The Richmond Virginian. (Richmond, Va.) 1910-1920, 1915-12-05

preston AZ students they differ
among themselves, ranging all the
way from dense stupidity to briiliance.
but averaging high in their studteA
When the home school was founded,
It's frst students were Armenians eager
to get an education, and for many
years the Armenians were the most
numerous OF the nationaiities present
Scutari, where the college was stu
sted until 1t moved across the Bos-
phorus last year, was IN Armenian
quarter. so that long after Greeks
and Buigarians came in larger num-
bers into the boarding colleges the
day scholars were predominant1y Ar
menian
Beneath expressionless masks which
the average Armenian woman wea rs
to all of the world that is strange to
her. Miss Jenkins found that there
lnrked "A spirit of much more intense,
violent and consuming sort than usual
among the women of those lands
where family life runs in better guard
ed and more peaceful paths. Illus
trating the emotional nature OF the
Armenian women, Miss Jenkins tells:
When the news OF the death Of a
schoolinate reached one Of our dor
nitorics, the girls Wept and even
screamed with such abandon that one
Of them became i'll and had to go
home. Yet under torture and perse-
cuton these women have shown mar
velous patience and endurance
Have Dramatic Ability.
The Armenians nave dramatic
ability. l well remember one strong
" featured Armenian girl who acted
the double role Of priest and king in
Sanscrit play recall In that same
year pretty Armenian girl who
played the part of Toinette In lie Ma
lade Imag inaire' with more charm and
piquancy than I have ever seen In
any American production of that
classic.
"A strain Of unconscious cgotism is
one Of the effects OF persecution stur-
Oily borne.
Where there is so vigorous Fl ma
uonal pride. some personal conceit
would naturally follow. That is not
always the case; some OF the most
modest and humble Of women are
among my Armenian friends; but the
characteristic expression of compla-
cency that one often hears Is: He is
a fine man; he likes me-"
Miss Jenkins as commentary upon
the effects which the tragedy of the
Armenian race has had upon its wo-
mon. describes the following types of
Armenian girl students who are num-
bered among her pupils:
Filore was sparkling girl. with
Jet black hair and shining eyes and
teeth She was delightfully."- respon-
sive in class, although her quick APP
probation was rather shallow. She
was always happy and carefree. Her
father was high in Turkish favor. and
she had apparently no consciousness
OF her peoples sufferings,
''Zabele was another happy girl,
but Of quite a different type. She
was small and plump. and maintained
position at the head OF her class
only by constant hard work. One
would never associate her with trag-
edy in the remotest way. But when,
in 1908. peoples tongues were loosed.
the press freed and people seemed to
wish to express their long pent-up
emotions. Isabelle wrote compost
ton. She began in her clear. round
hand: I have always wanted to tell
about my cousin Mesrob, but I did
followed a horrible tale OF persecu-
ton. torture and death inflicted on
an innocent young man.
'Heigoohee was touching In her ex-
preston Of the Joy that 1t gave her
after the revolution Of 1908 to be
able to say My country for she had
always felt so lonely when among
girls who had countries Of their own,
such as the English and the Turkish
girls.
Onother sweet Soul.
lone Of the sweetest souls ever
knew was Annitza. She was a Pro-
testant from one Of the mission schools
in Cflic!a She was older than most
re Ill In, rra 1t1r
and suffering. She was very delicate
and unconsciously appealing and alb
surdly grateful for any little thing
that was done for her. Her appre-
citation of beauty was very great. Once
II took her to see the wondrous mosque
Sanctn Sophia. in Constantinople, with
a class Of girls She wandered off by
herself. and when found her she
was sitting quietly, wiping the tears
from her eyes. because 1t was so
beautiful Annitza was one Of three
girls who came from the district OF
Adana. where the ma ssacres took place
weeks we gave these girls a separate
place to eat and sit while waiting for
news of their loved ones. One day
I met Ann!tza in the corridor and ut
tered a. light word. Her face stopped
me. and said quickly: Bad news
Annltza? 2 She made a pitiful effort
at seif-control. then said: oh. teach.
or, eleven OF themn and despite the
respect that keeps an Oriental girl
from fam!liarities with a teacher.
threw her arms around my neck and
wept. And that was not the whole
tale The next week added four more
10 the list Of victims in her family
Patient AEnitza. with her soft. pa
thetic eyes, always seemed to me a
type OF the Armenian victim.
"Hrypsme was not a type at all;
she was a strangely individualized girl.
but the product OF suffering and revo-
luton. One would not have thought
II to see her in school. eager to learn.
iocile. appreciative OF all little gale
90 patient in her poverty and hn-
Niliation. She was scarcely over fif-
zen years old preparatory student,
Int her composition revealed an EN-.
ittered. disillusioned heart She also
cyan to express herself after 1903
and poured out tales OF persecution
and revolution with bitter yindict.ve-
ness and hate. On the day Of battle.
April. 1909, Hrypsinre ran off to Join
the Red Cross. When I asked her
whether her mother knew, she shruc.
ged and said: My father gave his life
for revolution; why should / try to
att1<