Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1908-12-29

is at the very center OF eastern influence
The college has received some support
from America. yet the receipts from
board and tuition have formed Its main
resource. It is evident that the struggle
to build up an institution of this kind is
amply justified by results, for the nrst
eighteen years Of existence have been
attended by great Improvements in the
academic standard and an increase IN the
amount of influence eXerted. There have
been 1S1 graduates of the institution from
eleven different nationalities. or these
more than half have taught schools, sew
eraI have studied professions. many now
are the inspiration of cultured homes.
New Buildings Needed.
"Mr. Leishman, the American ambas-
sador at Constantinople. is working hard
to advance our interests and to remove
the legal difficulties that stand In the
way of a fine row of buildings that In the
eye of the imagination are already stand
ing on our new campus. We need them
very much and they are of the greatest
importance to the security Of the rights
and privileges just gained by the women
of the east. Since the constitution was
proclaimed, we nave had 10 turn away
large numbers of Mohemmedan girls be-
cause there is no room for them in the
present buildings. and that is great pity,
because the American college is the only
institution where the young women OF
Turkey can obtain a higher education at
present. The girls that have been turned
away have come from the very best fami-
lies in the empire. They are the future
wives and mothers of men who will d.
rect the course of affairs in the coming
generation, and it is a terrible calamity
that we cannot give them the education
they require and instill into them the
principles of freedom and liberty that our
own women In America enjoy.
These conditions will continue in
definitely until we can secure money to
erect new buildings to meet the demands
that are made upon us by the changing
politics of Turkey and the surrounding
nations. which I have described. Inc
people of the United States cannot realize
how important it is for the advancement
Of civilization in the east that the young
Mohemmedan women should have An
The women, the wives and
the mothers in oriental countries have
quite as much influence upon the careers
and opinions of their sons as those Of the
United States or any other country. Even
under the old regime when women were
kept entirely in mental darkness, that
influence governed the action of some or
the most influential of the public men of
Turkey.
To Raise Money in United States.
'That is why 1 am here, continued Dr.
Patrick. II have come to the United
States to try to raise money for the
buildings that are needed, and DR.. RoX-
ana II. Vivian of Wellesley College is
acting president of the college during my
absence. The peace society Of which Mr..
Carnegie is president has invited me to
share its offices at J07 9Th avenue for the
winter. as the influence Of our college is
a strong element in the preservation of
peace in our part of the world. We have
girls from all the nations that are quar-
relng with each other and we teach them
to give up the fighting spirit.
"a new charter was granted our insti-
tuition during the past year under which
the various governing bodies have been
united in a single corporation entitled
The Trustees Of the American College
This change was brought about very
largely through the late Rev. Dr. Charles
Cuthbert Hall. president of Union The
illogical Seminary, who was deeply in
terested in the progress OF higher educa-
lion among both women and men i'll the
east. In 1904 he accepted the position Of
chairman of an advisory committee,
which was formed in this country In be-
half of our college. and until his Ia
mented death his efforts were untiring
Of the institution. The new charter was
drawn by him and unanimously accepted
by the corporation with many expressions
Of best wishes for its future success.
Destined to Be a Great College.
''The new organization, however, met
with a serious blow at the outset. DR..
Hall died March %, 1908. and We have
lost the benefit Of his energy and wisdom.
His name will never be forgotten at the
college and we hope that building may
be erected there in his memory. His
place is at present filled by Dr. Borden
Parker Bovine, LID, professor of philos-
ophy at Boston College. Miss Grace H.
Dodge. one of the leading philanthropists
IF New York city. has consented to be-
come vice president of our new corpora
ton.
REV. DR.. Charles E. Jefferson of New
York visited our new site last summer.
and in making an address in the Broad
way Tabernacle Church. of which he is
pastor. he remarked, If DR.. Patrick gets
the money she needs that woman's coll
ege on the Bosphorus is going to he one
Of the great colleges of the world
DR.. Patrick will remain in New York
during tho winter and any one who de-
sires to know more of the work of the
american College for Girls at CONSTANT
nople can communicate with her at 6O7