EDUCATION OF TURKISH GIRLS.
pro TES EDITOR OF THE "SPECTATOR.]
you allow us through your columns to make known a scheme for which we are anxious to enlist public sympathy and support ?
The establishment of the Constitution in Turkey in July, 1908, was an event which met with sympathy from people of all political creeds in this country. Since that time Turkey has been struggling with difficulties, both external and internal, which would have tried the capacity of much more experienced statesmen than those who had to undertake the conduct of affairs when Abdul's personal rule came to an end. That she has always succeeded in maintain- ing as high a standard as might have been hoped from the amazing rightness of her Revolution not even her best friends will claim.
This, however, is not the time to enter upon controversial details. There are activities of the Young Turk Government of the desirability of which no right-minded Englishman can be for a moment in doubt. One of these is their reform of education. Now for the first time in the Universities they may study Con- stitutional history, for instance, and a mediaeval version of Aristotle has at last given place to something more valuable. Considerable sums of money, considering the financial situation, have been allotted to the development of boys' schools. But for the girls very little has been done. Yet among the women the desire for education is a burning flame. Young children, middle- aged women, all would go to school if the opportunity existed. But both money and means (in the shape of teachers specially) are to seek. Enlightened as many of the Young Turks are, one could hardly expect that they should rank anything pertaining to the female sex as of the first importance to their country. They have, however, reformed the State Normal School, and though it is still meanly equipped, it boasts as its chief teacher one of Turkey's noblest and ablest patriots, albeit a woman. Recog- nising further the inadequacy of the education obtainable in this school, the Government have actually placed five girls as students in the American College for Girls (in process of being removed from Scutari to Arnautkeui). This admirable institution, which was founded some thirty years ago, has been of immense value in giving a really sound European education chiefly to Bulgarian, Armenian, and Greek girls. Now that Turkish girls are for the first time freely permitted by the Government to avail themselves of its advantages, there is naturally some difficulty in obtaining places for them.
It is proposed to open a fund for the establishment of a bursary for Turkish girls who are willing to devote four or five years after their education is over to some useful work for their country- women,—their education to be carried on at the College. In this way something will be done to stop the vicious circle in which Turkish women's lives revolve : foolish and ignorant mothers bringing up foolish and ignorant children; no education possible because there are no teachers, and no teachers because there aro no schools. The bursary will be a gift to the Turkish nation, and will, we hope, be some assurance to them that in their endeavours after true reforms there is always a body of English men and women willing to give support and help.
Sums varying from £1 to .t10 have already been given, and a sum of £5 annually for five years promised conditionally on five similar subscriptions being forthcoming. It is hoped that a sum sufficient to produce £,36-.P.,40 per annum may be collected. This would be no excessive tribute to the work of the real "Young Turks,"—all the more worthy of help because they are few. We have reason to believe that such a mark of our sympathy will strengthen their hands in combating the ever-strenuous efforts of the reactionaries. • All donations should be made payable to Miss Isabel Fry, care of A. G. Symonds, Esq., 10 Adelphi Terrace, Strand, W.C.—We are, Sir,
NOEL BUXTON. ISABEL FRY.
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