our hope and our future
The Sts. Tarkmanchats Armenian (Holy Translators')
School in Jerusalem was built on the heights of Mount
Zion in the year 1929 in the days of His Beatitude, the
late Patriarch Yeghishe Tourian, homage to his memory
and to all those who had the vision of creating this
school.
It
was
then
an
elementary
school.
During
the
British
Mandate,
its
student
population
was
700.
Now
this
figure
has
dwindled
to
150,
the
community
itself
having
shrunk
considerably,
by
the
emigration
of
many
families
who
have
chosen
to
resettle
in
safer
havens
on
foreign
shores.
In
1953,
the
Secondary
Department
was
added,
class
by
class,
through
the
untiring
efforts
of
His
Grace,
Bishop
Guregh
Kapikian,
and
in
1957,
the
school
gave
its
first
graduates
from
the
Secondary
Department.
Nothing
was
more
difficult,
more
exhausting,
more
exacting
than
the
start
of
our
Secondary
department's
first
crucial
years.
So
far,
we
have
had
around
400
graduates
from
the
secondary
department
-
boys
and
girls,
half
of
whom
have
furthered
their
higher
studies
either
in
the
country
or
abroad;
many
have
distinguished
themselves
in
medicine,
engineering,
law,
education
and
in
other
areas.
This
year
[Ed:
1999],
we
celebrate
an
important
milestone, the 70th anniversary.
It
is
time
to
reflect
on
our
past
achievements
and
prepare
for
further challenges that lie ahead.
For
the
past
70
years
now
it
has
been
shining
brightly
like
a
beacon
of
hope,
guiding
generation
after
generation
the
children
of
our
nation.
It
is
a
fountain
of
knowledge
operating
on
a
par
with
all
other
schools
in
the
area;
it
is
the
greatest
blessing
to
the
Armenian
Community
-
a
vibrant
force,
throbbing
and
pulsating
with
life,
that
plays
a
vital
role
in
its
contribution
towards
the
preservation
and
propagation
of
our
Armenian
cultural
heritage;
in
addition
to
safeguarding
the
national
identity
of
the
members
of
our
Armenian
Community.
Besides,
it
imparts
knowledge
to
our
students,
helps
to
mould
their
character_
to
form
their
personality
and
to
instil
in
them
a
sense
of
individual
worth
and
self-confidence.
all
this
helps
them
to
wage
and
win
the
battle
of
life,
which
is
one
long
strife,
in
which
only the fittest survive.
The
Tarkmanchats
offers
its
students
the
unique
prerogative
of
learning
side
by
side
with
other
languages
and
sciences,
their
golden
mother
tongue
and
to
perpetuate
it.
We
see
to
it
that
our
children
are
imbued
with
a
healthy
atmosphere,
inbred
with
a
pure
national
spirit.
The
mission
of
all
Armenian
schools
in
the
diaspora
should
be
to
save
the
Armenian
Language
from
extinction.
This
is
our
sacred
mission.
In
addition
to
this,
our
objective
has
been
to
supply
our
students
with
a
sound
education
and
the
prerequisite
qualifications
that
constitute the necessary mid-work for higher learning and education.
Also
our
aim
has
been
to
impart
the
type
of
education
that
should
enrich
the
lives
of
our
students,
and
widen
their
horizon.
Over
and
above
this,
we
prepare
our
students
for
the
G.C.S.E.
previously
known
as
the
G.C.E.
which
qualifies
the
bearer
of
this
diploma
admission
to
any
university
to
enable
him
further
his
higher
studies;
in
the
final
analysis,
nothing
can
be
more
rewarding
than
the
education
of
our
youth,
as
they
are
the
key
to
the
survival
of
the
Armenian nation.
Year
in
year
out,
a
new
batch
goes
to
join
the
long
caravan
of
our
graduates,
thus
adding
one
more
ring
in
the
long
golden
chain
-
they
are the pride of our community and nation wherever they may be.
Our
message
to
our
graduates
has
been
to
infuse
in
their
heart
a
profound
love
for
our
fatherland,
our
mother
tongue,
its
rich
legacy
and
priceless
national
heritage,
to
spare
no
efforts
in
upholding
its
national
interests,
as
now,
more
than
ever
before,
it
stands
in
need
of
brave,
dynamic,
educated,
and
dedicated
young
ladies
and
gentlemen.
We
are
infinitely
grateful
to
His
Beatitude,
Archbishop
Torkom
Manoogian,
our
[Ed:
late]
patriarch,
for
his
positive
stand
and
keen
interest
in
the
educational
life
of
our
school;
he
closely
supervises
our
work
and
spares
neither
time
nor
energy,
and
never
denies
his
moral
and
material
assistance
towards
the
well-being
of
our
school;
he
has
been
instrumental
in
the
introduction
of
several
reforms
in
the school.
A
special
word
of
gratitude
to
all
those
who
have
steered
this
vessel,
and
to
all
those
devoted
teachers
who
have
served
with
the
utmost
dedication
the
children
of
our
nation.
Their
work,
more
than
a
job,
is
a
lofty
mission.
A
good
number
of
these
teachers
have
departed
from
us
for
good,
but
their
memories
shall
remain
forever
immortal.
Teaching
is
the
most
sensitive
task,
the
most
humanitarian
calling
that
far
transcends
any
other
vocation.
However,
there
is
a
distinct
line
of
separation
between
teaching
and
education:
teaching
implies
the
imparting
of
knowledge,
education
on
the
other
hand,
deals
with
moulding
the
character,
edifying
a
child,
and
preparing
him
for
life
after
school.
Education
is
a
lifelong
process,
it
starts
at
home,
but
schools
are
an
extension
of
the
education
the
foundations
of
which
are laid at home.
Home
alone,
school
alone,
cannot
assume
the
full
brunt
of
the
responsibility
of
a
child's
education,
only
a
preconcerted
co-
operation
between
the
two
can
help
shoulder
successfully
this
noblest
of
all
callings,
especially
in
these
days
of
a
polluted
moral
and
spiritual
atmosphere,
it
is
therefore
incumbent
on
both
-
parents
and teachers to constantly co-ordinate their efforts.
Also,
our
whole-hearted
gratitude
is
due
to
all
the
magnanimous
and
noble-hearted
benefactors
and
benefactresses
whose
spontaneous
assistance,
both
moral
and
material,
has
been
vital
for
the running of the school.
May
the
Almighty
reward
them
in
their
unwavering
commitment
to
help
us
confront
and
surmount
the
formidable
financial
challenges.
Indeed
to
keep
Armenian
schools
running
in
the
diaspora
in the face of a host of hurdles is a Herculean task.
Last
but
not
least,
our
love
and
greetings
go
to
all
our
graduates,
scattered
as
they
are
is
the
four
corners
of
the
world,
and
who,
we
believe,
shall
never
betray
the
trust
that
has
been
ed
in
them,
but
shall
always
remain
the
faithful
ambassadors
to
their
Alma
Mater
wherever they may be.
[Ed:
Yeghya
Dickranian
has
been
deputy
principal
of
the
Sts
Tarkmanchats
high
school
for
several
years,
helping
steer
it
into
the
IT
age,
educating
a
generation
of
young
Armenians.
He
has
also
taught
at
the
school,
his
primary
subjects
English
language
and
literature.]