Sue Morrow: American folk music was his bridge to the people of Pakistan

Retired University of Nevada, Reno, political science professor Jim Roberts has fond memories of the two years he and his wife, Anne, spent in Pakistan in the early 1960s. He is also deeply saddened and concerned by the catastrophic flooding that has left hundreds dead and millions homeless. And, he laments the lack of adequate aid to the stricken country.

"The government's hands are tied," he said. "It needs money, it doesn't have money. It needs equipment, it doesn't have equipment."

The Carson City resident also noted the lack of medical supplies and clean water and the potential for deadly disease.

Roberts said the United States could be doing more to aid the country and compared it to the January devastating earthquake in Haiti after which "money rushed down there and you had two former (U.S.) presidents down there trying to add additional aid."

"They were able to cause public focus because they were outstanding people in our country," Roberts said. There aren't any "outstanding people in our country who are working for Pakistan," he added.

The Robertses went to Pakistan in 1962 when he was sent by the University of Southern California on a grant from the federal Agency of International Development to teach public administration at the University of Punjab at Lahore.

However, said Roberts, "I got sidetracked because the U.S. government wanted me to go around and see if I could generate some interest in American music which I enjoyed much more than public administration."

Roberts, an accomplished guitarist with a melodious singing voice and a passion for folk music, teamed with fellow American Barbara Boyer, and they traveled around the country to entertain groups with folk songs.

"It was a good life," Roberts said of his time in the Southeast Asian country.

Pakistan did a lot of progressive things, realizing they needed to modernize their country, he said. This included an education program wherein all people - male and female - have schooling up to the equivalent of America's high school level.

Roberts said when he taught at a women's college the students would wear a head covering because he was considered an "unaccompanied man." Later, he grew a beard and was considered a "learned person, and women didn't have anything to fear from a learned person."

Roberts, 85, said he cherishes his memories of Pakistan and meeting people through his music. It was gratifying, he said, that young people were anxious to learn folk songs.

"For me," he said, "one of the highlights of these performances was before 300 Pakistani students and having them sing along to 'Skip to My Lou.'"

• Sue Morrow is a longtime journalist and member of the Nevada Newspaper Hall of Fame. She may be reached at soozymorrow @yahoo.com.