitated by the generous cooperation of the State Department and the various government officials in the countries.
A ten day stay at Rio de Janeiro included conferences with leaders in the industrial and political life of Brazil and visits to industrial plants and educational institutions. The group spent several days talking to Ambassador Caffrey and his staff and to members of the American Chamber of Commerce in Rio.
Received by Brazilian President
The Harvard delegation was received by the President of Brazil, Getulio Vargas and his Secretary of State, Aranha. Visits were also made to the Finance Ministry and the Bank of Brazil.
The program in Rio was rounded out by a number of social functions arranged by Americans and Brazilians at which the members of the group could discuss various problems of interest with leaders in all fields of Brazilian life.
Five days were spent in the largest industrial city in South America, Sao Paulo. The group travelled from Rio in a special car supplied by the Brazilian government. Besides the customary visits to the important factories and conferences with business men and politics, the stay in Sao Paulo was marked by a basketball game with a local college--final score 15-3 with Harvard on the wrong end.
Five days were then spent in Montevideo, Uruguay, where the same general program was followed; the group was very cordially received by the government officials and the American and British colonies. Here again the Secretary of State and other high government officials received the delegation.
The tour of the cast coast ended with a two weeks stay in Buenos Aires. Excursions were made outside the city to visit the large packing houses and the ranch country of Argentina. The group returned-to New York on September 2.
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