Robert Kolej Mezunları ve Meşhurları

Robert College started education with only four students at the hills of Bebek in İstanbul in 1863. It was the first missionary school established outside the United States, beyond the Atlantic. Many people doubted that it would be successful. However, best administration and the selection of the best teachers made the college and its graduate’s best among its peers. The number of College graduates increased rapidly and they contributed in many fields to the life and well being of the society in which they lived. In this article, firstly, information will be given on the College, its registered students and its graduates followed by the information on the education given at the College. Finally, Turkish graduates of the College are studied on the basis of various fields that they contributed to the society in which they were living. The findings of the study are that the College has been successful thanks mainly to its education that was organized around the principle that education is best instrument to change people and thus the society. Its students equipped with the best knowledge and learned the best moral and religious values that made them ready for future. These qualities distinguished them among their peers and gave them knowledge and courage to contribute to their society. Robert College, thus, become the best and the oldest educational institution established outside the United States

1863 yılında dört öğrenci ile İstanbul’da Bebek sırtlarında eğitime başlayan Robert Kolej, Amerika Birleşik Devletleri’nin kendi toprakları dışında, uzak diyarlarda kurduğu ilk misyoner okuludur. O sebeple, kuruluş aşamasında başarılı olması konusunda şüpheler belirmiştir. Ancak, iyi yönetimi, seçilen idareci ve hocaların maddiyat yerine maneviyatı ve misyonu ön plana koymaları ve bu misyona kendilerini adamaları sayesinde, kolej kısa sürede başarıya ulaşmış ve dünya standartlarında eğitim veren bir kurum haline dönüşmüştür. Mezun sayısı hızla artarak Osmanlı son döneminde kurulan ulus devletlerin idari, bürokratik ve teknik vb. elaman ihtiyacını karşılamıştır. Dünyaya açık olmaları dolayısıyla, dünyadaki gelişmeleri ülkelerine taşıyanlar ve ilkleri gerçekleştirenler de Kolej mezunları arasından çıkmıştır. Bu çalışmada, Kolejin kuruluşu, öğrencileri ve mezunları hakkında bilgi verildikten sonra, verilen eğitime değinilmiş, ardından da Türk mezunları ve Cumhuriyetin ilk yıllarında ülkeye yaptığı katkılar çeşitli alanlara göre sıralanmıştır. Çalışmadan elde edilen netice şudur; Kolej eğitimi, insanın eğitim yoluyla değiştirile bilineceği düşüncesine uygun olarak düzenlenmiş, öğrencileri bilgi ile donatmanın yanı sıra, ahlaki ve dini yönlerini geliştirmek üzere her türlü çaba sarf edilmiştir. Bu suretle, modern bilgiye ve sağlam manevi donanıma sahip olan öğrenciler, içinde yaşadıkları topluma katkı ve katma değer sağlayan bireyler haline gelmiştir. Kolej de bu suretle, Amerikan toprakları haricindeki en eski ve köklü okul olma sıfatını kazanmıştır.

Anahtar Kelimeler: Robert Kolej, Yabancı Okullar, Misyoner, Eğitim, Robert Kolej Mezunu, Amerikan Koleji 

 

ROBERT COLLEGE GRADUATES AND FAMOUS GRADUATES

Abstract: Robert College started education with only four students at the hills of Bebek in İstanbul in 1863. It was the first missionary school established outside the United States, beyond the Atlantic. Many people doubted that it would be successful. However, best administration and the selection of the best teachers made the college and its graduate’s best among its peers.  The number of College graduates increased rapidly and they contributed in many fields to the life and well being of the society in which they lived. In this article, firstly, information will be given on the College, its registered students and its graduates followed by the information on the education given at the College. Finally, Turkish graduates of the College are studied on the basis of various fields that they contributed to the society in which they were living. The findings of the study are that the College has been successful thanks mainly to its education that was organized around the principle that education is best instrument to change people and thus the society. Its students equipped with the best knowledge and learned the best moral and religious values that made them ready for future. These qualities distinguished them among their peers and gave them knowledge and courage to contribute to their society.  Robert College, thus, become the best and the oldest educational institution established outside the United States.

Keywords: Robert Kolej, Foreign Schools, Missionary, Education, Robert College Graduate, American College