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| Description | Fry's diary of her travels to Constantinople. In places the diary appears not to read completely in chronological order, but as thoughts and observations Fry has recorded along the way. The following are subjects she discusses in these areas:
visiting one of her pupils parents in Paris; map of west Europe "redivided"; Austria; description of mountains; agriculture; landscape; Bulgaria; Sophia; journey along battle fields; being met by Halide; museum of Turkish art; family party Halide's; Nakie Hanm; schools; Bible House; Mrs Bowen; Halide Edib's sister
Entries in chronological order start properly here:
Ap 14 the "Normal School"; possibly becoming Directrice (director?); Ak Serai (white Palace); description of the school house; talked with director; Talie niswan Committee meeting; Turkish music and likeness to Indian music
Ap 15 Sultan Ahmet Square; bronze column commemorating the Greek states; was warned away from entering Mosque due to spring cleaning of carpets; Arif Bey; Bois de la Towns; weaving methods; dying processes; Sati Bey, "keen educationalist"
Ap 16 Pera to see Sir L Mallet; Sir Edwin Pears; talk of helping the Turks (presumably in an educational context; Talieniswan Club meeting; Tallat Bey, Djevad & Djellal visited, wanted Fry to work for them but also for Halide to return to Government work
Ap 17 debating with herself over her ability to do the job required (running a school in Turkey?); fear; Halide; Dr Riza Tewfik; visiting mosques; medresseh (college) courtyard; visit from Dr and Mrs Schrader (German-Syrian)
April 18 drove to overlook Golden Horn; Sa'ti Bey - transformed school from place of brutality; discusses buildings; lunch with Sati Bey and neices; Dr Riza Tewfik visit, Fry discusses intentions of Tewfik as a non-patriotic Turk; Dr Anchora, Northern Turk "a Turk from Russia" visit - discusses presence of Finns and Turks in early migration patterns of Northern Turks, connection of Turkish script with Anamaeic, and Finnish with Chinese; also discusses various points on politics. Exclamation part way through entry reads "2 days later; Sati Bey has resigned his post!!"
Apr 19thtaught bean bags at Nakie Hams school; started for Pharnareiky; Haidar Pasha station; Arif Bey's wife; Arif Bey; Osman Pehlevan (wrestler-folk musician); listening to musician
April 20th Jellal Bey came to see Fry but without a contract (hers of employment?); discusion on fear of earthquakes
Ap 23 Girls "Lycee"; Technical school where Fry was asked to be head; waiting for contract; contract not satisfactory;
Ap 24 contract; lunch at Embassy; Lord and Lady; Mr and Mrs Runciman; Mrs Ryan; talk of contract arrangements; discussion on Islam; description of Hlide, her activities and accomplishmemnts
Friday ap 24 watched troops coming away from the Selamlik
Ap 25 discussion on contract and post Fry is considering; giving advice to a young woman; thinking about the possibilities of the job offer, and difficulties that may be encountered
Sunday 26 comments on teaching of Turkish history in Turkish; Dr Patrick; Miss Dodd
ap 28th visit to the old Serai - women not usually allowed, describes details of building (a palace)
ap 29th goodbyes to friends and servants "who kissed my hand and pressed it to their foreheads with almost tearful eyes, in a way that disturbs one's innate sense of inequalities"; Fry sharing sleeping compartment in train with American; Fry describes the things she sees as the train leaves Constantinople [Istanbul]
Ap 30th hot weather; travelling through Bulgaria, Serbia; talks to a man on trip from Sophia to Scutari via Buda Pesth and Trieste; talks of Serbs massacring Albanian villages; talk of Islam and religion; lack of class distinctions in Turkey
May 1 describes latter part of journey home
May 3 went to Hampstead Heath "one of the most sophisticated & cultivated spots on the face of the earth"
May 5th talks about letter written to the Turkish Government regarding last offer [regarding possible employment?]
May 11th dined with Miss ME Durham, against Suffrage, told humourous stories
May 12 afternoon party for people interested in Turkey; Dora Sanger
June 4 Fry receives an offer of employment in Turkey - not for the job she expected - but exclaims that she will say "yes"
June 17 Mrs Greenhalgh; Louise Talbot
June 27 visited C Levenson Gower who talked of her police court experiences standing bail for suffragettes, and of her work in the Camden Town schools
Aug 2 discusses war between Austria and Serbia
Aug 4 am talks about German ships in the channel and feeling scared
Aug 5 war delared by Germany
A number of entries then expresss Fry's unhappiness and distress with regards to the war, her questioning the justice of it, developments, thoughts on conscription |