Omaha daily bee., 1910-09-11
NEW ERA FOR WOMEN EAST
Persia Finally Responds to Christian
Influence for Education.
GIRLS ARE AT LAST RECOGNIZED
Reform Has hut started, bot Public
Convention of Native Women
for Their own welfare IL
Significant.

TEuERAN. sept l0.-(specisl to The
peo1-tt Is not surprising that faint ripples
Of the feminist movement should have
reached tbs shores OF distant Persia, and
thar ardent Young Persian Missionaries VINO
nraitIe about socialism, old-age pensions
and c,pital and labor have SO far con-
temnlated adding TO their difficulties oy
inviting women to share them; but signs
are not wanting among themselves OF a
desire TO give their daughters an educatioh
an European lines Many who have passed
along the streets OF Teheran and watched
through the open front Of some shanly lhe
utue boys sauatting around their master
and drouing out verses OF the Koran nave
perhaps l.ondered whether there exist ma
den Il NAV be from the public eye SIM
liar institutions for the schooling OF niue
girls. As a matter OF fact, probably not
one girl out Of 1000 twenty years ago ever
received any education
some thirty years ago the American
PRESBYTERIAN Missionary society began 10
take an active interest in the education oil
girls in Teheran. A school was opened
Tor a dozen American girls, and 1t was
for many years the only school OF It's KIM
In the place The annual enrolment dlo MOI
reach fifty, though the girls were given
free tuition books food, and LOGGING AZ
1875 the first Moslem was admitted out II
Is only since 1900 that Mohamedan girls
have been coming with any degree OF Tree
dom. Preiudces were strong ana II "As
only by paying surprise visits that Mohame'
dan parents were gradually able TO over
come their attitude Of suspicion. Last year
however 235 girls were enrolled, OF Whoh
100 Mohamedans, and instead of everything
~ Ofs I'll gCnOO
paid towards the cost of tuition and sta
tionery. Girls are admitted at years oil
age. but IT has been found difficult tc
keen them for the entire twelve-year course
Nevertheless, five classes, each consisting
of thirteen girls, have graduated, and
nearly 800 pupils have passed through th'
school since its foundation. 1t is not TN
purpose OF the promoters of the schoo
10 denatIonalize or make converts of thei1
pupils. Their aim is 90 give them an educa
ton on the lines of the ordinary high schoo
, and to inculcate European ideals of woman
hood.
PersIans Are Awake.
During the last year or two the Per
slams have become awake to the necessit!
of doing something themselves on simila
lines. 1t is stated that there are nov
more than fifty girls schools in Teheran
Several of the older girls at the American
school are training to become teachers, AM
few OF them are already teaching in tn
Persian schools during part OF the day
Recently the head of one of these school
paid a visit to the American school, ant
expressed her belief at "the blackboard
that do not rub OFF, and at ''the nice desk
and the clear maps" IF this school Il
its perfection were known" she said to tn
Rev DR.. Esseystyn. head Of the American
mission. "you would have 1000 girls begging
for Ambulance. have visited every schoo
in the city, and only here have foun
real learning" Another visitor to tn
school remarked on leaving, Il wish m
wife had been educated. want m
daughter TO take her diploma, and the
give her life to educational work for tn
women of Persia"
The movement is in its infancy, but tn
fact that last April, for the first time, Per
sian women held large meeting in Tehe
ran to discuss problems Of education seem
10 suggest that the education of wome
will play an important part in the futur
evolution Of Persia.