The Christian schooling in the nineteenth-century Turkey and its reflection in the Turkish memoirs

This paper raises the issue of the new type of school in the nineteenth-century Ottoman state, that was foreign school established by foreign foundations and monastic orders. The second half of the nineteenth century in Turkey was an extremely interesting period in terms of historical events and social development. It was during this period that Turkey made a huge step forward with regard to contacts with Europe, and the successful development of a schooling system was one of the most significant features of this time. The paper comprises two parts. One is the short description of the schooling system in the modernization period, the second one is devoted to the Turkish writers and their school memories. Such influential schools as the German grammar schools in Thessaloniki and Istanbul, the Catholic lycee of the Mechitarists Fathers in Izmir and the American girls’ school in Üsküdar are descripted. The American school Robert College is also mentioned. The authors referred in the paper are the famous Turkish writers and publicists: H. Z. Uşaklıgil, H. E. Adıvar and A. E. Yalman. Their recollections show the indisputable role of the foreign schools in Turkey and their special place in the Ottoman system of education.