College (Central Turkey College) Printing Office :: ARMENIAN HISTORICAL MONUMENTS

College (Central Turkey College) Printing Office

Turkey / Cilicia / Aintap / Aintap

Historical Introduction

College (Central Turkey College) Press (1876 to 1878, 1908 to 1915, 1919 to 1921). As attested by Dr. Meril, as early as the years of the foundation of the college (1876 to 1878), a foot press was brought from America and was used for only the publication of school questionnaires and official documents until the fire of 1890. After the proclamation of the Turkish Constitution in 1908, the issue of the reopening of the printing-office was again raised and received a positive response: “It will be possible to repair the broken machine and bring new letters within several years. The year 1910 may be considered as marking the beginning of a new stage of activity for the press of the college of Central Turkey.”

Պողարեան Գ., Այնթապականք, հ. Ա, Պէյրութ, 1974, էջ 22: According to Yeghia S. Kasuny, probably in 1890 the “...ink plate” of the small printing machine of the college was carried away by some Governmental officials (Սարաֆեան Գ., Պատմութիւն Անթէպի Հայոց, հ. Ա, Լոս Անճէլըս, 1953, էջ 821). Abrahamian Emma, Printing-Houses Throughout the Armenian Homeland, in: "Vardzk", 2012, N 6, p. 14.

Special mention should be made of Levon Rupian, the calligraphy teacher of the college who played a great role in the re-operation of the press: together with the senior-class pupils, he initiated the cleaning of “...the letters that were covered with dust...” and their arrangement.

Պողարեան Գ., Այնթապականք, հ. Ա, Պէյրութ, 1974, էջ 22: Abrahamian Emma, Printing-Houses Throughout the Armenian Homeland, in: "Vardzk", 2012, N 6, p. 14.

1914 y․

The proprietor of the printing-office was Nshan Paleozian, who taught Armenian at the college, and the duties of printers were performed by the pupils. Priest Garegin Pogharian wrote the following about the activity of the press in a note addressed to Arshak Alpoyajian on 21 October 1914: “They do not have a permanent official and truly, they are not skilled in this craft and have learned everything in practice... The press is not a large one and is operated with feet.”

Պողարեան Գ., Այնթապականք, հ. Ա, Պէյրութ, 1974, էջ 18: Abrahamian Emma, Printing-Houses Throughout the Armenian Homeland, in: "Vardzk", 2012, N 6, p. 14.

1913 y․

In order to make the work of the press as fruitful as possible, in 1913 two pupils of the college (one of them was the head typesetter, Sargis Laleyan, who worked for the “Hay Antep” periodical (1960 to 1970) published in Arlington) advanced several conditions before the Inspector such as the removal of the printing-house “...to a light airy place, the ground floor of the newly-built Andrews Hall.” They also raised the issue of the acquisition of a variety of Armenian, English and Turkish letters. These conditions being complied with, between 1909 and 1915, 11 books and booklets, as well as a monthly were published by the College Press (in Armeno-Turkish).

Պողարեան Գ., Այնթապականք, հ. Ա, Պէյրութ, 1974, էջ 23: The “Yeeni Eomr” newspaper saw the light in the College Press. Abrahamian Emma, Printing-Houses Throughout the Armenian Homeland, in: "Vardzk", 2012, N 6, p. 14.

1919 — 1921 yy․

Between 1919 and 1921, the College Press was again put into operation and published the “Rahvira-Rahnyuma” newspaper, the editors and publishers of which were Meril and Lutfi Khoja (Levonian); a song collection in Armeno-Turkish, and a booklet by Gr. Sarafian entitled Answers to a Number of Religious Questions («Կրօնաքննական կարգ մը հարցումներու տրուած պատասխանները»), 1919. Probably, it was this printing-office that issued the “Ukhunet-Yeghbayrutiun” newspaper in Armenian and Turkish (1919).

Պողարեան Գ., Այնթապականք, հ. Ա, Պէյրութ, 1974, էջ 23: The “Rahvira-Rahnewma” was published in the College Press. Abrahamian Emma, Printing-Houses Throughout the Armenian Homeland, in: "Vardzk", 2012, N 6, p. 14.