Evening star., 1948-04-18

totalitarianism. Few Americans, h
factor which has been in operation
East, for a great number OF years.
American educational institutions
have certainly contributed much
more than any other factor in
spreading American culture and in
working for democracy. Although
few Americans are aware of this
force, the people In the Middle East
who have had direct experience
with the results Of these American
cultural institutions are convinced
of the important role that American
education has been playing in dis
seminating the high ideals OF de-
mocracy.
Exert Wholesome Influence
There are at least 80 American
schools and colleges operating in
eight countries Of the Middle East.
Four of them, in Greece (Athens
College for boys, the American Farm
School for boys, Anatolia College, CO.
educational, and Orlinda Pierce Col
lege for girls, have been exerting
a wholesome influence on Greek
youth and on the Greek educational
system since their foundation after
World War I.
Two other colleges, Robert Col
lege, founded in 1863. and the Amer
ican College for Girls, started in
1871, both situated in the former
capital of Turkey, were among the
sources of introducing into that
country those democratic ideals
which have become the cornerstones
of the modern Turkish Republic.
Ever since 1866 the American
University Of Beirut in Lebanon
the largest American college outside
the United States-together with
the International College, also in
Beirut, has been active in educating
the youth Of the Arab countries.
These two institutions have become
the Harvard and Yale of the Arab
world.
Egypt, too, has been feeling the
influences of American education
through the American University, at
Cairo, founded in 1919, and through
the smaller American mission
schools.
Eight Banded Together
The Iraqi government welcomed
the American School for Boys which
opened its doors in Baghdad in
1925. This school is at present being
reorganized with the objective OF
becoming a center in that country
for agricultural training. Another
school was opened In 1945 known as
the American College for Boys, at
Damascus, Syria.
This is an important list Of out
posts Of American culture In the
Middle East. Eight of these colleges
are banded together as members OF
the Near East College Association
with headquarters at 46 Cedar
street, New York. The association,
under the dictatorship of DR.. VIII
liam w. Patton, watches and pro-
notes the destinies of these Ameri-
can educational institutions. These
institutions are valuable centers
from which culture and education
in democracy have been and are
spreading in overwhelming circles
in that sensitive and vulnerable
part of the world.
Most of these schools owe their
origin to the initiative Of American
pioneers in education and their ex-
istence to that admirable quality
which characterizes the American
people-the desire to help others or
to give others a chance. All OF these
schools are supported by private
contributors in this country and, to
a greater or lesser extent, depend
ing upon the school, by contribu-
tions from the nationals Of the
countries where they operate.
The mission Of these American
educators and Of their supporters
has been, and still is, to make avail
able to the people Of the Middle
East the best that American educa-
ton and American ideals can offer.
That this activity has resulted in
gaining good will for the United
States and in creating a body OF
people who appreciate and under
stand American culture and ideas
is a natural result of these projects.
Suspicious of Outsiders
In the countries of the Middle
East where foreign propaganda and
international intrigues have been
rife for generations, the nationals
are necessarily very sensitive to and
suspicious Of all outside offers of
help. But in the course of time the
nationals and their respective gov
ernments have found out two facts
about these schools: First, that
these institutions are rendering a
real service to the country and its
people and, second, that there are
no ulterior motives hidden behind
these schools. So, besides gaining
good will for the United States,
these institutions have resulted in
creating among the people trust and
faith and appreciation Of those
things for which America stands.
That the people and the govern
ments Of the Middle Eastern coun-
tries appreciate and want American
culture is proved by the following
facts:
The number of these schools has
been increasing ever since the first
ones were started in the latter part
of the 10th century. Within about
two generations these schools have
from 4 to 80.
Whereas the first schools were
started by American initiative, In
recent years the initiative or the re-
quest has come from governments or