Word: ghent
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Dates: during 1950-1959
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...students of north Belgium's University of Ghent (enrollment 2,500) had no sooner heard the last words of the announcement than they began grumbling ominously. Their mild-mannered Rector Norbert Goormaghtigh was going to resign, and it was all because the Minister of Education in Brussels had appointed a local doctor named Joseph Van de Velde to the vacant chair of clinical surgery. The rector did not want him, nor did his. students. "Van de Velde can't even speak Flemish," was the students' cry. "This is Walloon interference again...
...Ghent, such matters are crucial. Ever since 1830, when Belgium achieved its independence, Ghent Flemings have been sturdily defending themselves against the cultural influence of the French-speaking Walloons of south Belgium. In 1930 Ghent won a major victory: the Belgian govern" ment ruled that Flemish should be the official language of the university. Last week, with "I'affaire Van de Velde," the old dispute flared up again...
...Counts of Flanders and swarmed around its towers. Then they decided to move on Van de Velde's house itself, crying "Down with Van de Velde. We want Flemish professors. Resign! Resign!" At first they found themselves screaming at the wrong Dr. Van de Velde, a Ghent medical faculty man with the first name of Jean. But that did not embarrass them. Cried one striker: "What's the difference? This one can't talk Flemish properly either." Nothing, they decided, would stop them: the strike would go on and on, even to June if necessary, when everyone...