Evening star., 1909-03-15
TURKISH GIRL TALKS
Says Education Is Need OF
Her CountryWomen.
ADDRESS Is IN ENGLISH
Mass of the Women Cannot Read or
Write Own Language.
FAIL TO TEACH THE CHILDREN
Content to Pass the Days in Close
Shattered Houses in Work
or 1dleness.
ADDRESS Is IN ENGLISH
FAIL TO TEACH THE CHILDREN
Special Cahlcgrsm TO The Star.

Special Cablcgrsm to The Star.
CONSTANTINOPIE. March 15.--In this
city the other day. before a room full of
English and American women. a young
Turkish graduate. living in Stambou. was
asked to say something about her fellow
countrywomen. No nervousness was ex-
hibited by the small. black-robed figure
that rose to speak to such an audience
for the first time With veil thrown
back-there being only those of her own
sex present-revealing a girls pale. deli
cate looking oval face, whose fascina-
tion lay in the large hazel eyes and eX-
pressiye mouth, she spoke without hesita-
ton In the purest English. her low-toned
voice having but the slightest indication
of an accent.
Il feel | should apologize to you, ladies,
for speaking in your own language, but
/ have been commanded to speak by an
American lady-and / am accustomed to
obey Americans, having been educated
at the American College for Girls In Sou
tari. First, the women of Turkey must
be awakened 10 their need of education
though this is necessary for the men too.
she added. smiling. as they have re-
ceived almost little education as the
women; then we shall establish head
schools I'm Constantinople. with English
and American teachers. after which We
shall have our own instruCtresses, who
will be sent to different towns through
out the empire. For years the teaching
of MolIammed has been wrongly con-
strued; but shall go forward Civ
ing justice to all. as We are commanded.
This young girl-the only holder OF
degree for women in Turkey-waS permit
ted by her husband to spend a night at
the house of an American woman and
speak to her friends the only stipulation
being that there should be no men pres
ent.
No System of Education.
Though a few of the better-class women
speak a little English. and others having
learned French from their governesses,
read the latest French novels. the mass
of Turkish women cannot read write
even their own Ianguage-for they, like
the majority of the men up to the pres
ent, have had no system of education.
The scheduled life they lead acts on their
intelligence: not being educated them
selves, they have not cared TO educate
their children. and consequently 1t will
be some time before the ordinary woman
can dispense with the services of the pub
lie letterwriter. who is often nothing but
an impostor.
Here in Constantinople you cannot help
noticing that a few better-class women
are feeling their way in regard to
dress. but. like all pioneers. they suffer
for their cause. II the customary heavy
black veil is thinner, If the hair has an
appearance of being puffed out beneath
its covering, If the rich silk mantle Is
cut to show the slender form or more ma
ture curves Of It's wearer. she is imme-
diately an object of much attention and
remark from Turk and Christian-more
especially from the former, who is ac-
customed TO take no notice of the ordi-
nary shapeleSS bunch of black silk-a
Turkish woman Many young Turks are
willing that their wives should drop the
Veil and dress more after the fashion of
Europeans, but others-and perhaps wiser
men-shake their heads and do not agree
10 the proposition that their women
should go abroad unveiled. thinking, no
doubt. 1t would tend to produce that free
dom between the sexes which prevails in
other countries, but has hitherto been i'm
possible here.
Matter of Dress.
There are certain Identical articles Of
dress without which, until quite recently,
no Turkish woman would venture out
side her door; the yashmak (veil for COW
ering the face. which can be thrown back
lowered sufficiently TO leave the eyes
free: the ferije generally of rich black
silk) yoluminous armlesS mantle, COM
pletely concealing the wearer's figure;
gaudy-colored or ringed stockings a pair
OF overshoes. and d painted parasol for all
occaSionS-wet or fine, sun shower. At
first glance each woman resembles the
that sheep are known only to the shep-
herd and his dog. SO the Turkish woman
cnce outside her close-shuttered dwell
ing-is known only to her husband chill
dren or maid. On a closer inspection
however you discover that there is a diff
ference in these "black sheep" 1t may
he in the quality OF the ferije: trick In
lifting the skirt. in walking or carrying
the head: a peculiar taste in stockings
or some coquetry about the waist-but the
difference is marked.
During the winter months. when streets
covered with snow and slush YOU
may go for days and see no black-veiled
figure on the streets of Pera, but on a
fine day some small shopping expedition
tempts her out.
Beside the other women of the Leyant-
jewish. Greek or ArmeniaIl--whose every
curve is exaggerated from lack of exer-
else. overeating and a desire to initiate
their sisters Of the west. the average
Turkish woman is a doll. But among
them are many Europeans, whose national
ity is successfully hidden by yashmak and
ferije; vet their strong influence is felt
and seen today in the Young Turk move
ent AS summer approaches the SOM
ler black ferije is changed for another
Gayer hue and the women go out of
doors more.
Indulge in Excursions.
Many are the little excursions which
are made to the Sweet Waters Of Europe
one OF the Turkish woInen's favorite out
inss. Little parties, accompanied by one
attendant, go up In caiques-a peculiar
Turkish boat ke large canoe-or in
close-curtained buffalo carts drawn by
TWO of these slow-moving. unwieldy
beasts. But a spot which holds still
greater attraction for them. and one no,
far from home, is a Turkish cemetery
Here with no fear OF interruption from
any disturbing male element. in one o,
the many picturesque old graveyards on
The Bosphorus or Golden Horn, they
throw back their wells and smoke. laugh
IlS and chattering like school girls out
for a holiday.
Then as the sun and their attendant
warns them that they must hurry home
for no Turkish woman may stay out after
dusk-they mount their respective char
lots and return whence they came. pass
ing out OF the sunlight down narrow
streets they are lost to view in theil
-shuttered wooden houses In sucf
dwellings as these the average Turkish
woman-the vciled shapeless bundle o.
the stree;-has been content to pass he
days in work or idleness-but the quick
ening finger of education Is already II
motion and may one day touch her int