A group of responsible women founded, in 1940, a little home for destitute and fatherless children. They called it «Beit-el-Yatim», «The Orphan's Home.» During 1940-1945, fifty orphans were sheltered in that Home.
In 1945 a big donation, which came from Lebanese emigrants in America and Africa, was added to the fund of Leb. L. 10,000.00 already raised by the Committee in charge. Thus, it was possible to erect a new one-story building designed to house a bigger number of orphans. Donations continued to come in small amounts so that the Board of Trustees was soon able
to add two more stories to the building. The number of boarding orphans reached 125, while the school attached to the orphanage had, in addition, 60 outside students. A principal with six teachers and three servants run the school.
Up to the age of ten, all children learn Arabic, a foreign language, arithmetic, ethics, needle-work and athletics. The boys leave the school at the age of ten, while the girls specialize in domestic science. The aim of the Committee is to make of these potential citizens useful men and women. Particular attention is given to the girls who are trained to become future governesses, matrons, practical nurses or efficient housewives.
The 'Abey Davidiyyeh School, offers a yearly scholarship to the student with the highest school average, enabling him, or her, to continue through high school education.
Attached to the orphanage is a small dispensary which takes care of the community around and at the same time serves as the laboratory necessary for the girl students. Also a little library has been started and gifts of books come to it from time to time.
This brief survey only gives a general idea of the work that is being done by the Druze Orphanage. The Committee is working hard to extend its services to the greatest number possible of needy and homeless children,
and is trying to overcome the financial handicaps which constitute its major problem. Yet, all those who support Beit-el-Yatim are proud of the results they have been able to achieve so far, and above all, of the fact that they are affording to so many children, otherwise helpless, the opportunities of normal childhood leading to responsible citizenship.
where the subject matter, except for history, could be taught in either French or English.
The program leaves space for basic training in Music and the Arts.
University Training for Women
Our two foreign Universites, the American University, founded in 1866 and the French University in 1867, opened their gates to women 27 years ago.
Women can now enter on equal footing, the schools of Medicine, Pharmacy, Sciences and Literature.
Hitherto, both Universities had neglected the realm of « Fine Arts », a field of particular interest to women.
The challenge was admirably met by the Lebanese Academy of Fine Arts, founded in 1940, by Mr. Alexis Boutros.
In the enrollment of 1948, the number of women far exceeds that of men.
The Academy constitutes the first National enterprize of higher education and is in fact the embryo of the Lebanese University.
Women in Lebanon to-day have great chances for higher training.
Lebanon's urgent need in the realm of education, is a unifying system by which all efforts will be crystalized in the pursuit of one ideal; the intellectual prosperity of Lebanon and the peace of the world.