Remembrance of Fernando Carbajal Balbuena son of Fernando Carbajal Segura.
Founder of the Peruvian Rotarism and ex-President of Rotary International.

To interview an agile, servicial and very active gentleman of 87 years, in its enterprise subjects, on its experiences, memories of its childhood and its youth next to its father, deceased 35 years ago, after a fruitful work like professional, simultaneously who like exemplary citizen always to the service of its community under the conduct norms that cause Rotary International movement that introduced to Peru was not easy task. The commission for this aim had to be fulfilled in a centric Miraflore's hotel, where the Rotary Club of Lima has its weekly meetings, it was fulfilled the ritual to be present to the been suitable hour, but to fulfill the objective would have been virtually an impossible one, then, the own tension of the moment, the great concurencia of Rotarians friends to its weekly meeting were a serious obstacle. I remain, then, to do it in its address, that same day, not without before being warned by the interviewed person who was not used to giving interviews, but that to be a special edition of the magazine that founded its father, and being by means a special order of Distrital Governor, Dr Julio Silva Santisteban, to whom remembered with elevated terms, acceded willingly... Don Fernando Carbajal Balbuena, fulfilled its offer, accurately worthy from an English, to 17:00 hours of the agreed day, received to the publisher of the Magazine "El Rotario Peruano" and it occurred beginning to a trip through the time to rake, something that - there is true- it corresponds single to the worthy family, nevertheless like justification to this incursion, can accept itself that he was possible to do it, then, is the Rotarian family, the interview consequently it was in house, family, and that way begans: by the family.

THE FAMILY.
"! ... I remember was born in year 13, my father died the 65, now I am 87 years old, to my father always I remember it, was a father, while i was young and adolescent, but soon was a friend, a valuable friend... my family was compound, by my parents, my four sisters and I, the only man. My father founded one pretty Family, was a home man and for my mother a wonderful husband, always emphasized it. He was not Bohemian, nor nothing of the sort. Work, home and its pastime: the radio, that was its life "

THE JOBS OF DAD...
"... my father was a civil engineer of mines, he studied in the School of Engineers, today well-known like the National University of Engineering. Before we born it had worked in Panama, in the construction of the transoceanic Canal, soon it came to Peru and it remained. But most important it is to even say that his last work to him, to which it gave practically all his life was like General Manager of the Peruvian company of Telephones, before sold it to a transnational company... ".

PIONEER OF THE RADIO
"... Nevertheless, memory much that my father was also one of the founders and pioneers of the radio, specifically of National Radio, that is OAX 4.A, and was made fan to the radio there, it liked to listen to the transmitters of short wave... did not have a transmitter in house but if we arranged an impressive receiving amount of radio, whenever it went to the United States for reasons of its work, brought always some newness, does not have idea the amount of radio-receiving that was had in house... "

PRECOCIOUS SPEAKER...
"... When i was a kid, my dad took me to the radio, i helped him in everything what i could, there was few personal, and look that I did of speaker being a kid, I became familiar with microphone and there was no problem... i was with dad and there was no trouble... "

THE BLUE DANUBE AND VIENNA RADIO: SOMETHING WORTHY TO REMEMBER.
".. i remember vividly, those nights in which he woke up to all the family when in hours in which everybody slept my dad listened to a radio broadcasting station an want to share with all the family, and between dreams we listened what my father wanted that his family also listens, in an opportunity excited to all when in hours of the dawn, he had caught to "Vienna Radio" when they were transmitting "The Blue Danube", all we listened to it, clear this with the interferences that in that then and I believe that also now, it has a radio broadcasting station of short wave... "

CARDS OF "LISTENING OF RADIO IN SHORT WAVE"
"... My father had the custom to send, cards that he had already printed, in that he communicated to the radios that managed to be in tune that it had listened to them, said the hour to them and what they were transmitting then, all it went by marine mail and by this same via it received answers, almost all, not to say to all the radio broadcasting stations to which it wrote answered to him... thus was in those times... "

OTHER WORKS...
"... to part of the works in radio, before entering to Peruvian Co. of Telephones, my father was a pioneer of the cartography in the zone of more difficult access in our country: our amazonian forest, making works of topography in regions as Madre de Dios... made to the surveys of many places and towns... "

A SINGULAR WORK OF THE FOUNDER OF FIRST ROTARY CLUB IN PERU: THE TERRITORIAL LIMITS OF PERU AND BOLIVIA.
"... In the personnel I consider that the most important work that carried out my father was to take part, professionally, in the outline of the border between our country and the sister Republic of Bolivia, for which previously it was named by the Government of that time, like main member... "

AND LIKE CIVIL ENGINEER?
".. Like civil engineer, it is to say works in if related to the construction of buildings nonmemory that has done some builds, but if during several years it worked like supervisor of all the wharves of the Peruvian coast... "

CIENTIFIC INVESTIGATOR
"... In this field there is something I cannot let pass, my father was very eager of natural history, specially when he was in the forest, because he observed and study many aspects of our fauna and flora. He wrote articles and he sent them to magazines, as much local as foreigner... "

FERNANDO CARBAJAL SEGURA AND HIS LIKINGS TO GOLF
"... Between his likings, one from which always it comes to my mind, it is his liking to Golf it liked much this game that by the way in Lima single practiced in very exclusive places, was one of the first partners of Lima Golf Club and plays until very outpost age, was its only sport... "

A HOLE IN ONE!
"... of its liking to Golf i remember an anecdotal fact, this happened in 1949... was playing one of its so many parties, until this made a hole in one... is not frequent, but happens, is a luck shot, a hole in one means that the little ball is sent to an average of 150 to 180 meters, and manages to introduce itself in a hollow, the one that by the way, a diameter of 10 centimeters has. When this happens, like part of the tradition and of the uses and customs, the one that does must invite a drink to all the assistants. A way to celebrate an event that always does not happen. Naturally it is not single question of the chance, must be well executed... for a long time was spoken of this exceptional one sends... "

TOURING AUTOMOVIL CLUB: HE WAS ONE OF THE FOUNDERS...
"... Between the works that left for the posterity, one that has special connotation, it is to be one of the founders of the Touring Automobile Club, and I repeat one of the founders... "

INDUSTRIAL BANK OF PERU
"... Within his multiple occupations and profits memory that was my father one of the promoters of the creation of the Industrial bank of Peru, it is more, that Bank was developed within the partners of the Rotary Club of Lima, and is that his first president of Directory of the Industrial bank was a rotarian of this club, I am talking about to the remembered rotarian friend Fernando Madueño this bank was first in its sort in our means... "

THE MONUMENT OF FERNANDO CARBAJAL
"... It hits to me in the deepest fact that my father has been object that a park of the city has been dedicated to its memory, and that it is a monument inclusively, i appreciate all the homages that has been done to my father, not if with this I hurt the susceptibility of some people, but between all the tributes that recently received the memory of my father i like the one who pronounced in the Rotary Club of Lima, the rotarian friend Julio Silva Santisteban, our present District Governor... "

CARBAJAL FOUNDATION
"... On the Foundation Fernando Carbajal, i wanted to leave established some aspects, in first term it is for my, in the personal, the best tribute that someone can receive whose memory does not have to be forgotten. This foundation was organized by a group of Rotarians of Lima, one of the authors was Mr. Vicente Guemes, soon were united others more, at the moment is supported by the Rotary Club of Lima, and I consider that it would have to also participate other clubs, because their aims are very noble, I must remark, i believe that is not over to do it, the Fernando Carbajal Foundation has a single objective: to enable professors dedicated to education of special children... "

(JSI)
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EL ROTARIO PERUANO page 70 and 71, Nº 500 Year LXII
July, August and September of 2000
RI Official Regional Magazine for 4450, 4460 and 4300 Districts.

Fausto Salinas