PHOTOGRAPHS FROM BEIRUT, LEBANON, 1954-56
Daniel W. VanArsdale, 7/2024
My last two years of high school, 1954-56, were at the American
Community School (ACS) in Beirut, Lebanon, an English language
boarding school. At the time, my father was an employee of the
Arabian American Oil Company (ARAMCO) in Ras Tanura, Saudi Arabia. At
this time relations between Arab countries and the US had remained
fairly friendly for decades. I used to wander around alone in Beirut,
sometimes in areas that would not be safe
now. I took 35mm black and white
photographs in Beirut and on ACS field trips to Baalbak and
Damascus. Some are presented here.
Beirut International
Airport
"Prep", a day school for locals,
Goatherd
on a
street next to the
looking up from the ACS dorms.
Mediterranean, a couple blocks from ACS.
The herder
makes a contemptuous
gesture ("Up
Yours",
also Italian)
occasionally seen from young men
in Beirut. However I was never approached.
This man came by ACS a few times displaying a highly
trained monkey. I was told he did so all about the city, and
asked for a small amount of money for the entertainment.
.
American movies played in downtown Beirut theaters.
Downtown street scene.
ACS students regularly rode the trolley. Small herds
of goats or
sheep were often seen in Beirut.
Fully veiled women were common. Ethnic dress styles Tripe. While
walking through residential areas a
varied
greatly. Some men wore very baggy pants. I
common smell was mutton cooking.
was told these were Druze.
This
extremely narrow building was called the
ACS students went on 3 or 4 field trips. One was to
Baalbek,
"Spite" building.
I was
told that it was built
a Roman archaeological site famous for the extremely
to block the Mediterranean view
from a
home
large
blocks of stone employed.
behind it. Here it is 70 years later.
Another field trip
was to Damascus, above is the
An
interior in Damascus.
An
archaeological site in Damascus. That is me, age 17.
border between Lebanon and Syria. These were
peaceful times and Americans were welcomed guests.
This border is likely better secured now.
Daniel W. VanArsdale barnowl@silcom.com Index page