Fifty Years in Constantinople and Recollections of Robert College

FIFTY YEARS IN CONSTANTINOPLE AND RECOLLECTIONS OF ROBERT COLLEGE by GEORGE WASHBURN. Originally published in 1909. PREFACE: THIS book has been written at the request of many friends of Robert College. It embodies a history of the College from its foundation to the close of its fortieth year, 1903. I have chosen to make it a record of personal recollections, because this seemed to be the only way in which I could write freely of events and personalities as they ap peared to me at the time, without compromising the present administration of the College or mak ing it responsible in any way for my opinions or actions. It has been my purpose to make it as far as pos sible a history of the College, but the picture of a college in Constantinople during these years could not be drawn without a background of incidents, personalities and events, such as would have no place in the story of a college in America. On the other hand, it did not seem wise to make the back ground more attractive than the picture, or even to set the latter in the frame of a detailed history of the Turkish Empire. The Introduction is a re view of the events of the last fifty years which have led to the recent revolution in Constantinople. Contents include: INTRODUCTION xv CHAPTER I THE FOUNDING OP ROBERT COLLEGE Mr. Robert interested in founding a College in Constantinople The Messrs. Dwight Dr. Hamlin invited to join Mr. Robert Purchase of a site The Trustees of the College incorporated in New York Opposition of the Turkish government Mr Morgan and Admiral Farragut have a part in securing an Imperial Charter 1 CHAPTER II THE OPENING OF THE COLLEGE AT BEBEC Name of the College Religious status Language Course of study Resignation of the two professors Cholera epidemic New tutors Beneficiaries Syrian Protestant College founded at Beirut Lycee of Galata Serai Erection of building at Hissar Dr. Hamlin and Mr. Robert 11 CHAPTER III LAST Two YEARS AT BEBEC. 1869-1871 Dr Hamlin devoted to building at Hissar The Bulgarians in the College Visit of Professors Park, Smith, and Hitchcock - Self suppoit Visit of Mr and Mrs Robert Visit of General Sheridan Typhoid epidemic Removal of the College to Roumeli Hissar . S J CHAPTER IV NINTH COLLEGE YEAR. 1871-1872 Dr Hamlin leaves for America The fall of French influence in Turkey Cholera epidemic Purchase of additional land Achmet Vefik Pasha Visits of Professor North, General Sherman, and Lieutenant Grant Corporal punishment I am appointed Director of the College Failure of Dr. Hamlin to raise money in America Geological v ork 5 1 vii CONTENTS CHAPTER V DEVELOPMENT OP THE COLLEGE. 1872-1873 Enlargement of the College Appointment of Dr. Long and Mr. Gros venor as professors and Mr. Djedjizian as adjunct professor A tem porary study hall built Racial conflict Our Turkish neighbors Cricket matches with English naval officers Visit of Mr. Bancroft the historian Why no senior class 64 CHAPTER VI RELIGIOUS QUESTIONS. 1873-1874 Religious work of the College Question raised by the Armenians Correspondence on the subject Attacks on the College in the news papers Great snow-storm New apparatus 76 CHAPTER VII VISIT OF MR. ROBERT. 1874-1875 Political excitement I visit Bulgaria Seditious movements Mr Robert spends six weeks at the College Horace Maynard appointed American Minister Course of study Excess of linguistic work 89 CHAPTER Vin POLITICAL CRISIS IN TURKEY. 1875-1876 How the crisis affected the College Massacre of Christians in Bul garia Deposition and death of Abd-ul-Aziz Deposition of Murad Abd-ul-Hamid Sultan War with Servia and Montenegro How the Bulgarian massacres were made known to the world Midhat Pasha and Sir Henry Elliot Visit of Dr...