Lima (1944)

[Music] e due south of Baltimore nearly 4,000 miles lies a city that was born a capital Lima Peru great Metropolis of the Spanish Colonial Empire and for two centuries a chief stronghold of the old world in the new the city of Kings Francisco pizaro city was founded in 1535 on the shores of the river remac 8 m in from the sea the rainless desert to her North and South the Andes at her back look out your hotel window in Lima and you will see a modern city though much of old Lima remains it is a charming and comfortable place though the equator is only 800 M away the temperature rarely goes above 70 there are dozens of little penthouses which flat roof architecture makes possible this is a city on top of a city with a life of its [Music] own no City in our Western world has a more interesting history in early days Lima was the source from which Spanish influence and culture spread over South America here was the center of political power of social life and of Commerce when in 1821 San Martin's Army gave Peru her independence a new Lima began Regal pomp gave place to the ways of a young Republic today the new Lima is more and more like other modern cities the world over Lima's old churches are a fine inheritance from colonial days and equally enduring is the people's Devotion to their [Music] faith [Music] each child of whatever social group grows up in a setting in which the church is a constant Factor even the youngsters take entirely for granted their contributions to the Charities of the church [Music] at the racetrack the visitor encounters the Leisure Class Lima's population includes many wealthy landowning families who are the present day representatives of the immensely Rich aristocracy of the old Spanish Days the middle class is in evidence too as in racetrack crowds everywhere in days of old Peru had no middle class at all it is still comparative Limited in number but it is on the increase owing to the city's Industrial and Commercial development horse racing is gradually supplanting the bull fight in the affections of the people it is always good weather for racing it seldom rains in this part of the world although there is a heavy fog almost every day back in the city's busy streets one old Spanish tradition shows no sign of surrender for it is Siesta time it is high noon and everybody is about to close up shop even the busiest store keeper still takes his 2 hours off at midday he bolts his doors hangs out his sign and goes home during this period he eats a long leisurely luncheon visits with his family and takes a nap [Music] then he comes back to work and the streets open their eyes slowly and are alive and busy again [Music] Lima is in the earthquake belt which reaches all the way along the west coast of both Americas occasionally The Quiet City is so shaken that the older houses build often of plaster and bamboo for a mild rainless climate suffer a good deal of damage after each earthquake in former days the city cleared up the debris and went on with a sort of resignation but today there is a different point of view there is a definite plan for gradually rebuilding the city to withstand the ravages of earthquakes well-planned building programs are not unusual in Latin America every Capital has its changing Skyline but here in Lima the new construction is going on with uncommon enthusiasm a good deal of the city is to have a new look and its houses a new solidity and [Music] comfort already there is some better housing for the city's [Music] workers the vendor of shaved Dice and bright pink syrup is drawing his young clientele from much Better [Music] [Music] Homes popular restaurants are rapidly increasing in number they serve the hearty food of the country rice fish meat and bread or about 5 cents in North American money per meal they meet a basic need of the population better food more food although Peru is an agricultural country farming methods were for many years inadequate to provide enough food for the people the hospital oero for workers in their families is one of the finest in South America and a part of Peru's answer to her serious health [Music] problem Clinic patients buy all bottles and have them filled with prescriptions from the hospital [Music] pharmacy [Music] these people have already paid a form of Social Security tax which entitles them to receive hospital care for themselves and their [Music] families [Music] these are the workers cab drivers construction laborers waiters clerks all these and their families many of the patients have tuberculosis which is widespread in Peru the best equipment money can buy and advanced methods of treatment are available here [Music] the profession of nursing is achieving a new status in Peru until recent years girls from good families were simply not permitted to become nurses the work was looked down on as second rate unworthy that is changing now there is arising a new ideal of the profession's dignity and of its opportunity for [Music] service the student of folk art and of cherry stole Customs observes Within interest the sale of these figurines these truly religious folk use them in their churches at Christmas time to form the Nasim miento a sort of pageant in miniature of the coming of the Christ child and when it is assembled young and old Gather in adoration feeling a sense of participation in the Ageless story [Music] [Music] the spread of indigenous art has its conspicuous Champions like Julia kodo who loves her people and the works of their hands through her own painting she perpetuates their customs and their strong [Music] faces side by side with this folk art is the new and zealous emphasis on education lius University of San Marcus has a glorious history founded in 1551 it is nearly a century older than any university in the United States for more than 300 years after its founding attendance at the University was a prerogative of the rich but today young men and young women too from the less privileged groups are coming to San Marcus for inexpensive education not in the additional academic courses so much as in engineering industrial chemistry medicine a few old Customs still Prevail for instance the oral examinations held in the chapel where in the old days the monks who founded San Marcus [Music] worshiped the student draw was a numbered slip from an earn thus selecting by lot the questions to be asked Committee of professors is kind but firm and the examinations are as nerve-wracking as examinations usually are these are serious young people these students from Peru's increasingly significant middle class they feel more than most students responsibility in the working out of their country's Destiny they believe that this new Lima which will belong to them must at least in part be built by them and in the colon Courtyards of San Marcus they walk and study and dream as young people have done in University Courtyards since first they were built steeped in history they have always been this their home city is no ordinary [Music] place when it was a seat of the proudest European state in the New World it was a tiny triangle of narrow streets along the slow River remac they have lived to see it grow and swell and reach out toward the [Music] sea Broad Streets green Parks tall houses they have lived to see all these they will see much more in their own generation Lima was always a city to sing madreal to her own past but then she began to ponder her present and the new Lima cheers her own [Music] future