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Robert College

Robert College is an American high school in İstanbul, Turkey, the oldest American school still in existence in its original location outside the USA.[1] It was founded in 1863 by Christopher Robert, at the time of the Ottoman Empire. The school still continues in Istanbul at its Arnavutköy campus.


Contents

History

Robert College was founded in 1863 in the Bebek district of İstanbul on the European side of Bosphorus as the oldest American college still in existence in the world outside the United States. The school was founded by Christopher Robert, a wealthy American industrialist, and Cyrus Hamlin, who was already owning a bakery, a school and a laundry in Istanbul at the time. Only after six years Hamlin was given the permission to build a proper campus on the hills of Rumeli Hisarı. The first building in the campus was named Hamlin Hall after the co-founder. Following the death of Hamlin, George Washburn (1877-1903) and Caleb Gates (1903-1932) were headmasters of the school and did many things to improve Robert College.

Until 1971, Robert College continued as a boys-only college in its Bebek campus. However, in 1971 a law in Turkey forced Robert College to change its education level from a college to a high school, and the school was in need of co-education. This situation led Robert College to merge with the American College for Girls (ACG), another American school in Istanbul, which was founded in 1890. Robert College moved to ACG's Arnavutköy campus, and started educating both boys and girls there as a high school. The old campus in Bebek was left for the government to found another college on. Now, Bogazici University is set on the former Bebek campus (as well as on five other, later locations).

Purpose

From its founding in 1863, Robert College has sought to promote educational excellence in Turkey. Today Robert College seeks to graduate young men and women with the skills, insights, and determination to function as leaders and contributing citizens in a wide range of social and cultural roles, both locally and internationally.

To achieve this end, Robert College has created an academic program designed to enable talented, highly motivated students to pursue academic excellence and acquire fluency and literacy in English and Turkish. It seeks to develop in students the desire and ability to communicate openly, candidly and constructively, and to foster in them a broad international outlook. Students are also encouraged to be life-long learners, to develop creative and critical thinking skills, as well as to acquire knowledge vital for success in the 21st-century world.

Both within and beyond the classroom, Robert College teaches its students to value integrity and to understand that democratic freedom entails responsibility as well as sensitivity to and respect for the needs, rights, and property of others. Through academic and co-curricular activities, students develop the individual interests and aptitudes that will allow them to contribute to society in areas such as education and research, technology, government, social services, commerce, and the arts.

Academics

Robert College has a solid college prep curriculum. The school offers many AP level courses such as Advanced Biology, Advanced Physics, Advanced Chemistry, AP English, Calculus (both AB and BC), AP Computer and Statistics. It also provides opportunities to students interested in musics and the arts. The most popular arts courses include Studio Arts and Film and Literature.

Students are given flexibility in their selections of courses although there are some restrictions. At least one English course per semester is mandatory and every student must take at least one arts course to graduate. Recent changes have made at least two whole-year Foreign Language (French or German) courses obligatory. Students have one elective course in their freshman and sophomore years and four elective courses in their junior and senior years.

Buildings

Notable alumni

References and notes

  1. ^ This title is also claimed by the American College of Sofia, founded in 1860.

See also

Categories


Education in Istanbul | Educational institutions established in 1863 | Educational institutions established in 1890 | Educational institutions established in 1971 | High schools in Turkey | International schools | Universities and colleges in Turkey | International Baccalaureate schools

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