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Jane Doolittle

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Jane Doolittle in a meeting in Iran Bethel School

Jane Doolittle (1900-?) was the principal of Iran Bethel School; an American Presbyterian missionary school for Girls in Tehran from 1925 to 1968. She was an American Missionary who came to Iran-Tehran in 1921 and remained there until 1978. Doolittle served for many years as the principal of Iran Bethel School for Girls which was the immediate forerunner of Damavand College.[1]

Biography

Shortly after graduation from Wells College, Doolittle came to Tehran to respond to an urgent appeal to take the place of another young woman to teach biology at the American Presbyterian School for Girls in Persia -Tehran, although her main goal was to become a physician. Doolittle accepted a three-year assignment, which eventually stretched into nearly 58 years. In 1925, she was adapted as the principal of Iran Bethel School where made her stay in Iran until 1978.

Activities in Tehran

In 1939, as Reza Shah was favorably inclined towards Germany and was convinced that Germans would be victors in the World War II, shortly before the outbreak of war he ordered for the closure of many educational works. As a result a number of missionaries resigned and left Iran, but Doolittle revived the name of Iran Bethel School with the help of Mrs. Paye. Besides giving part-time education to girls, she also ran a clinical center for poor women and their children which was known as the “Doolittle project'. By 1971, Doolittle had been in Persia for 50 years! At a celebration in her honor, she was presented with a gold medal by the Minister of Education of Iran, the highest educational award ever given in Iran.

Final days in Tehran

In 1977 rumors stated that the Ministry of Health would close all private clinics, including the Doolittle Clinic. Hoping to avoid this, Doolittle asked an Iranian doctor to take the clinic under his jurisdiction, thus insuring its continuance. In 1979, with the collapse of Pahlavi dynasty and the Islamic revolution in Iran, Doolittle was in the US and as an American she was not permitted to return to Iran, although she longed to.

References

  1. ^ Damavand College Year Book, 1977-78, Damavand College History, p. 5, paragraph 1

Sources

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