Page 11 - History of Arabian Mission 1926-1957

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Bureau of Orphans; and in tho Criminal Investigation Department (tlic equiva­
lent of the F.B.I.). Several are members of the Chamber of Deputies in u.. five national, teachers made up an adequate staff for carrying out a well-
Baghdad, others are in Iraq embassies and consulates abroad. One was for rounded. educational program of eight grades. The kindergarten was an attrac­
tive and popular feature.
years the Iraq member of the International Commission of Civil Aviation.
Another has succeeded his father as paramount Sheikh of all the confederated
Education in Iraq was progressing fast, and in 1932 there was an edu­
Arabs on the Euphrates. Some of these have served with distinction, and cational conference in Baghdad, which was attended by Miss Kellien and
practical 1 y all with credit.
Miss Rachel Jackson and four of their teachers. Miss Jackson reported,; "It
was the first attempt at such a conference and we were surprised at the numbers
Throughout its whole career, in spite of fanaticism, national and
racial antagonism, and government restrictions, our Basrah school, has been atte.ndi.ngo Eight or nine hundred were registered. Women were there too and
able to continue daily Bible teaching to every pupil. From the little primary the front of the hall, was reserved for them. Some of the Muslim woman teachers
children who learn Bible stories, often by means of pictures and flannclgrtiphs, preferred the seclusion of the small gallery. After the regular sessions the
through to the upper classes who have thorough courses in the life of Christ members divided into groups to discuss the questions that specially pertained
and in Christian ethics, the student body is permeated by precept as well as to than.. The conference members were entertained in the garden of His Majesty
example by the Christian message. King Faisal I and he appeared and spoke very acceptably to the gathering. The
Minister oX* Education also had an afternoon tea at his beautiful rose garden
in Kadhimain. It was interesting to be there in a Muslim Holy City with Muslim
Plans and hopes for the future are to resume a full high school course,
and to enlarge the school in co-operation with other mission boards to provide man. and women as well as Christians and Jews entertained together. Only the
women were invited to the palace to meet the Queen."
facilities for the education of boys of Christian families, converts as well
as born Christians, from down the Persian Gulf - Kuwait, Bahrain, and Muscat - The rate at which Iraq was becoming education -minded corresponded, of
and from all of Iraq, as well as continuing to serve Basrah and its environs.
Ihree boys from Muscat are at present in the school. In this way the School ccnroe, with the strong nationalistic spirit which increased so rapidly after
nne rc^nry received its independence. Patriotism demanded that girls as veil
of High Hope will fulfill its object of training Christian leadership for the '—z scys attend government schools rather than foreign ones.
Diplomas from our
future. schools were not recognized, so that'our graduates could no longer obtain teach­
ing positions - one of the few professions at that time open to women. The
The men's evangelistic work of Basrah station, for non-Christians, has attendance, particularly of Muslims, dropped steadily.
been integrated into the school for many years, and the missionaries share in
on the Bible teaching. Unlimited contacts are made through this close asso­ The Mission therefore turned its attention to girls of the poorer class,
ciation with the boys. for whom a diploma was not a possible goal. For economic reasons their school
life is apt to be short, and a program adapted to the particular needs of this
John Van Ess, George Gosselink, and G. J. Holler, have been successive­ type of girl was therefore worked out. At first, in 1934, the new regime in­
ly in charge of the school, and Henry Bilkert, Harry Almond, Donald MacNeill cluded four grades and a kindergarten, but a year later the kindergarten had to
and Edwin Luidens have co-operated as working partners. A succession of short be dropped because of a decreased budget.
termers have made an invaluable contribution to the life of the school.
The program consisted of the three R's, Bible, Hygiene, and geography,
(Names of these are in the Appendix) and a good course in sewing and knitting. Sewing was one of the most popular
and needed subjects, as many poor mothers cannot sew at all and have to pay
The Basrah Girls' School moved into the beautiful new premises, com- money which they can ill afford to have garments made for their families.
monorating the Jubilee of the Woman's Board, in 1930, after years in unsatis­
factory rented buildings. Both school and club girl's were visited by the missionary staff, who
thus built up a social center, with well attended At Home days, and large
A large enclosed compound, with many date palms and oleander bushes, crowds of visitors at sewing exhibits and other special occasions. The per­
provided ample space for play and organized games, with a separate playground sonnel of the school and clubs was now almost entirely Muslim.
for the kindergarten. The school building was spacious and modem and well
adapted to a flexible and varied program. The missionary residence, in the In 1941 Miss Kellien wrote: "There are big girls and little girls,
same compound, provided a comfortable and pleasant home for single women black, broim, and white girls; neat girls and careless ones, but all bound
wox'kers and convenient facilities for social work. Weekly At Homes drew large together by the bond of great poverty and a greater love for their school.
numbers of mothers and friends and proved a read, neighborhood gathering place. During this first decade in our Jubilee building many girls have marched in
our ranks for a longer or shorter period. The big girls of five or six years
In the school building, there was room for club work with girls who
sj ago are now mothers, trying, often in discouragement and weariness, to lead
were unable to come to school every day, but were eager for the privilege of other childish feet. Life is not easy for girls of this class and the burdens
a forenoon once a week, when they had a program similar to that of a DaLly of womanhood fall upon their shoulders all too soon, so we rejoice over each
Vacation Bible School. one who is allowed to return for yet another year.
At the first commencement in the new school building, five girls re­
ceived their diplomas, the largest number ever graduated. Three missionaries "What does school mean to children like these? They are not spurred
by the ambition to better their economic condition, for they know that family