Education in Söke district during the period of Abdulhamid II (1876-1908)

Within the extent of modernization in the 19th century, the Ottoman Empire made important arrangements in the field of education as well as in military, administrative, economic, and social fields. The modern education process, which had begun during the reign of Mahmut II, accelerated during the Tanzimat Period. The first boys' secondary schools, which opened in Istanbul in 1847, began to be opened in the provinces in the 1850s. In 1859, the first girls' secondary school was opened in Istanbul. During the Tanzimat Period, attempts were made to reform the primary schools (sibyan mektepleri), but the expected positive results were not obtained. As of 1846, important institutional and legal arrangements were made in the central organization of education. The Ministry of Education was established in 1857 to administer and inspect modern schools. On the other hand, primary schools (sibyan mektepleri) and madrassas, which constitute traditional educational institutions, preserved their existence. By publishing the Education Regulation on September 1, 1869, modern educational institutions were thoroughly regulated. In the 19th century, non-Muslims and foreigners also opened schools. Modern educational institutions began to be opened mainly in the district centers during the reign of Abdülhamit II. A study that addresses the lack of independent research on education in Söke during the reign of Abdulhamid II aims to fill this existing gap. In the study, which used primary sources, especially archive documents, salnames and newspapers, modern and traditional educational institutions that were opened or still exist in Söke were discussed. Based on archival documents, salnames, newspapers, and literature, the study focuses mainly on the institutional basis of the girls' and boys' primary and secondary schools and the madrasahs opened in Söke during the reign of Abdülhamid II. Armenian and Greek primary schools were also included in the study. As a result, in the district of Soke, three boys, one girl primary school (ibtidai metebi), it has been seen that a male secondary school, six Greek and one Armenian schools were opened in 1881, four madrasas and a library provided services within the scope of traditional educational institutions. Keywords: Söke, madrasa, school, secondary school, modern public primary school, Muslim/Turkish, Greek, Armenian.