Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1892-11-10
EDUCATION IN MISSION WORK.
The American College for Girls at Constan-
tinople.


Mary NJ. Patrick, president of the
American college for girls at Constan-
tnople, says, in a recent issue of the
New York Independent, that one of
the leading problems of the day in mis-
sion work is the place to be accorded
to education. 1t is the aim of the
American college for girls to meet the
demand for higher education in Turkey.
This college was founded in 1871, not
as 4 mission school but by funds col
lected by the woman's board of mis-
SlonS for this purpose, aside from the
ordinary contributions to the board.
Two years ago it became regular
chartered American college. and since
that time its growth has been rapid.
1t is college for all classes. Many OF
the students come from rich families;
but the charges for tuition are purpose
ly moderate, and those in poorer cir
cumStance may enjoy its advantages
The education of teachers is one object
of the college, and graduates of mission
schools in the interior of Turkey are
often sent here for further education,
to prepare them to go back rs teachers.
During the last academic year al stu
dents We're enrolled, of the following
nationalities: Armenian, Bulgarian.
Greek, English, American, Israelte,
Turkish, French an1 German. OF
these 81 were boarding students. who
represented many different countries Of
the east, some coming from BatIIm in
Russia, and distant cities in Turkey,
and others from Rumania. Bulgaria,
Macedonia and Greece, besides many
from COnStantinOple.
The language of the college is Eng
fish; but special courses are given in
Latin. ancient and modern Armenian
and Greek, Slavic, Bulgarian, French
and German. Each student is required
to study her own VeInacular thoroughly.
The standard Of scholarship has been
gradually raised, as the internal growth
of the college permitted and public
sentiment demanded. During the last
year special progress in this respect has
been made in the scientific department.
Much thought is given, however, to
other than the intellectual wants of the
good advantages for social and physical
culture. Societies for philanthrOpic eff
fort are well sustained, and the college
missionary society does very enthusiast
tic work. 1t contains go members,
who during the last year contributed
over S225, which sum was wisely eX-
pended in home and foreign mission
work.
The college buildings are two in num-
Der, and occupy a commanding site in
Scutari, overlooking the city of Con-
Stantinople, the BospOrus and the
MarmOra. These buildings are very
much crowded since the great increase
in the number of students, and a new
building is needed, to provide not only
enlarged accommodations, but to con-
tain laboratories for the scientific de-
partment This college has to compete
with well-endowed native schools, which
are much strengthened by the NATIONAL
preiudices that are always in their ia
vor, and against foreign education.
A strong stand is taken by the college
in religious matters, and its first aim is
well known to be to inculcate a simple
and practical Christianity. The reputa-
ton that the institution has gained for
high moral teaching carries great
weight with the more earnest and
thoughtful i'll the surrounding Commu-
nitipe