The Savannah morning news., 1904-09-04
BY GEORGE F. HERRICK.
.For forty-fve Years a resident in Turk ey.


who come under their influence. They
may themselves be both Democrats
and Republicans, proud of the coun-
try of their birth But it does not
take many years of residence, or pro-
longed experience, amid the conditions
by which they are surrounded, to con-
vince them, If they ever thought other
wise, that what is excellent, both po-
iltcaI1y and socially, for an Occidental
may be unsuited or at least too early
by half a millennium for an Oriental
But intelligence, education, whether
through schools or through the press.
medical skill and hospital care, relief
or creed in times of widespread calam-
1ty, and Christian living, illustrating
/ Christian teaching-none of these is
out of place anywhere, and there are
few places on this planet where they
are more urgently needed than among
the peoples under the sway of the Sui
tan of Turkey.
The Bible House in ConstantinopIe.
! Chief among these American phil
anthropic enterprises is the Bible
House in Constantinople, consisting of
three four story buildings, seventy by
eighty feet, worth, with their con-
tents, half a million dollars. They con-
tam two presses, two binderies, a
chapel, three ample stock rooms for
books and printed sheets, and many
business Offices. Bibles in many lam
guages and in many editions are there
| printed and thence sent all over the
empire. There, also, the various con-
stituent elements of Christian litera-
ture are prepared and printed, and
sent on their way. This is the sole
fountain of reading which is of per-
manent value for the several races of
the Turkish population The total
issue IS about 100000 volumes a year.
The Bible House was erected in 1901
| and dedicated in 1872.
Robert College.
Then there is Robert College, the
leading educational institution in Tur-
key. apart from Syria. 1t was founded
by the late Christopher Robert of New
York. 1t occupies one of the finest
! sites on the beautiful BosphoruS Its
| buildings and plant and invested funds
| are valued at half a million dollars
| The buildings are as substantial as the
| historical college building in America;
indeed, the average educational and
| philanthropic enterprise in Turkey is,
| on the whole, Is well housed as II
| could be in the states. 1t has about
three hundred and fifty pupils, is pro-
| tected by Imperial firman, and its IN
! fluence in the capital and in Bulgaria
| has been great. Robert College was
started with four boys in 1864 in a
temporary building. and was removed
| TO its present site i'm 1870. The WE'LL
| known DR.. Cyrus Hamlin was it's first
! president, and his son-in-law. DR..
| George Washburn, has just retired
from the presidency of the college af-
tef thirty-five years of service. Dr.
/ Washburn is the first living authority
on the politico-religious problems of
| the nearer East.
| r.. - -
rut founded in 1865, and with a prop
erty considerably larger than that of
| Robert College. holds on the Syrian
| coast a position of influence quite as
unique as that of Robert College at
the capital. Its number of pupils is
| greater, and it has a medical depart
ment which no other American col
lege in Turkey has. Its first presi-
| dent. Dr. samuel Bliss. has Just re-
signed and is succeeded by his eldest
son. Several of the medical faculty
have gained distinction in their pro-
fession. There is also at Beirut an
| important printing and publishing es-
adjustment the best fountain existing
of pure Arabic literature.
seven American Colleges in Turkey.
Besides those already mentioned
there are seven American colleges in
Turkey and as many more high
! stNOoiS OF "a ETdue tnat nus Pupils TO
| enter the sophomore year of the COL
! leges. Two Of these colleges and FIVE
Of the high schools are for girls. The
! American College for Girls. splendidv
, situated on the Asiatic shore Of the
nosphorus. is an institution Of a high
grade. with corps Of eight American
and eight native professors and IN
structors and $50 pupils IN its several
departments. u has a charter from
the state ~ Massachusetts,, and an
imperial firrnan. II was started as A
home school IN 1870 and became "a
college in 1892
The college for girls al Marnsh in
he Province Of Aleppo. Is a young
institution, but has q future fol- ~
promise, because ~ has large and de-
vote native constituency
Central Turkey College. situated a.
Alntah. in the Province of Aleppo. in
The midst ~ the large and influential
Protestant community ~ thar clty.
was established just thirty years ago.