Raffi Charity Society of Armenian Women and Its Female School Female School

Iran / Western Atrpatakan / Salmast / Ghalasar

Historical Introduction

In the 1870s, a boys’ school opened in Ghalasar, changing into a mixed-sex one in 1904. Also, in 1892, a girls’ school was established in the village by Raffi Charity Society of Armenian Women founded the previous year by teacher Nikola Adamian: “Spending only its own financial means, this Society sustained a female school in Ghalasar Village paying the salary of its woman-teacher and providing stationery for several poor pupils. What is especially noteworthy, this work was entirely promoted by two women, Khanum-Mayrik Hasratiants and Sultan-Khanum Arzumaniants, who had selflessly devoted themselves to it, sparing no efforts for the progress of the Society. This year they put up the handmade works of the pupils to auction and gained an income of 55 tumans, an amount that was unexpected for a small village like Ghalasar, having only 60 houses. The local teacher and a group of young men are working with great enthusiasm, carrying out praiseworthy activities to revive and invigorate the inactive, lifeless village.... Both the girls’ and boys’ schools of the village are outside the jurisdiction of Salmast’s nominal diocese supervisor, thanks to which, they are prosperous and in better conditions.”

The following excerpt provides details about the foundation of this Society: “Salmast’s Charitable Union of Men existed only at the beginning of last year (1890), after which a Women’s Charitable Society was established [in the district]. The decision of its foundation was made during the meeting of the Armenian women of Salmast’s Ghalasar Village, held on Saturday night, on 16/28 February, with the immortal [writer] Raffi’s mother being in the chair. Eleven women from Ghalasar immediately joined this union and paid their annual membership fees in cash.... Other Armenian women from different villages of Salmast have expressed a desire to acquire membership of this Society” (Ardzagank, no. 6, 19 April 1891, p. 90). Alpoyajian erroneously holds that the Charity Society was established in 1887: “Surprising as it is, the women of Atrpatakan have carried out greater activities for the education of the Armenians than men. The Charity Society of Armenian Women, which was founded in Ghalasar Village in 1887, opened a nursery school in Havtavan in 1897” (Ալպօյաճեան Ա., Կրթական շարժումը հայոց մէջ. Պարսկաստանի և Հնդկաստանի հայերը [A. Alpoyajian, “The Educational Activities amidst the Armenians: the Armenians of Persia and India”], «Հայաստանի կոչնակ» [Hayastani Kochnak], no. 1, 2 January 1926, p. 155).
Another record states the following about the establishment of this Society: “On 14 February [1891], the women of Salmast’s Ghalasar Village gathered in the local school and decided to found a Charity Society of Women in memory of their fellow countryman Raffi. ... their goal is to give education to poor children, particularly girls, also providing them with the necessary clothing and stationery.... Anyone can acquire membership of the Society, both from the villages of Salmast and other places. The village of Payajouk, the late Raffi’s birthplace, has already joined it. As soon as the Society was founded, the ladies elected a treasurer, an accountant and main workers.... Apart from the chief representatives in Salmast, they also appointed Mrs. Arzumaniants and Shahbudaghiants from Salmast to work in Tiflis. Also, Mrs. Sargissian was appointed in Baku, Mrs. Tumanian in Tabriz, Mrs. Mayi-Khanum Nersessian in Tehran, and Mrs. Melik-Aristakessian in Rasht” (Տ., Նամակ Պարսկաստանից [T., “A Letter from Persia”], «Մշակ» [Mshak], no. 28, 12 March 1891, p. 3).
The treasurer of the Society was “Mrs. Khanum Hasratiants, a lady of great modesty who was given the money at 1.5 % per annum” (Ardzagank, no. 6, 19 April 1891, p. 90).
Patrik, “A Letter from Persia,” Mshak, no. 88, 5 August 1895, p. 4. Other records say the following: “It should be noted that Raffi Charity Society of Women, which was established in Ghalasar a long time ago, does not serve its proper purpose. It only sustains a female teacher in the local school, whereas in fact, that village can financially support a regular single- or two-class school without the least difficulty” (Frangian, p. 78). “They first of all opened a girls’ school attached to the school of Ghalasar, hired a female teacher and provided everything necessary for handiwork. Unfortunately, the activities of this Society did not go beyond this.... It worked until 1910” (Սամսոն, Ատրպատականի հայ կանանց գործունէութիւնը [Samson, “The Activities of the Armenian Women in Atrpatakan”], «Հայրենիք» [Hayrenik], no. 1, November 1939, p. 95).
Karapetian. Samvel, History of Armenia, Salmast, vol. 2, Yerevan, 2019, p. 139.

The seal of the Society read: Raffi Charity Society of the Armenian Women of Salmast. 15 February 1891.
The following quotation provides more details about the activities of this Society: “Salmast’s Raffi Charity Society of Armenian Women, founded in Ghalasar Village in 1890 thanks to teacher Nikola Adamian’s efforts, failed to win the encouragement and liking of the locals. Facing a shortage of financial means, it was unable to carry out any activities and was left with only two members until 1893, when Nikol Duman took up residence in the village as a teacher. The Society resumed its activities thanks to his ardent support.”

Կանոնադրութիւն Սալմաստի հայուհեաց բարեգործական «Րաֆֆի» ընկերութեան [Statutes of Raffi Charity Society of the Armenian Women of Salmast] (Tabriz, 1899), p. 8.
Սամսոն, Ատրպատականի հայ կանանց գործունէութիւնը [Samson, “The Activities of the Armenian Women in Atrpatakan”], «Հայրենիք» [Hayrenik], no. 1, November 1939, p. 95.
Karapetian. Samvel, History of Armenia, Salmast, vol. 2, Yerevan, 2019, p. 139.

A record of 1894 said: “The girls’ school, situated not far from the boys’ school, was founded several years ago in memory of Raffi and is governed by Ghalasar’s Charity Society of Women. However, one of the local wealthy people makes every possible endeavour to have Raffi’s name obliterated: he wants to rename the school after himself, but he has not succeeded so far thanks to Mrs. Arzumanian and Haz[s]ratian.... It has about 20 to 30 pupils the burden of whose education is placed on the newly-hired teacher, Yeranuhi Zohrabian, a graduate of the Protestant school of Tabriz.”
Apparently, after N. Duman left Ghalasar, the activities of the Society were again in slump. This is attested by a letter of 21 March 1894 which states that the work of the Society “looked like a twinkling wick” despite the efforts made by its members, Khanum and Mave Hasratiants and Sultan Arzumaniants.
The situation was still unchanged in 1895: “Several years ago, a women’s charity society was established in Salmast under the sacred name of our immortal [writer] Raffi.... At first it received payments from its members in Baku, Batum and Tiflis, but they have recently resigned membership so that the Society has to rely only on the local members whose contribution is insignificant.”

Վաչագան, Նամակ Պարսկաստանից [Vachagan, “A Letter from Persia”], «Նոր-Դար» [Nor-Dar], no. 103, 18 June 1894, pp. 1-2.
Ուրագ., Նամակ Պարսկաստանից [Urag., “A Letter from Persia”], «Նոր-Դար» [Nor-Dar], no. 61, 9 April 1894, p. 3.
Պատրիկ, Նամակ Պարսկաստանից [Patrik, “The Latest Events in Salmast”], «Մշակ» [Mshak], no. 98, 27 August 1894, p. 1.
Karapetian. Samvel, History of Armenia, Salmast, vol. 2, Yerevan, 2019, p. 140.

A record of 1898 stated the following: “Apart from the societies of book lovers, Ghalasar also has a Women’s Charity Society which, however, has not distinguished itself for many initiatives. Formerly, it would give most of its money for the reconstruction of Derik, whereas now it only supports the girls’ school.”

Ararat, no. 9 (1898), p. 404.
Karapetian. Samvel, History of Armenia, Salmast, vol. 2, Yerevan, 2019, p. 140.

In 1899 the Armenian Prelate of Atrpatakan, Bishop Sahak Ayvatian, ratified the Society’s statutes, according to which, it pursued the goal of “contributing to the national education of the Armenian women of the poor class, also promoting the spread of the necessary crafts among Armenian women and girls.”
In the same year, the Society had 19 members, 5 of whom lived in Baku. Its permanent capital amounted to 300 tumans (or 600 roubles), “its main function being the payment of a salary (150 roubles) to the school teacher.”

Statutes of Raffi Charity Society, pp. 1, 9.
Melik-Babakhaniants, “A Letter from Persia,” p. 3.
Karapetian. Samvel, History of Armenia, Salmast, vol. 2, Yerevan, 2019, p. 140.

A record of 1905 said the following: “Raffi Charity Society has been functioning here [in Ghalasar] for already 15 years. Despite its small budget, it provides the [girls’] school with an allowance and pays its teacher’s salary.”