-DATE-
19600830
-YEAR-
1960
-DOCUMENT_TYPE-
SPEECH
-AUTHOR-
F. CASTRO
-HEADLINE-
SIERRA MAESTRA TEACHERS RALLY NO. 4
-PLACE-
HAVANA
-SOURCE-
INCOMING TELEGRAM
-REPORT_NBR-
FBIS
-REPORT_DATE-
19600830
-TEXT-
Control:  18990
Rec'd:    August 30, 1960
1:38 AM

FROM:  HABANA

TO:  Secretary of State

NO:  1013, AUGUST 30

SIERRA MAESTRA TEACHERS RALLY NO. 4.

FOLLOWING HART SPEECH MORE TELEGRAMS READ, ARBENZ INTRODUCED, AND MESSAGE
FROM TEACHERS READ ASKING FOR ARMS.

FIDEL CASTRO INTRODUCED 11:30 PM.  APPLAUSE, CHANTING OF SLOGANS AND
SINGING FOR ONLY FIVE MINUTES.

CASTRO BEGINS SPEAKING 11:35.  FOLLOWING IS RUNNING ACCOUNT:

THIS MUST BE HAPPY DAY FOR YOU TEACHERS, FOR US, AND CHILDREN WATCHING THIS
PROGRAM.  THIS IS PRODUCT OF YOUR EFFORT, ANOTHER ACT OF REVOLUTION FULL OF
SIGNIFICANCE AND PROMISE.  SOME REVOLUTIONARY SEEDS PRODUCE QUICKLY,
OTHERS TAKE LONG TIME.  YOUR EFFORT IS ONE OF THOSE WHICH HAS PRODUCED
RAPIDLY AND ABUNDANTLY.

REVOLUTION HAS BUILT OR HAS UNDER CONSTRUCTION 10,000 SCHOOLS THROUGHOUT
ISLAND, TWICE AS MANY AS IN THE LAST 50 YEARS.  SOME OF THESE ARE LARGE
CENTERS SUCH AS "CAMILO CIENFUEGOS" CENTER IN SIERRA MAESTRA AND ONE NOW
UNDER WAY AT CAMPO LIBERTAD AT HABANA.  MINISTRY OF EDUCATION HAS BEGUN
MOVING INTO FORMER HEADQUARTERS OF GENERAL STAFF.  WHILE WE WERE BUILDING
THESE SCHOOLS, WE BEGAN TO REALIZE THAT PROBLEM OF EDUCATION IN MOUNTAINS
IS LARGE ONE.  LARGE SCHOOL CENTERS NOT FULL ANSWER.  WE LACKED ENOUGH
TEACHERS TO STAFF SCHOOLS AND SEND INTO MOUNTAINS.  REASON FOR THIS IS THAT
NORMAL SCHOOLS ALL LOCATED IN CITIES AND STUDENTS WERE CITY BOYS AND GIRLS.
PROBLEM THEN WAS HOW TO GET THESE CITY-BRED TEACHERS INTO HEART OF SIERRA
MAESTRA.  ANSWER WAS TO ASK FOR VOLUNTEERS AND RESPONSE WAS TREMENDOUS -
CLOSE TO 5000 OFFERED THEMSELVES.  YOU WERE FIRST CONTINGENT.  NOT ALL BORE
UP UNDER STRAIN, BUT MAJORITY DID AND THAT GREAT SOURCE OF SATISFACTION.
YOU HAVE BEEN WELCOMED AND FETED ON YOUR RETURN.  THIS IS REWARD FOR YOUR
EFFORT AND SACRIFICE.  THIS LESSON CAN BE APPLIED ALL SECTORS:  REBEL ARMY,
MILITIA, YOUTH PATROLS, ETC.

(CASTRO HAS BEEN SPEAKING FOR HALF HOUR.)

BONSAL
-END-