Galatasaray Lisesi

Galatasaray Lisesi
This article is licensed under the GNU Free Documentation License. It uses material from the Wikipedia article "Galatasaray_Lisesi".

content

This article or section has multiple issues. Please help improve the article or discuss these issues on the talk page.

Its introduction may be too long. Tagged since August 2008.
It is in need of attention from an expert on the subject. may be able to help recruit one.
It may need copy editing for grammar, style, cohesion, tone or spelling. Tagged since August 2008.
It may require general cleanup to meet Wikipedia's quality standards. Tagged since August 2008.

For other uses of Galatasaray, see Galatasaray (disambiguation)

Location
Galatasaray Lisesi Lycée de Galatasaray Galatasaray High School Galata Sarayı Enderun-u Hümayunu Galatasaray Mekteb-i Sultanisi Mekteb-i Sultani

Galatasaray Lisesi
Istanbul, Beyoglu, Turkey
Coordinates	41°01′58″N 28°58′43″E / 41.03278, 28.97861
Information
School type	Public Boarding
Founded	1481
Principal	Meral Mercan
Mascot	Lion
Website	www.gsl.gsu.edu.tr

Galatasaray Lisesi, known in other languages by its French name Lycée de Galatasaray was known in Turkish as the Galata Sarayı Enderun-u Hümayunu (Galata Palace Imperial School) and later the Galatasaray Mekteb-i Sultanisi (Galatasaray School of the Sultans). It is one of the most influential high schools of modern Turkey. Established in 1481, it is the oldest Turkish high school in Istanbul and the second-oldest Turkish educational institution in the city after Istanbul University which was established in 1453. Being an Anatolian High School, access to the school is open to students with a high Nationwide High School Entrance score. Galatasaray S.K., which would go on to win the UEFA Cup in football in the year 2000, was formed in this institution with initial players all being members of the school.

The name Galatasaray means Galata Palace, as the school is located near Galata, the medieval Genoese citadel at the north of the Golden Horn, also known as Pera (Peran en Sykais). Since the 19th century, the name "Pera" refers to the larger borough of Beyoğlu which includes the Galata district.

1 History
2 Education
3 Motto
4 Galatasaray sports
5 Galatasaray extracurricular activities
6 GSL English Club
7 Galatasaray traditions
- 7.1 Fraternity: Ağabey-Abla tradition
- 7.2 Being the Window to the West
8 Galatasaray alumni
9 See also
10 External links
11 References

History

The history of Galatasaray Lisesi dates back to 1481. The high school started as Galata Sarayı Enderun-u Hümayunu (Galata Palace Imperial School) in its current location in Beyoğlu.

Origins (1481-1830)

First logo of GSL

Bayezid II (1447-1512) founded the Galata Sarayı Enderun-u Hümayunu in 1481. Known as the "peaceful Sultan", he revived the city of Istanbul after the conquest of 1453. Bayezid II often roamed the city, disguised as an ordinary citizen. Legend has it that on one of these rambles, he found a wonderful garden near Galata filled with beautiful red and yellow roses. In this garden, he met Gül Baba (Father Rose). The Sultan asked the wise man about how to improve the Empire and the city as they filled with a range of immigrants, from Spanish Jews to Turks from the Karaman region. Gül Baba explained that he was happy with the city, his rose garden and the reign of the Sultan, but he would be much happier if there were a school which would educate all students from this diverse range of backgrounds, as this would train the wise men needed to serve such a large Empire. He told the Sultan he would be proud to serve as a teacher in this school in order to create a generation of valuable subjects to the Empire. Bayezid II took Gül Baba at his word and returned to the garden weeks later with the edict which established the Ottoman Imperial School, on the grounds next to the rose garden, with Gül Baba as its headmaster. Thus Gül Baba became the first headmaster of Galatasaray and administered the school for many years. He died during the Ottoman raid to Hungary and his tomb is located near Budapest.

Second logo of GSL

When the Ottoman army went to war, dervishes and minstrels accompanied it to provide religious prayers and entertainment. Dervishes and minstrels also used to arm themselves and joined the fighting whenever necessary. Gül Baba was one of these dervishes. Janissaries were fond of the dervishes of the Bektashi order, since they regarded Hacı Bektaş as their convent's chief.

German historian Theodor Menzel suggests that Gül Baba's name was a nickname, as "rose" was the sign of being a leader of the Bektashi lodge.

Interim period (1830–1868)

Galata Palace Imperial School remained open until the 1830s, when the movement of reform and reorganization abolished the Ottoman Empire's old establishment. Sultan Mahmud II (1808-1839) replaced the Imperial School with the Ottoman Medical School, staffed largely by French professors, and most courses were taught in the French language. The Medical School functioned at the Galata Palace buildings for some thirty years.

Modern period (1868–1923)

Sultan Abdülaziz (1861-1876) was the first Ottoman sultan to travel to Europe. Invited by Napoleon III, in June-July 1867 he attended the World Exhibition in Paris. He then visited Queen Victoria in London, Wilhelm I in Prussia and Franz Joseph I in Vienna. Sultan Abdülaziz was impressed by the French educational system during his visit, andon his return to Istanbul he announced the Edict of Public Education, which established a free compulsory education system for all children until they became twelve. In September 1868, influenced by the French Lycée model, a school was established under the name "Lycée Impérial Ottoman de Galata-Sérai" (in Turkish: Galatasaray Mekteb-i Sultanisi). French was the main language of instruction, and many teachers were European. The students included members of all religious and ethnic communities of the Ottoman Empire. Many students from this 55 year period became prominent statesmen, educators, bureaucrats and writers in Turkey and in other nation-states which were once a part of the Ottoman Empire. Some even served as the first statesmen in their newly established countries in Greece, Bulgaria and Serbia.

The influence of Galatasaray on modern Turkey has been enormous. As the need for administrators, diplomats, and other leaders with a modern education and capacity to handle Western administrative apparatus became more and more pressing, the graduates of Galatasaray filled these roles in the politics of the Ottoman Empire and, after it, of the Republic of Turkey.

Lycée de Galatasaray, with its contributions to the Westernization of the "East", came to be considered the "Window to the West".

Since this period, the district where this institution stands has been known as Galatasaray. In 1905, in one of Galatasaray's classrooms, the Galatasaray Soccer Club was founded.

From the establishment of the Republic of Turkey to the Integrated Education System (1923–1992)

With the abolition of the Ottoman Empire and the proclamation of the Republic of Turkey in 1923, the name of the school was changed to "Galatasaray Lisesi" (Lycée de Galatasaray).

Atatürk, the founder of modern Turkey, visited Galatasaray 3 times: on December 2, 1930; January 28, 1932; and July 1, 1933.

Instruction was conducted in Turkish and French, and the school was composed of an Elementary School (5 years) and a Lycée (7 years) where French Language and Literature, Philosophy, Mathematics, Physics, Chemistry, English, and German were taught selectively in the last four years.

The school became co-educational in 1965, and female students now constitute at least 40% of the school's pupils.

One of the main buildings of the Feriye Palace on the Bosphorus, in the Ortaköy district, was also given to Galatasaray when it needed more room for expansion.

Integrated Education System (1992–present)

Street level view of the gate (left) as seen from Galatasaray Square on İstiklal Avenue

Close-up view of the main gate on İstiklal Avenue in Beyoğlu

Main entrance gate on İstiklal Avenue in Beyoğlu

A view from the garden

In the 1990s, Galatasaray entered another period of transformation. The signing of the Turkish-French Bilateral Agreement of 1992 led to the foundation of Galatasaray University which essentially grew out of the Lycée. With the addition of a new primary education school, the three units have emerged as autonomous components of an integrated education system under the aegis of the University.

The admission to the Lycée is by selective exams. Turkish primary school graduates take a very competitive centralized exam if they wish to be enrolled in a limited number of elite public high schools. Galatasaray admits 100 students from the top 750 of about 600,000 candidates. Galatasaray primary education school graduates are admitted to the Lycée, subject to examination. Lycée graduates may continue their higher education in Galatasaray University, where 25 percent of the enrollment quota is reserved for them, also subject to examination.

Until 1997, Lycée de Galatasaray was an 8-year school, which, for graduates of the 5-year compulsory primary school, involved 2 years of preparatory, 3 years of junior high, and 3 years of senior high school education. Galatasaray has become a 5-year senior high school with the introduction of the 8-year compulsory primary education system in Turkey, starting in the 2003-2004 academic year, including 1-year prep.

Galatasaray, being a boarding school, has a richly diverse student body, with boys and girls coming from every corner of the country. The current curriculum consists of a blend of Turkish and French curricula, plus a number of additional language and elective courses. Courses on Turkish Literature, Geography, History, Ethics, and Art are taught in Turkish. French Literature, Philosophy, Sociology, Mathematics, and Science courses use French as the language of instruction. In addition, English is taught from the primary school's sixth grade on, while Italian and Latin are taught in the Lycée grades.

The students set up an English Club in 1997, which regularly participates in the Harvard Model United Nations Conferences.

The Lycée de Galatasaray diploma is equivalent to the French Baccalaureate, and graduates of Galatasaray are admitted to universities in France without further examinations. Moreover, they have no difficulty in enrolling in the best universities in Turkey and abroad. After obtaining their University degrees, many of these students join the Civil and Diplomatic Services, which befits the Enderun and later Imperial school traditions.

Graduates of this school during the last 80 years have included two Prime Ministers, eight Foreign Affairs Ministers and scores of cabinet Ministers and Undersecretaries. Apart from these the alumni of this institution have become academicians, judges, educators, writers, doctors, architects, engineers, journalists, artists, film directors, poets, painters and many other professionals.

Many Galatasaray alumni have joined the Ministry of Foreign Affairs. They constitute an important body in the Diplomatic Corps, and the number of those who have reached the Ambassadorial rank exceeds one hundred.

Today, Lycée de Galatasaray graduates continue to occupy high ranking political, industrial and business positions within and outside Turkey. They are represented by 17 Alumni Associations, 9 in Turkey, and 8 in Europe, North America and South Africa.

Education

Education is primarily in French and Turkish. English and Italian are also taught as second languages. There is also a slight exposure to Ottoman Turkish, Persian, and Arabic through Literature and Religion classes, as well as Latin and Greek through the French classes.

The school years break down as follows:

Elementary School (8 years) - admission through a lottery. French Prep (1 year) Lyceum (4 years) - admission through the Secondary Education Institutions Entrance Exam (OKS) French Prep (1 year) University (4 years) - admission through the National University Entrance Exam (OSS)

Note: The most recent change happened in 2003 with the establishment of an 8-year Primary School system (which integrated the previous 5 years of Elementary School and 3 years of Junior High under a single body). With this new system, the 1-year Prep and 4-year Junior High education were transitioned into the Primary School.

Motto

"J'aime la qualité, j'aime la superiorité, alors j'aime mon Lycée."

French for "I love quality, I love superiority, thus I love my lycée."

Galatasaray sports

See Galatasaray S.K.

Galatasaray extracurricular activities

GSL Music Club
GSL Press Club
GSL Culture and Literature Club
GSL Theatre Club
GSL Arts Club
GSL Social Sciences Club
GSL Folklore Club
GSL Firestoppers Club
GSL Travel Club
GSL Sports Club
GSL Science & Technology Club
GSL Photography Club
GSL Civil Protection Club
GSL Cinema Club
GSL Natural Sports Club
GSL Philosophy Club
GSL Ecology Club
GSL Computer Club
GSL Chess Club
GSL English Club
GSL Anime-Manga Club
GSL Board Games Club

GSL English Club

Founded by students Onur Günday, Emir Kısagün and Mustafa Yazıcı in 1996, the club's goal was to create real-life activities for students to practice English. Thanks to the GSL English Club, in 1997, Galatasaray became the first high school whose primary language of education was not English to become accepted by the Harvard National Model United Nations Conference. In May 1999, under the presidency of Anil Ugurlu, the English Club also published the first English language school magazine in Galatasaray's history. The magazine, named "Third Dimension", expressed the importance of a third language in the school. The creation of the English Club and the publication of Third Dimension were considered revolutionary in a traditionally Francophone school, where the influence of globalization and importance of English had finally expressed itself with the creation of the club.

Another thing which makes the English Club unique is that it's a uniquely student-managed and alumni-funded clu; the members are responsible for funding the Harvard MUN Conference through the donations they gather from the alumni. Since 1997, the GSL English Club sends an increasing number of students to the HMUN conference.

In 2005, the club reconstructed its member selection system and internal regulation thanks to the efforts of president Onur Surgit who is now continuing his higher education in the United States. Surgit's efforts have paid off as the club started to show serious progress in international conferences. Future presidents hope to build on Surgit's success and make the club progress even further.

The most significant success of the GSL English Club came when ex co-president Onur Çetintürk won the Outstanding Delegate Award in the 2006 MUNTR. Since then, the members of the club are determined to return to their homeland with an award from the prestigious Harvard National Model United Nations Conference.

In 2006, GSL English Club presidency was handed to Ali Yalgin with the utmost hope to continue the steps forward towards achieving a first place in an international MUN conference.

Galatasaray traditions

"Window to the West" and the Statue of Atatürk in the garden of Galatasaray Lisesi

Fraternity: Ağabey-Abla tradition

At Galatasaray there is a tradition of respecting the elder brothers and sisters. The elders protect the younger brothers/sisters while the younger ones respect the elders, creating a relationship of fraternal hierarchy and ranks among the student body. After graduation, this fraternity continues regardless of age, status or geographic location.

Being the Window to the West

Lycée de Galatasaray, with its contributions to the Westernization of the "East", came to be considered the "Window to the West".

Galatasaray alumni

During 80 years of the Republican Period, there were two Prime Ministers, eight Foreign Ministers, scores of other Cabinet Ministers and Undersecretaries in the state administration. Apart from these, many academicians, judges, educators, writers, doctors, architects, engineers, journalists, artists, stage artists, film directors, poets, painters etc. constitute the illustrious alumni of this institution.

Grand Viziers and Prime Ministers

Çorlulu Ali Paşa, Grand Vizier of the Ottoman Empire
Melek Ahmet Paşa, Grand Vizier of the Ottoman Empire
Keçecizade Fuat Paşa, Grand Vizier of the Ottoman Empire
Suat Hayri Ürgüplü, Prime Minister of Turkey
Nihat Erim, Prime Minister of Turkey

Foreign Kings, Presidents and Prime Ministers

King Zog of Albania (1928-1939)
Yitzhak Ben-Zvi, 2nd President of Israel
Mehmet Ali El-Abid, President of Syria (1932) and Ambassador of Syria to the United States in Washington D.C. (1890 graduate)
Suphi Bereket, Prime Minister of Syria

Ministers

Mehmet Sait Paşa, Vizier of the Ottoman Empire
Abdurrahman Abdi Paşa, Vizier of the Ottoman Empire
Mahmut Muhtar Paşa, Minister of Navy of the Ottoman Empire (1886 graduate)
Keçecizade Fuat Paşa, Minister of Foreign Affairs of the Ottoman Empire
Abdurrahman Şeref, Minister of Education of the Ottoman Empire
Osman Nizami Paşa, Minister of Construction of the Ottoman Empire (1876 graduate)
Şemsettin Paşa, Minister of Documents of the Ottoman Empire (1878 graduate)
Mustafa Reşit Paşa, Minister of the Ottoman Empire between 1912-1920
Ali Paşa
Dr. Cemil Topuzlu, Minister of Construction of the Ottoman Empire
Sabahattin Tanman, Minister of Customs and Monopoly of the Ottoman Empire
Prof. Yusuf Hikmet Bayur, Minister of Education of the Ottoman Empire (1909 graduate)
Necmeddin Sadak, Minister of Foreign Affairs (1910 graduate)
İ. Hakkı Baban, Minister of Education
Hamdullah Suphi Tanrıöver, Minister of Education
Şükrü Kaya, Minister of Agriculture, Interior and Foreign Affairs
Hikmet Bayur, Minister of Education
Feridun Cemal Erkin, Minister of Foreign Affairs
Suat Hayri Ürgüplü, Minister of Customs and Monopoly
Fatin Rüştü Zorlu, Minister of Foreign Affairs
Kasım Gülek, Minister of Construction, Transport and State
Cihad Baban, Minister of Culture and Tourism
Prof. Dr. Nihat Erim, Minister of Construction, Deputy Prime Minister
Turan Güneş, Minister of Foreign Affairs
Orhan Eyüpoğlu, Minister of State
Prof. Dr. Orhan Dikmen, Minister of Agriculture
Mehmet Baydur, Minister of Trade
Malik Yolaç, Minister of Youth and Sports
Necmettin Cevheri, Minister of State
İlter Türkmen, Minister of Foreign Affairs
Prof. Dr. Turhan Feyzioğlu, Deputy Prime Minister
Şahap Kocatopçu, Minister of Industry and Trade
Hasan Esat Işık, Minister of State, Minister of Foreign Affairs
Dr. Ali Tanrıyar, Minister of Interior
Mükerrem Taşçıoğlu, Minister of Culture and Tourism
Coşkun Kırca, Minister of Foreign Affairs
İlhan Evliyaoğlu, Minister of Culture and Tourism
Prof. Dr. Mümtaz Soysal, Minister of Foreign Affairs
Fikri Sağlar, Minister of Culture

Ministers of foreign countries

General Mikhail Savov, Secretary of War of Bulgaria (1876 graduate)
Konstantin Velichkov, Minister of Education of Bulgaria and writer (1874 graduate)
Mirza Sadık Khan, Minister of Internal Affairs of Iran (1885 graduate)
İzzeddine, Secretary of State of Egypt
Feidi Atassi, Minister in several governments in Syria and famous politician

Governors

Serasker Mehmet Sait Paşa
Vizier Mustafa Paşa
İsmail Paşa, Governor of Bosnia and Herzegovina
Abdülkerim Tabipzade (1883 graduate)
Osman Galip, Governor of Aleppo, Syria
Mehmet Galip (1883 graduate)
Hüseyin Ragıp Ural
Rebii Karatekin
Nevzat Hakkı Baykal
Ragıp Gerçekler
Tahir Fikret Aslan
Rebii Karatekin
Mukadder Öztekin
Çelik Çetin Birmek
Ahmet Elbeyli
Mar'i Pasha Al Mallah, last Ottoman Interim Governor of the Province of Aleppo, Syria (1876 graduate)

Notable diplomats

Below are the names of Galatasaray alumni, who represented the Republic of Turkey as ambassadors to the United States, Canada, the United Nations and other countries.

United States:

Ahmet Muhtar (GS. 1883) 1927-1934
Feridun Cemal Erkin (GS. 1920) 1948-1955
Suat Hayri Ürgüplü (GS. 1924) 1957-1960
Bülent Uşakligil (GS. 1923) 1960-1962
Melih Esenbel (GS. 1933) 1967-1979
Şükrü Elekdağ (GS. 1943) 1979-1989
Nüzhet Kandemir (GS. 1953) 1989-1998

Canada:

Taha Çarim (GS. 1936) 1961-1965
Mehmet Baydur (GS. 1937) 1965-1968
Tahir Şentürk (GS. 1946) 1975-1980
Coşkun Kırca (GS. 1945) 1985-1986
Ömer Ersun (GS. 1956) 1995-1998

United Nations:

İlter Türkmen (GS. 1945) 1975-1980 and 1985-1988
Coşkun Kırca (GS. 1945) 1980-1985

Austria:

Daniş Tunalıgil (GS. 1933) -1975

France:

Necdet Kent: Given the title Righteous among the Nations for saving many Jews in the invaded city of Marseille in WW II.

Famous writers and poets

Notable graduates

Yunus Nadi Abalıoğlu, journalist
Daron Acemoglu, economist
Haldun Taner, journalist, writer
Şerif Mardin, social science scholar
Tarık Papuççuoğlu, actor
Fikret Kızılok, musician
Renan Bilek, musician
Barış Manço, musician
Engin Ardıç, journalist
Ferhan Şensoy, writer, comedian, actor, director, theatre owner
Selim İleri, writer, TV programme producer and host in TRT 2
Okan Bayülgen, actor and TV show host
Erol Hasan Çakmak, economist
Candan Erçetin, pop musician
Ulvi Cemal Erkin, composer
Bülent Arel, composer
İlhan Mimaroğlu, composer
İlhan Usmanbaş, composer
Yalçın Tura, composer
Feza Gürsey, physicist
Abdi İpekçi, journalist
Todor Kableshkov, Bulgarian national activist
Dimitar Marinov, Bulgarian ethnographer and historian
Stoyan Mihaylovski, Bulgarian writer and politician (1872 graduate)
Nikola Milev, Bulgarian historian
Simeon Radev, eminent Bulgarian diplomat and historian
Süreyya Serdengeçti, economist, former Governor of the Central Bank of Turkey
Turgay Şeren, soccer player, goalkeeper and team captain of Galatasaray S.K. and Turkey

Galatasaray Alumni Pilav Day

Galatasaray alumni gather on the grounds of the Lycée every year, on the first Sunday of June, to enjoy the traditional Pilav Day, a day of reunion and feast for all Galatasaraylıs, where a special Pilav (rice pilaf) and meat is served in the school's cafeterias as in the old school days. Many schools have copied this tradition and now hold their reunions and call them "Pilav Days".