The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1901-01-30
FAMOUS GIRLS COLLEGE
NATURAL ADVANTAGES or THE SITE
AT CoNsTANTrNoPLE.
Fifteen NationaIities Are Represented
There-Quickness % Pupils i'm
Learning English.
constantlnople Letter in New York Even

ing Post.
In order to reach Scutari. the suburb OF
Constantinoplc. where the American Col
lege is situated. IL is necessary to cross the
Bosphorus from STEAMBOAT and ascend the
hilly Asiatic shore for about mile. The
visitor is admitted through a gate in a
high stone wall. where the Croatian gate
keeper. stately in his picturesque costume.
gravely salutes him. AT the rear OF the
college buildings is large play ground.
while before them stretches a beautiful
garden laid out in terraces, beds OF bril-
liant fiowers and winding walks. The coli
lege buildings contain drawing and dining
rooms. a comfortably filed library. reading
room, class rooms and laboratories and
assembly hall, which also serves as a
chapel, the chambers of the teachers and
several large dormitories. In these dormi-
tories are rows OF little white beds. behind
each Of which is a closet five feet long
by four feet wide. This closet is the private
dwelling of the girl. her castle. as II were.
where none may disturb her. 1t is lighted
from above and contains hooks and two
drawers for such of her possessions as are
not hung in wardrobes. and seat which
folds up against the wall when IL is not
used. These tiny boudoirs each girl fits
up to suit herself. and some OF them are
tastefully decorated. AT o'clock In the
morning a bell calls the girls from their
beds, and at o'clock I'm the evening the
bell calls them again to their dormitories-
The baroness OF these great rooms is COM
pensated for by the view from the west
windows
The college household takes its meal In
three rooms in the sunny basement Each
table accommodates ten girls. who are pre-
sided over by two teachers. All remain
standing until President Patrick asks the
blessing. After each course three girls
from each table rise and do the serving.
When the meal is finished the students
rise and let the teachers pass out
first. after which they follow in an
orderly manner. The girls have a large
and somewhat bare sittingroom where they
can all meet. and the senior class has an
attractive little room where they may
study and amuse themselves. In fair
weather, however. the garden proves moro
attractive than the rooms indoors. so that
the tennis court and the free bit of ground
devoted TO basketball and other games pre-
sents lively appearance.
A PLEASANT SIGHT.
AS they walk up or down the garden or
sit in the dining room, they look very UNI
like girls in an American college. They
make an Impression of great usefulness.
partly because Of the presence of large
preparatory school and partly because Of
their style of dress All Of them wear
aprons with bibs and shoulder ruffies; these
are usually black. but occasionally they are
white. red, pink and blue. Furthermore.
with the exception of English girls. nes,yly
all Of the students wear their hair hang
ing. often in curls, and sometimes quite
short The reason for this is that TO put
up the hair on the head, is an indication
hot Il 4C e. LInr~sa h.
avoids dressing IT high until she has some
matrimonial prospects. After a little time
one can distinguish by their appearance a
few of the fifteen nationalities represented
in the school; the delicately pretty Greeks,
the strong-featured Bulgari4ns. the dark
eyed Armenians and the occasional auburn
haired Jewesses- As rule the girls have
a gentleneSs OF manner amounting TO shy
ness. which would seem strange to the live
ly American college girl They are defer
entail to the instructors, rising in a body
when one enters a room where they are
seated at study or in class. and they evince
pretty willingness TO serve their teachers
and to anticipate their wishes.
The school is as full as the present ac-
commodations will permit or young girls
eager to continue their studies. IL is inter-
esting to watch the faces Of some of the
students who have reached vomenhooi,
with their longing for education unsatis-
fed, until, it may be at considerable sacrf-
flee, they are able 10 come here and learn;
learn about the world they live in. about
discover
people live and work In distant countries.
The most noteworthy thing about the class
work is that IL Is conducted In what TO the
great majority OF the students is foreign
language-English. The girls often enter
the preparatory school and occasionally
the college itself with no knowledge OF Eng
lish at ALL and in three months time they
are expected to recite In English all their
studies. Their ease in using English Is
remarkable, when we compare IL with
Rotations conducted in French and Ger
man at an American coilese; but. OF
course, they frequently fail TO understand
what is said 10 them. and they OCCASION
ally make amusing mistakes IN receiting.
The expression, The seams OF the vessel
yawned." meant to freshman that the
ship had gone TO sleep. A junior spoke or
her feIlow-students as her school maids
and another made the statement that
'hctitou friends" do not last long. ''fc-
ti:ious" meaning not true" But the
strangest difficulty in communicating with
the girls lies in the fact that their mental
equipment is entirely dfferens from ours.
Not only must the professors or geog-
raphy, and history, and geology draw their
illustrations and change their subject mat
ter TO suit an Oriental class, but even IN
ordinary conversation the whole point Of a
story or a remark may be lost because OF
the different metal furniture OF the speaker
and the nearer. In reading am piece OF
English literature. they come across refer
ences TO many a place, person. and thing
of which they know absolutely nothing.
where American girl woule be well in
formed. On the other hand. they possess
an amount OF knowledge OF which the
American teachers I'm their ignorance, can
rot make use so that TO follow the peda-
gogical principle OF explaining the un-
known by the known is often matter Of
great difficulty.
THEY MEET THE PUBLIC.
In addition TO the regular course OF In
struction offered, DR.. Patrick has arranged
for course of lectures which shall widen
the outlook OF the students. and keep them
in touch with the world They are given
on Thursday afternoons. and are thrown
open to the public. AS IL is the only op-
portunity of the sort offered 20 the peopI%
of Constantinople. the audience OF students
and teachers is sweled by guests from
Robert College and from the city. We have
already listened TO an entertaining and In
structive lecture on aluminiam by DR.
Norton, United States consul TO Harpoot.
whose experience I'm chemical laboratories
of America, France and Germany and
whose especial study OF the metal OF which
he spoke, made his lecture OF value and
interest. Among the speakers who have
agreed TO address the college during the
coming year are Lloyd s. Criscom, the
charge d'affaires OF the American legation
who will speak Cuba Since the War;
and Saleh Bey Enendi, director OF the OBJ
servatory and professor IN the department
of science I'm the new Turkish University
in Constantinople. About once month
there will be a concert under the charge OF