The Armenian Evangelical Central High School ( hy, Հայ Աւետարանական Կեդրոնական Բարձրագոյն Վարժարան) is one of the oldest and most-well established

Armenian schools Schools and universities in Armenia Some of universities in Armenia: *American University of Armenia * Yerevan State University * Yerevan State Medical UniversityRussian-Armenian State UniversityYerevan, ArmeniaUniversité Française en Armén ...

Lebanon Lebanon ( , ar, لُبْنَان, translit=lubnān, ), officially the Republic of Lebanon () or the Lebanese Republic, is a country in Western Asia. It is located between Syria to the north and east and Israel to the south, while Cyprus lie ...

. It was founded in 1922 in a refugee camp, on the initiative of the Reverend Yenovk Hadidian. Ten years later, it moved to its present location in

Ashrafieh Achrafieh ( ar, الأشرفية) is an upper-class area in eastern Beirut, Lebanon. In strictly administrative terms, the name refers to a sector (''secteur'') centred on Sassine Square, the highest point in the city, as well as a broader quart ...

, eastern

Beirut Beirut, french: Beyrouth is the capital and largest city of Lebanon. , Greater Beirut has a population of 2.5 million, which makes it the third-largest city in the Levant region. The city is situated on a peninsula at the midpoint o ...

. The current principal is Mrs. Maral Deyirmenjian (2007- ).

History

After the

Armenian genocide The Armenian genocide was the systematic destruction of the Armenian people and identity in the Ottoman Empire during World War I. Spearheaded by the ruling Committee of Union and Progress (CUP), it was implemented primarily through t ...

, the Armenians, who had sought refuge on the Eastern shores of the Mediterranean, tried to revive the Armenian life in a foreign land. One of the first envoys of this holy mission was Rev. Yenovk Hadidian, who formed an elementary school, in order to create a small Armenian family who would receive an evangelical education, and would give rise to new Armenian generations. On May 16, 1922, the first branch of the school started operating in a hut named “Adana Camp” in

. In 1922, a second evangelical school was formed in the nearby “Isgenderon camp”. In 1924, the two schools united under the name “Armenian Evangelical School for boys and girls”. It received its official license in 1925. Through Reverend Henry H. Riggs' generous donation, and in memory of his wife and daughter, a new building was built to serve as a church and classroom in the

area. During the years 1943-50, in successive steps the school underwent further changes: * It became a full high school, with 11 years of study after 3 years of kindergarten. * It developed its own library within the possibilities of the times. * It furnished a modest laboratory with three departments - physics, chemistry and biology. * It developed a good high school choir with four voices. * It started the tradition of annual field days. * It started publishing ''Arpi'' — the annual schoolbook. * Organized parent-teacher meetings and teacher training seminars The advancement of the Armenian Evangelical Central School continued as it set its first secondary class in the academic year 1944–1945. Ever since that day, the school is renamed Armenian Evangelical Central High School. In 1965, the school starts implementing the official state educational program with its three levels of examination: Certificate (6th grade), Brevet (9th grade), First and Second Baccalaureates (11th and 12th grades). In 1969, the kindergarten and elementary building was completed, and included a memorial hall dedicated to the victims of an accident during a school trip that took place on April 1, 1960, costing the life of 3 teachers and 18 students. During the academic year 1976–1977, grade twelve was established. The school celebrated its 60th anniversary in 1982 with commemorative events and its 65th in 1987 with a concert of performing arts. The publication of a large-format anniversary scrapbook/photo album marked the 70th anniversary. In 2002, church and community leaders, government ministers, academic representatives, school principals and others join the school family and its alumni in a public 80th anniversary grand jubilee.

Principals

* 2007- : Maral Deyirmenjian * 1997-2007: Sonia Sislian * 1988-1997: Sona Nashian * 1981-1988: Artoon Hamalian * 1975-1981: Aram Boolghoorjian * 1969-1975: Hovhannes Havoonjian * 1965-1969: Hagop Loussararian * 1960-1965: Rev. Dikran Khntrooni * 1959-1960: Hagop Boujikanian * 1958-1959: Lucine Kurkjian & Manasseh Shnorhokian * 1956-1958: Bedros Hagopian * 1950-1956: Kegham Missisian * 1946-1950: Manasseh Shnorhokian * 1943-1946: Rev. Yetvart Tovmassian * 1942-1943: Araxie Poladian * 1938-1942: Hagop Boujikanian * 1936-1938: Araxie Poladian * 1935-1936: Rev. Haigazoun Ghazarian * 1931-1935: George Gaidzaguian * 1930-1931: Makrouhi Garabedian * 1929-1931: Haroutiun Hmayan * 1928-1929: Senem Saatjian * 1922-1928: Jemileh Kardashian

External links

http://www.aechs.com/

https://web.archive.org/web/20050131213517/http://chs22.com/
(The combined website of the Armenian Evangelical Central High school in Beirut and its alumni group in the United States)

{{Armenian schools outside of Armenia Schools in Lebanon Educational institutions established in 1922 Armenian Evangelical schools 1920s establishments in Lebanon

History

Principals

See also

External links