The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1846-10-02
Education In Turkey-The Progress OF
Civilization.
From n Constantinople Letter of July 81

From q Constantinople Letter of July
The question Of ation which the Turkish ministry
have just manifested their intention of taking seriously
in hand by the appointment Of Council Of Public In
sructon more closely and vitality connected with this
desnes of this country than any other In our dsys OF
steam, the Koran will longer the Turkish
Ency clopndia, and sole source of instruction
system of communication which is daily receiving fresh
additions. The multiplication OF Austrian French and
steam navy ohe Porte gives the golden horn that
animated look which characterize the great ports of the
vest and reminds one rather of Marseiles Liverpool
New York, than Of the capital Of Turkey b. their
family resemblance in manners, religion, IDEAS and
language with the nations Of the west the Greek and
Sclavonan subjects of the Porte and the Armenans and
Jews by their commercial activity have naturally pro.
ded by this rapid INSTRUMENTATION with the west
their advancement in knowledge and civilization; while
the Turks by the difficulties which their language pre-.
sents to Strangers by the exclusive bgotry Of their
gion their constitutional apathy and pride of character
have remained comparatively inaccessible to these
intelligence between the Moslems and Kayaks greatly
in favour Of the latter The time .however is arrived
superiority can be only maintained by their keeping
pace with the advancement Of the Christian world in
knowledge They feel that the rerogradston of their
national position has been owing ohe staonariness Of
their ideas; and they learn by daily experience that
want OF knowledge is want Of power.
The hattisherf which hsrbingered the fall of the
Ria ministry and accused that administration of failure
in all but their military reforms, recommended ministers
emphacaly to busy themselves with providing instruc.
ton for the people, and insisted upon the necessity of
founding schools for this purpose might therefore be
presumed that the the
succeeding administration would be its devotion to this
question. Indeed the difficulties which il presents
demand all the energies Of Reshid Pnsha and his COL
leagues to overcome. Twenty thousand schools exist
throughout the empire at which only sentences of
the Koran arc taught, and sometimes little reading
writing and counting In these and in the funds which
for their lie the materials for the ma
system Of education But where il the instruction
come FRONT Where are the masters for these 20 900
schools 1-masters who can teach anything beyond
the rudimental Mahommetan accomplishments above
mentioned There are none nursery must be there.
the empire-a great normal school for qualifying
teachers And who to be the heads Of such SCHOOL,
Men doubtless acquainted with the European training
persons would be Turks educated at the
European seminares. Now there certainly exist
Turks such Emn Pasha, the President Of the Council
of Public Instruction. and Achmet Efendi of the Office
of interpreters who have received an European educa
ton Emin Pasha is reported to have taken hon.
ours at Cambridge But does not follow that such
should have that perfect mastery ruaments of
science that would qualify them for teaching pro-
fessors If they had the other proper qualifications
for teachers But what is far serious objection
such mon find their accomplishments available in
serving the government in more profitable ways, end
posts OF higher dignity that there is not perhaps,
OF good education in Europe. that could be found will
ing even were he qualified to accept protessorshp in
such normal school as have described. II s clear
therefore that the organization Of such institution is
not quite practicable in the present OF things
desirable The materials do yet exist and must be
OF very gradual growth. sufficient quantity of young
Turks must be educated in the European universities
expressly for this end Neither ought these to be select
ed from the class Of what may term nobles such
at present who receive the benefit Of foreign training for
ii Is idle to think that such be retained in the hum
BILE condition OF Hodias with salary Of two or three
hundred ayear. But they should be chosen from such
unambous ranks of the commonalty likely to be
content With moderate remuneration for their services
and subordinate position in the State Some might be
bred at Paris some in England and greater number at
the economical universities of Germany In the
meantime il might he asked, why. could not Europeans
be installed in the proessorshpsl II would be highly
desirable and will doubt fall in with the views OF the
council that there Shouts DO at least European pro-
language But apart from the nvidousnes Of putting the
whole establishment under European hands there would
be the difcul,y in finding tho number Of Euro
peans requisite who combined q native facility Of
expression in the Turkish language with the amount of
wledgo necessary in particular department of
science. Abnormal school of the kind have skoched
above has been determined on by the council.