Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1911-03-13
American Course Of Study.


The studies provided are the ordi-
nary American course for normal
training. including the theory and
practice of teaching and school man
agement. lectures on teaching the COM
mon branches by speakers of expert
ence. and a considerable amount Of
practice teaching under proper super
vision. A years course in pedagogy
is also given.
American missionaries tell me that the
education of women has been a critical
subject of discussion among the inhab-
itants of Sivas and that party Of Tur-
key. In the interior provinces it has
been the common belief that women could
not learn to read under the most favorable
circumstances: in intellectual ability 1t
was customary to class women with ami
mails. Not infrequently in conversation
with men Of the last generation the
statement would be clearly made that a
girl could no more learn to read than a
donkey. and at any rate Of what possible
use in the world could a reading woman
be? 1t was often asserted that if women
learned to read the whole fabric Of
Turkish society would be overturned,
since they would become independent.
would be liable to talk back when beaten
by their husbands and make trouble for
the family and the community. 1t was
the general opinion that it was safer
to leave women in ignorance. even if
the point should be conceded that they
were capable Of learning to read under
the most favorable conditions
The first missionaries who went into
the country fought these theories
down, largely by hiring girls to at
tend school in order to demonstrate
the fact that they can learn to read.
The girls of Turkey are as bright as
those of any country, and gen.
orally the languages OF Turkey are
easier to learn than English. SO that
in every case the missionary won. He
was careful to select bright girls for
the tests, and in no instance was there
a failure. They demonstrated that it
was possible for girl to learn to
read, and that in very quick time.
School Became Famous.
A little group Of ten girls was gath
cred into a school in Sivas away back
in 1854. and from that time to this the
education of their sex has not been
neglected. In two years that little
school had thirtytwo pupils. 1t be-
came so famous that the Armenian
bishops twice mathematical the
school and it's teachers. but that only
tended to advertise it. and the number
of pupils rapidly increased
The present high school for girls. which
had only four pupils in 1874 and was DOM
iciled in an old native house, has at
tanned extensive influence and power, not
only through the pupils themselves, but
through the $50 girls in various other
schools in the city, all Of which are az
filiated with this high school and those
in other cities, like Gurun, Tokat, Divrik.
Endres, lara, etc, where all the teachers
are its graduates What is perhaps OF
no less Importance is that the Gregorians
have founded and are now carrying on
similar schools for girls in many Of the
centers of population in the vilayet. in
which the American methods have been
adopted, American courses are taught
and American ideas about the educa-
ton Of women are accepted and are in
practical operation. This recognition of
missionary methods is as sincere as 1t
is general an imitation is the most gen.
uine Endorsement
In addition to the educational and med
ical work 1t has been necessary for the
American missionaries, especially In the
interior towns Of Turkey during the last
fifteen years to open orphanages for the
accommodation of the great number OF
children that have been left wholly desti-
tute by tae frequent massacres. This be-
gan in 1S95. at the time of the great mas
sacres which swept over so much of the
Turkish empire, when more than 800 chill
dren that have been left wholly destitute
by the frequent massaCres. This began
in 1895 at the time of the great massacres
which swept over SO much of the Tur-
kish empire, when more than 300 chill
dren were gathered into an orplana ge
in Sivas. Our missionaries were aided
by helpers sent out from Switzerland
under a Swiss committee, SO that the
work has become international I'm its
character These children have been
given comfortable Christian homes and
a modern education. 1t became necessary
TO introduce many forms Of industry for