Lima (1943)

[Music] thank you [Music] south of Baltimore nearly 4 000 miles lies a city that was born a capital Lima Peru the 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 Pizarro city was founded in 1535 on the shores of the river remark eight miles in from the sea the rainless desert to our North the Andes at her back look out your hotel window in Lima and you will see a modern city though much of all Lima remains it is a charming and comfortable place though the equator is only 800 miles away the temperature rarely goes above 70. there are dozens of little penthouses flat roof architecture makes possible this is a city on top of a city with the life of its own [Music] no City in our Western world has a more interesting history in early days Lima was the source from which Spanish influenced 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 the people's Devotion to their 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] the racetrack the visitor encounters the Leisure Class Lima's population includes many wealthy land-owning families where 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 Peru had no middle class at all still comparatively Limited in number but it is on the increase owing to the city's Industrial and Commercial development foreign horse racing is gradually supplanting the bull fight in the affections of people it is always good weather for racing seldom Reigns 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 storekeeper still takes his two hours off at midday [Music] votes 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] foreign the streets open their eyes slowly and are alive and busy again [Music] thank you [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 built 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 deal of the city is to have a new look and its houses a new solidity and comfort [Music] already there is some better housing for the city's workers [Music] the vendor of shaved ice and bright pink syrup is drawing his young clientele from much better home [Music] thank you [Music] popular restaurants are rapidly increasing in number they serve the hearty food of the country rice fish meat and bread for about five cents in North American money per meal you need 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 obrero for workers and their families is one of the finest in South America and a part of Peru's answer to her serious health problem foreign Clinic patients buy all bottles and have them filled with prescriptions from the hospital pharmacy [Music] these people have already paid a form of Social Security tax which entitles them to receive hospital care for themselves and Families [Music] thank you these workers cab drivers construction laborers waiters clerks all these and their families [Music] many of the patients have tuberculosis which is widespread in Peru Best Equipment money can buy and Advance methods of treatment are available here foreign [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 a second rate unworthy that is changing now there is a rising a new idea of the profession's dignity and of its opportunity for service [Music] the student of folk art and of cherry stall Customs observes with interest the sale of these figurines these truly religious folk use them their churches at Christmas time to form the nasimiento sort of pageant and miniature of the coming of the Christ child when it is assembled young and old Gather in adoration feeling sense of participation in the Ageless story [Music] the spread of indigenous art has its conspicuous Champions like Julia codicido who loves her people and the works of their hands through her own painting she perpetuates their customs and their strong faces [Music] side by side with this folk art is the new and zealous emphasis on education Lima's University of San Marcos 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 today young men and young women too from the less privileged groups are coming to San Marcos for inexpensive education not in the traditional academic courses so much as an engineering industrial chemistry 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 Marcos worshiped [Music] student draws a numbered slip from an urn thus selecting by lot the questions to be asked committee 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 lemur which will belong to them must at least in part be built by them and in the culminated Courtyards of San Marcos 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 says no ordinary place the proudest European state in the new world it was a tiny triangle of narrow streets along the slow River rematch they have lived to see it grow and swell and reach out toward the sea [Music] foreign 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 madra goes to her own past then she began to ponder her present and the new lemur cheers her own future [Music] um