Anatolia College in Merzifon
Encyclopedia
The Anatolia College in Merzifon or American College of Mersovan was a coeducation
al high school located in the town of Merzifon
in the Rûm Province
of the Ottoman Empire
(in modern-day Amasya Province
, Turkey
) established and directed by American
missionaries
between 1886 and 1924.
, the later Robert College
, abandoned its theological training and concentrated in only general education due to growing number of young people interested in English language. The school in Merzifon served in the beginning to educate the children of the Greek
and Armenian
community in Anatolia
, who wanted to become pastors or preachers.
In 1886, as more and more young people wanted a general education, the program at the theological seminary in Merzifon was expanded to include a four-year liberal arts college. The institution was named Anatolia College
, and Charles Tracy became the first president, who served until 1912. The college's motto adopted was "The Morning Cometh" in reference to the ancient Greek word meaning the dawn for the name of the school "Anatolia". The college seal showed the view from the campus of the sun rising over lofty Akdağ
at the eastern end of the Merzifon Plain. The over 100 students, principally Greek and Armenian, came most from outside of Merzifon and boarded at the school. The faculty was Greek, Armenian, and American.
When Armenian activists posted broadsides in 1893, Ottoman troops jailed many Armenians and damanges some buildings of the college as the Armenian students and teachers were accused of being in contact with the rebels. The damaged parts were rebuilt later with compensation paid by the Ottoman Government. The college was incorporated under the laws of the State of Massachusetts in 1894.
After the end of the WWI
, the facilities of the college at the campus consisted of a kindergarten
, a school for the Deaf, a college-level program, one of the largest hospitals in Asia Minor
, and an orphanage
for 2,000 orphans in addition to the theological seminary and high schools for boys and girls, all housed in more than 40 buildings of New England
style. The activities of the American missionaries came de facto
to an end with the collapse of the Ottoman Empire in 1918.
, the college was closed in Merzifon to be reopened in Thessaloniki
, Greece
in 1924, as Anatolia College
.
missionary
George E. White, who was a teacher from 1890 and president from 1913 until 1921 at the school in Merzifon, wrote his memories in a book Adventuring With Anatolia College.
Coeducation
Mixed-sex education, also known as coeducation or co-education, is the integrated education of male and female persons in the same institution. It is the opposite of single-sex education...
al high school located in the town of Merzifon
Merzifon
Merzifon is a town and district in Amasya Province in the central Black Sea region of Turkey. It covers an area of 970 km², and the population is 69,237 of which 52,947 live in the town of Merzifon, the remainder spread throughout the surrounding countryside...
in the Rûm Province
Rûm Province, Ottoman Empire
Eyalet of Rûm , later named as the Eyalet of Sivas, was an Ottoman eyalet in northern Anatolia, founded following Bayezid I's conquest of the area in the 1390s. The capital was the city of Amasya, which was then moved to Tokat and later to Sivas...
of the Ottoman Empire
Ottoman Empire
The Ottoman EmpireIt was usually referred to as the "Ottoman Empire", the "Turkish Empire", the "Ottoman Caliphate" or more commonly "Turkey" by its contemporaries...
(in modern-day Amasya Province
Amasya Province
Amasya Province is a province of Turkey, situated on the Yeşil River in the Black Sea Region to the north of the country. Area 5,520 km². Population 334,786....
, Turkey
Turkey
Turkey , known officially as the Republic of Turkey , is a Eurasian country located in Western Asia and in East Thrace in Southeastern Europe...
) established and directed by American
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
missionaries
Missionary
A missionary is a member of a religious group sent into an area to do evangelism or ministries of service, such as education, literacy, social justice, health care and economic development. The word "mission" originates from 1598 when the Jesuits sent members abroad, derived from the Latin...
between 1886 and 1924.
Theological seminary
The school was established in 1864 as a theological seminary after the American college in Bebek, İstanbulIstanbul
Istanbul , historically known as Byzantium and Constantinople , is the largest city of Turkey. Istanbul metropolitan province had 13.26 million people living in it as of December, 2010, which is 18% of Turkey's population and the 3rd largest metropolitan area in Europe after London and...
, the later Robert College
Robert College
Robert College of Istanbul , is one of the most selective independent private high schools in Turkey. Robert College is a co-educational, boarding school with a wooded campus on the European side of Istanbul between the two bridges on the Bosphorus, with the Arnavutköy district to the east, and...
, abandoned its theological training and concentrated in only general education due to growing number of young people interested in English language. The school in Merzifon served in the beginning to educate the children of the Greek
Greeks in Turkey
The Greeks in Turkey constitute a population of Greek and Greek-speaking Eastern Orthodox Christians who mostly live in Istanbul, including its district Princes' Islands, as well as on the two islands of the western entrance to the Dardanelles: Imbros and Tenedos .They are the remnants of the...
and Armenian
Armenians in Turkey
Armenians in Turkey have an estimated population of 40,000 to 70,000 . Most are concentrated around Istanbul. The Armenians support their own newspapers and schools...
community in Anatolia
Anatolia
Anatolia is a geographic and historical term denoting the westernmost protrusion of Asia, comprising the majority of the Republic of Turkey...
, who wanted to become pastors or preachers.
College
In 1886, as more and more young people wanted a general education, the program at the theological seminary in Merzifon was expanded to include a four-year liberal arts college. The institution was named Anatolia College
Anatolia College
Anatolia College , or sometimes the American College , is a private, non-profit, educational institution located in Pylaia, a suburb of Thessaloniki, Greece...
, and Charles Tracy became the first president, who served until 1912. The college's motto adopted was "The Morning Cometh" in reference to the ancient Greek word meaning the dawn for the name of the school "Anatolia". The college seal showed the view from the campus of the sun rising over lofty Akdağ
Akdag
Akdağ is the name of several different mountains in Turkey.One of them is in the Çameli district of Denizli Province, and in the Çivril district of Afyon Province. It is located at the western end of the Taurus Mountains in Aegean Region of Turkey. Its highest peak is 3,213 m...
at the eastern end of the Merzifon Plain. The over 100 students, principally Greek and Armenian, came most from outside of Merzifon and boarded at the school. The faculty was Greek, Armenian, and American.
When Armenian activists posted broadsides in 1893, Ottoman troops jailed many Armenians and damanges some buildings of the college as the Armenian students and teachers were accused of being in contact with the rebels. The damaged parts were rebuilt later with compensation paid by the Ottoman Government. The college was incorporated under the laws of the State of Massachusetts in 1894.
After the end of the WWI
World War I
World War I , which was predominantly called the World War or the Great War from its occurrence until 1939, and the First World War or World War I thereafter, was a major war centred in Europe that began on 28 July 1914 and lasted until 11 November 1918...
, the facilities of the college at the campus consisted of a kindergarten
Kindergarten
A kindergarten is a preschool educational institution for children. The term was created by Friedrich Fröbel for the play and activity institute that he created in 1837 in Bad Blankenburg as a social experience for children for their transition from home to school...
, a school for the Deaf, a college-level program, one of the largest hospitals in Asia Minor
Asia Minor
Asia Minor is a geographical location at the westernmost protrusion of Asia, also called Anatolia, and corresponds to the western two thirds of the Asian part of Turkey...
, and an orphanage
Orphanage
An orphanage is a residential institution devoted to the care of orphans – children whose parents are deceased or otherwise unable or unwilling to care for them...
for 2,000 orphans in addition to the theological seminary and high schools for boys and girls, all housed in more than 40 buildings of New England
New England
New England is a region in the northeastern corner of the United States consisting of the six states of Maine, New Hampshire, Vermont, Massachusetts, Rhode Island, and Connecticut...
style. The activities of the American missionaries came de facto
De facto
De facto is a Latin expression that means "concerning fact." In law, it often means "in practice but not necessarily ordained by law" or "in practice or actuality, but not officially established." It is commonly used in contrast to de jure when referring to matters of law, governance, or...
to an end with the collapse of the Ottoman Empire in 1918.
Relocation to Greece
After the Greco-Turkish War (1919–1922) and subsequent population exchange between Greece and TurkeyPopulation exchange between Greece and Turkey
The 1923 population exchange between Greece and Turkey was based upon religious identity, and involved the Greek Orthodox citizens of Turkey and the Muslim citizens of Greece...
, the college was closed in Merzifon to be reopened in Thessaloniki
Thessaloniki
Thessaloniki , historically also known as Thessalonica, Salonika or Salonica, is the second-largest city in Greece and the capital of the region of Central Macedonia as well as the capital of the Decentralized Administration of Macedonia and Thrace...
, Greece
Greece
Greece , officially the Hellenic Republic , and historically Hellas or the Republic of Greece in English, is a country in southeastern Europe....
in 1924, as Anatolia College
Anatolia College
Anatolia College , or sometimes the American College , is a private, non-profit, educational institution located in Pylaia, a suburb of Thessaloniki, Greece...
.
Book about the College
AmericanUnited States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
missionary
Missionary
A missionary is a member of a religious group sent into an area to do evangelism or ministries of service, such as education, literacy, social justice, health care and economic development. The word "mission" originates from 1598 when the Jesuits sent members abroad, derived from the Latin...
George E. White, who was a teacher from 1890 and president from 1913 until 1921 at the school in Merzifon, wrote his memories in a book Adventuring With Anatolia College.
See also
- Anatolia CollegeAnatolia CollegeAnatolia College , or sometimes the American College , is a private, non-profit, educational institution located in Pylaia, a suburb of Thessaloniki, Greece...
- List of missionary schools in Turkey
- List of high schools in Turkey
External links
- Ciao Net (Columbia International Affairs Online) Some Remarks on Alevi Responses to the Missionaries in Eastern Anatolia (19th-20th cc.) by Hans-Lukas Kieser, University of Basel, Switzerland
- Adventuring With Anatolia College by Dr. George E. White (HTML) posted by George Baloglou, State University of New York, College at Oswego
- Brief History of The American College of Thessaloniki
- Ottoman Official Attitudes Towards American Missionaries by Cagri Erhan, Department of International Relations, Ankara University, Ankara, Turkey (research.yale.edu - YCIAS Working Papers Database)
- Website of Anatolia College