Ottoman Salonika
The Feyziye school aimed to fulfill the promise of its name, “Excel-
lence,” by creating a perfect religious and moral person. Its curriculum
was calibrated to instill linguistic, spiritual, scientific, and vocational
knowledge and skills through eight years of education. The student was
both taught ostensibly Islamic virtues and prepared body, mind, and soul
for the new society of the turn of the century.^39 He could clearly and flu-
ently express his thoughts in Turkish, Ottoman, and French, regarded as
the leading European language and language of commerce; he was disci-
plined, organized, and well prepared for a profession. His body was fit:
“gymnastics taught by special teachers will increase and perfect the physi-
cal and spiritual progress of the students, and will urge the students to
be morally virtuous and make serious efforts.”^40 Foreigners taught gym-
nastics. Physicians instructed students in hygiene.^41 A graduate both pos-
sessed local knowledge and was prepared to function in an international
environment, guided by the morals and ethics of his people. The latter
aim was ensured by having Şemsi Efendi serve in the administration of
the school and teach religious precepts from 1900 to 1912 , when he mi-
grated to Istanbul.^42 Thus although the curricula of Dönme schools by
this point were matched by those of other schools, especially the state
schools, Şemsi Efendi’s teaching religion points to the difference: he was
the leading Dönme religious thinker of his day, and he did not teach in
any but Dönme schools in Salonika.
In keeping with Şemsi Efendi’s aims, the education of girls was not ne-
glected. In the 1890 s, the Feyziye and the Terakki opened girls’ schools; the
Feyziye’s eventually expanded into a middle school for girls.^43 The Terakki
Girls Commerce School was founded around 1908.^44 In 1911 , when Sultan
Mehmet V Reşat visited Salonika, he was greeted by Terakki schoolgirls,
viewed an exhibit of their handiwork, and even donated money to the
school.^45
Students in Dönme schools were well prepared to engage in interna-
tional commerce and serve the empire. In 1904 , new courses were added
that would aid future civil servants, including official-style writing, politi-
cal economy, commercial law, physical geography, chemistry, economics,
and economic geography.^46 There was such a strong emphasis on com-
merce that the Feyziye board considered making it the Ottoman Com-
merce School, and around same time, offered to establish a commerce
school jointly with Terakki school, which also had a strong emphasis on
commerce.^47 The most important Ottoman merchants were former stu-