Robert College

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Robert College
Logo of Robert College
Location
Map
Arnavutköy, Istanbul

TR
Information
TypeIndependent, Boarding
MottoPost Tenebras Lux
(Light After Darkness)
Dominus Illuminatio Mea
(The Lord is my Light)
Established1863
HeadmasterJohn R. Chandler
CampusUrban (65 acres / 26 ha) Total enrollment: 968
150 boarding
Color(s)Red, Blue, White
Websitewww.robcol.k12.tr

Robert College of Istanbul (Turkish: Istanbul Amerikan Robert Lisesi), is the most selective and most prestigious independent[1] high school in Istanbul, Turkey. It is the oldest American school still in existence in its original location outside the USA.[2] Robert College was founded on September 16th 1863 by Christopher Rhinelander Robert, at the time of the Ottoman Empire as an institution of higher learning serving the Christian minority of Ottoman Empire and the foreigners living in Istanbul. Robert College over the years had middle (orta), secondary, university sections under the names Robert Academy, Robert Yuksek and American College for Girls. Since 1971, the school functions as a high school on its Arnavutkoy (former American College for Girls) campus. The Bebek campus was donated to the Republic of Turkey to serve country as a public university, namely Bogazici University. Robert College is accredited by the New York State Association of Independent Schools, European Council of International Schools, Council of International Schools and International Baccalaureate Organization.


History

File:United Flags of TR US.jpeg
Robert College is an American educational institution in Turkey

In 1863 Robert College was founded in Bebek as the oldest American high school outside the borders of the United States. The school was founded by Christopher Robert (a wealthy American and a philantrophist) and Cyrus Hamlin (a missionary devoted to education). Six years after its foundation, with the permission (Ottoman Turkish: "irade") of the Ottoman Sultan, the campus (South Campus of today's Bogazici University) was built in Bebek at the ridge of Rumelia Fortress. The building which was built first was named "Hamlin Hall" in memory of Hamlin. After Hamlin's death, Robert College was successfully administrated by George Washburn (1877-1903) and Caleb Gates (1903-1932).

Major Events

  • 1863, Sep 16: Robert College opens with 4 students at Bebek Seminary School.
  • 1922: President C.Gates and Hüseyin Pektaş (the first Muslim graduate and then Vice-President of the college) attend the Conference of Lausanne representing foreign educational institutions in Ottoman Empire.
  • 1932: With Dr. Paul Monroe, joint Presidency system is adapted by Robert College and American College for Girls.
  • 1957: Robert College is granted permission to become an institution of higher learning by Republic of Turkey; the Robert College "Yuksek" (High) is established.
  • 1971: The "Yuksek" is officially ended. (May 18)
  • 1971: The merger of American College for Girls and Robert Academy as a co-educational private institution with Middle (Orta) and High (Lise) schools, on the Arnavutköy campus is officially confirmed.
  • 1998: With the adoption of the law for eight years of uninterrupted primary education, the school no longer accepts students to its Middle section.
  • 2001: The last Middle (Orta) school students graduate and Middle (Orta) school is officially closed. Since then Robert College has Prep, 9, 10, 11, 12 grades, and accepts students who have finished mandatory primary education of eight years.[3]

List of Presidents and Heads

Robert College Gould Hall

Academics

Students

Robert College Students relaxing in the Plateau on the Sports Day (also known as RC Olympics), revival of the Field Day tradition.

Robert College admits nearly 160-200 students each year, who have scored within the top 5% (at most) of a national examination to selective secondary schools. The total number of students is 968 for 2006-2007.

Faculty

The faculty has an average of 22 years of teaching experience and the majority has either Turkish or American citizenship; however, numerous nationalities, mostly from English speaking countries, teach at Robert College. 66% of the full-time faculty hold masters degrees or higher.[4]

Curriculum

Robert College is a five year high school, with the first year (Prep) being the English immersion year that prepares students for rigorous curriculum, which is mostly in English. English is the language of instruction in science, mathematics, literature, psychology, physical education, art and music. Turkish is the required language of instruction in social sciences and Turkish language/literature. By graduation students have completed a very demanding program averaging 9 courses per semester, which is designed to prepare them both for matriculation in an American college or university and for study at Turkey’s top universities.

General graduation requirements (excluding the Prep year) for students include:

  • Four years of English Language and Literature,
  • At least two years of Mathematics,
  • One year each of Introductory Biology, Introductory Physics, Introductory Chemistry and General Science,
  • Four years of Turkish Language and Literature,
  • One year of Geography, History, Turkish Republican History, Philosophy and Military Science,
  • At least two whole year foreign language course (German or French)
  • One year of Art elective.

If the above are successfully completed the student could graduate with the General Diploma. However, the other diploma types, namely:

Robert College Gould Hall
  • Science Diploma,
  • Turkish-Math Diploma,
  • Social Studies Diploma,
  • English Language and Literature Diploma,

have their own requirements as well as the general requirements.

Advanced Placement Electives

  • AP English Language and Composition
  • AP English Literature and Composition
  • AP Biology
  • AP Chemistry
  • AP Calculus AB
  • AP Calculus BC
  • AP Computer Science
  • AP Statistics
  • AP Physics (B,C)
  • AP German Language
  • AP French Language

Other Electives

  • Science: Modern Physics, Analog Electronics, Digital Electronics, Organic Chemistry, Advanced Topics and Independent Research in Biology, Global Science, Advanced Anatomy and Physiology
  • English: Art Society and Literature, Literature and Technology, Modern Novel, World Literature, Advanced Shakespeare Studies, Advanced Writing, Modern Drama, Journalism, Film and Literature, Oral English, English for Technology, English for the Business World
  • Turkish: Turkish Language, Literary Texts, Creative/Refined Writing and Speech, History of Literature, Folk Literature, Contemporary Short Stories and Novels, Turkish Theater, Contemporary Turkish Poetry, Western Literature
  • Mathematics: Advanced Geometry, Probability and Statistics
  • Computer Science: Web Applications, Social Issues in Computing, Introduction to Programming
  • Social Studies: Sociology, Logic, General Geography, World Economic Geography, Introduction to Psychology, Child Psychology
  • Foreign Languages: German I-II-III-IV, French I-II-III-IV
  • Arts: Photography, Advanced Photography, Graphic Art, Ceramics, Studio Art, Advanced Studio Art, Contemporary Art, Painting on Canvas, Art History, Advanced Music, Practical Music, Orchestra, Visual and Performing Arts

Extra-curricular Activities

As of 2006, Robert College has nearly 100 clubs including the sports and publication club, which may be found below. The school has a rich history of extra-curricular activities and sports. Robert College introduced basketball to the Ottoman Empire in 1907 and the first Student Council in Ottoman Empire was formed in 1908 in Robert College.[5]

Student Council

Student Council is formed of an annually elected students and a faculty advisor. Student Council is responsible for facilitating communications between students, faculty and administration, as well as organizing social activities and fund raising for clubs. Student Council also organizes the largest high school festival, Fine Arts Festival, in Turkey.

Publications

Robert College Students in the Forum

English

  • Bosphorous Chronicle: The school's newspaper published monthly.
  • Record: The Yearbook.
  • Kingdom Robertea: The school's scientific journal.
  • RC Reviews: The literary journal published quarterly.
  • Kaleidoscope: The English literature magazine.
  • Hamsi: The online fun and technology magazine.
  • Northbridge: The technology magazine.

Turkish

  • Martı: The Turkish newspaper of the school.
  • Oda: Turkish poetry journal.
  • Tarih: The History Club's biannual publication.

Others

  • RC Quarterly: The alumni magazine published quarterly, which reaches 8000[6] Robert College alumni around the world by mail; the online version is also available. (English)
  • Polyglot: The literary magazine in French, Spanish, German, English and Turkish.

Athletics

Robert College Bingham Hall
  • Aerobics
  • Archery
  • Athletics
  • Badminton
  • Basketball
  • Fitness
  • Floor hockey
  • Golf
  • Mini football
  • Rugby
  • Ski
  • Soccer
  • Softball
  • Snowboard
  • Swimming
  • Table tennis
  • Tennis
  • Volleyball
  • Yoga

Music Clubs

  • Choir
  • Drums
  • Flute
  • Guitar
  • Musical Activities Club
  • Ney
  • Strings

Orchestra

Other Clubs

Robert College Plateau
  • Advanced Painting
  • Art and Drawing
  • Astronomy
  • Braille
  • Bowling
  • Camping
  • Computer Assistants
  • Computer Game Development Club
  • Computer Programming
  • Ceramics and Sculpture
  • Chess
  • Contemporary Events
  • Destination Imagination
  • Documentary
  • Drama
  • Ethical Values
  • European Youth Parliament (EYP)
  • Explorers
  • Film Production
  • First Lego League
  • Folklore
  • French Theater
  • Future Physicians
  • Genetics
  • German Movie
  • History
  • Hope
  • Interact
  • International Cooking
  • Junior Achievement
  • Latin Dance
  • Math
  • Marine Biology
  • Model United Nations (MUN)
  • Outdoor Challenge
  • Peer Counselling
  • Peer Tutoring
  • Poetry
  • Philosophy
  • Photography
  • Playscript Writing
  • Psychology
  • Radio
  • RC Theater Company
  • Red Crescent
  • Theater Sports
  • Turkish Literature and Culture
  • Turkish Musical
  • Turkish Theater
  • UNICEF
  • Viennese Language and Culture
  • Volunteers in Education
  • Winpeace
  • Young Business People
  • Young Reporters for the Environment

Conferences and Festivals

Fine Arts Festival (FAF)

Fine Arts Festival is the largest secondary school festival in Turkey. It is organized since 1982 by Robert College Student Council. Each year, more than 2000 people come to the festival, which is traditionally held in May.[7]

International Istanbul Youth Forum (IYF)

The International Istanbul Youth Forum is an annually held conference at Robert College, it is being organized for the second time this year. It is held by the European Youth Club.

Ethics Forum

The Ethics Forum is the first to be established at high school level in Turkey. As the first Ethics Club in Turkey, RC Ethical Values Club organizes an ethics case study contest at national level among high school students, following the forum. The results are announced at the Ethics Conference near the end of the year. Both events attract more than twenty public and private schools from around Turkey.

International Model United Nations (RCIMUN)

Istanbul Gençlik Forumu (IGF)

Istanbul Gençlik Forumu, is the Turkish version of the International Youth Forum and it is organized at a national level of participance. It is organized by the European Youth Club.

Turkish Theater Festival (TIFES)

Campus

The 65 acre wooded campus overlooking Bosphorus on the European side of Istanbul is home to historic buildings as well as modern ones, centennial trees and a rich fauna, among which Bosphorus Beetle-an endemic species to this campus- could be counted.

Major Buildings

File:RobertCollegeGouldHall.jpg
Robert College during school time
  • Gould Hall: This building, the oldest educational building on the campus is a gift from Helen Gould Shepard, daughter of the famous 19th century Wall Street financier Jay Gould. She donated $150,000 for the construction, which began in 1911 and was completed in 1914. Today it houses classrooms, the main administrative offices, the library, Heritage Museum and cafeteria as well as Turkish Literature and Social Sciences Departments.
  • Woods Hall: Completed in 1914, the building was a partial gift from Mrs. Henry Woods, of Boston, who donated $58,000, with Helen Gould supplying the remaining $25,000 required. It was used as a Science Building until 1990, and is today home to the English Prep classrooms and offices as well as a cafeteria.
  • Mitchell Hall: Originally home to the school kitchens and dining room, it was a gift from Miss Olivia E. Phelps Stokes, who donated $100,000. A modest woman, she asked for the building to be named in memory of her friend, Sarah Lindlay Mitchell. Today, the building houses classrooms, Math Department, the Sait Halman Computer Center, the audio-visual center and photography studio. The top floor is used for examinations and minor conferences.
  • Sage Hall: A gift from Mrs. Margaret Olivia Sage, widow of Russell Sage, a famous 19th century financier and associate of Jay Gould, Sage Hall is one of the few buildings used for its building purpose. A philanthropist, she donated $100,000 for the building, built as a dormitory. Today, the building houses the girls dormitories, infirmary and art studios.
  • Bingham Hall: Originally built as a medical school building, financed by William Bingham in memory of his mother, Mary Payne Bingham, the building housed the Middle School, from 1925 to 1992. Today is home to the boys dormitories, as well as business and administrative offices.
  • Feyyaz Berker Hall: Feyyaz Berker Hall, which today houses the science labs and classrooms as well as the Science Department was completed in 1990 and named after its largest donor,leading Turkish businessman and RC Trustee Feyyaz Berker, RC Eng 46. The Biology Museum, which has one of the rarest collections in Turkey, has been reopened in the top floor of the building.
  • Suna Kıraç Hall: A state-of-the-art theater building completed in 1990, which includes a large stage, make-up rooms, modern sound and lighting system and can seat 512 people, it was named after its largest donor Suna Kıraç ACG 60, a leading Turkish businesswoman and RC Trustee.
  • Nejat Eczacıbaşı Hall: The modern school gymnasium was opened in 1990 and named after its largest donor, prominent Turkish bio-chemist and businessman Dr.Nejat Eczacıbaşı RC 32.

Other Buildings and Facilities

Map of Robert College
  • The Rodney B. Wagner Memorial Maze (The Legend of Maze)
  • The White House (Bubble)
  • Tennis courts
  • Faculty housing (Yalı and numerous houses dispersed on campus)
  • Rose Garden
  • Biology Pond
  • The Bridge and the Security
  • Yuva (Child Study Center)
  • Forum

Note: This section only includes the buildings in today's Robert College (former American College for Girls) campus, the ones in former Robert College campus could be found in Boğaziçi University article.[8]

Library

When founded in 1863, Robert College had four students and a sum of $2,120 had been allocated to the library, for whose opening Harvard University donated 200 volumes. During the 50's and 60's the college had ones of the largest collections in Turkey. (In 1957: 111,598 books and 214 periodicals, and the Girls’ College Library 27,163 books and 108 periodicals, according to the Turkiye Kutuphaneleri Rehberi -Guide to Libraries in Turkey- published by the Turkish National Library in that year.) After the foundation of Boğaziçi University, the college donated the majority of its collections to the newly-founded university. Today, Robert College has the largest library collection among secondary schools in Turkey. The library houses more than 47,300 books, 190 periodical publications and two web-based databases. It occupies an area of 700 square meters today with seating for 90, serves a total of 927 students, as well as all the employees and alumni of the school on second and third floors of Gould Hall.[9]

Child Study Center

Robert College Marble Hall-Aerial View

Child Study Center on Robert College campus has 40 students aged between 3-6, four bilingual teachers and a director. The center is a natural observation environment for students who are taking Psychology and Child Psychology classes. According to the official website, "the educational program at the center is designed to develop self-confidence, self-esteem, self-competence, independence, initiative , creativity, empathy, problem solving and thinking skills in children."[10]

Notable alumni

See the List of famous Robert College alumni.

Robert College is proudly responsible for the first female Turkish college professor, the first Turkish Chief delegate to the U.N., the first novel written in English by a Turkish author, the first Turkish actress to perform on American and English stages, the first Turkish Ambassador to China, the first TV director in Turkey, the first Minister of Culture, the first Turkish playwright on Broadway, the first female Turkish piano virtuoso, the CEO of the largest Turkish non-government bank, the CEO of the largest Turkish Industrial company as well as many other successful people in and out of Turkey. (1988)[11]

Notable faculty

  • Cahit Arf, Mathematician
  • Mihri Bektaş, Among the first female members of Turkish Parliament, alumni of ACG, female section of Robert College
  • Tevfik Fikret, Poet, author
  • Mebrure Gönenç, Among the first female members of Turkish Parliament, alumni of ACG, female section of Robert College

References and notes

  1. ^ According to Turkish education system, Robert College is a private school. Turkish education system divides schools into two: public or private.
  2. ^ This title is also claimed by the American College of Sofia, founded in 1860.
  3. ^ "Chronology of Events". Retrieved 8 Feb. {{cite web}}: Check date values in: |accessdate= (help); Unknown parameter |accessyear= ignored (|access-date= suggested) (help)
  4. ^ "The School and Students". Retrieved 8 Jan. {{cite web}}: Check date values in: |accessdate= (help); Unknown parameter |accessyear= ignored (|access-date= suggested) (help)
  5. ^ "Chronology of Events". Retrieved 8 Feb. {{cite web}}: Check date values in: |accessdate= (help); Unknown parameter |accessyear= ignored (|access-date= suggested) (help)
  6. ^ "RC Quarterly" (PDF). Retrieved 14 Feb. {{cite web}}: Check date values in: |accessdate= (help); Unknown parameter |accessyear= ignored (|access-date= suggested) (help)
  7. ^ "Fine Arts Festival-Güzel Sanatlar Festivali". Retrieved 8 Feb. {{cite web}}: Check date values in: |accessdate= (help); Unknown parameter |accessyear= ignored (|access-date= suggested) (help)
  8. ^ "Robert College, 1863-1971; Bosphorus University, 1971-Present" (PDF). Retrieved 6 Feb. {{cite web}}: Check date values in: |accessdate= (help); Unknown parameter |accessyear= ignored (|access-date= suggested) (help)
  9. ^ "About Robert College Library". Retrieved 6 Feb. {{cite web}}: Check date values in: |accessdate= (help); Unknown parameter |accessyear= ignored (|access-date= suggested) (help)
  10. ^ "Robert College". Retrieved 11 Jan. {{cite web}}: Check date values in: |accessdate= (help); Unknown parameter |accessyear= ignored (|access-date= suggested) (help)
  11. ^ "History of Robert College (Excerpt from Celebrating the Past 1863, Building the Future 1988)". 2006. Retrieved 6 Feb. {{cite web}}: Check date values in: |accessdate= (help); Unknown parameter |accessyear= ignored (|access-date= suggested) (help)

Books on Robert College

See also

External links

41°04′02″N 29°02′06″E / 41.06722°N 29.03500°E / 41.06722; 29.03500

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