Armenian Evangelical College History Club (1964-2017)

Armenian Evangelical College History Club

(1964-2017)

Dr. Zaven Messerlian

Translated by: Vahe H. Apelian

Recently I received the latest and mostly likely the last copy of the Armenian Evangelical College History Club’s periodical “Ani”. The attached is the translation of an article Dr. Zaven Messerlian wrote about the AEC History Club.

The history club of the Armenian Evangelical College was founded during academic year 1964-1965 by the initiative of the school’s history teacher, Mr. Zaven Messerlian (later Doctor). The history club was the most popular club that functioned until 2016-2017 academic year at the closure of the 50 years long principalship of Dr. Zaven Messerlian, who was the club’s advisor.  During this period the club interrupted its activities for three times: during the 1975-1976 academic year, when the Lebanese Civil War started, and the school remained open for three weeks only; during the following academic year, 1976-1977, when the school accomplished two academic years to cover for the lost year suspending all club activities; during second semester of the 1983-1984 academic year, when the ongoing civil war intensified. During the 1998-1999 academic year the club had limited activities without a committee and functioned under the direction of the club’s advisor.

Attached is the listing of the chairpersons of the history club during those 1965-2017 academic years, They were elected by secret balloting during the club’s annual general meeting.

1964-1965	Ohan Armenian	1992-1993	Sevan Artin
1965-1966	Sarkis Kargodorian	1993-1994	Yeghig Torossian
1966-1967	Artoun Hamalian	1994-1995	Yeghig Torossian
1967-1968	Jack Abadjian	1995-1996	Vazken Kurkjian
1968-1969	Vazken Tossounian	1996-1997	Mirna Ghalaiani
1969-1970	Hagop Bouldoukian	1997-1998	Garo Avessian
1970-1971	Aline Khanzoyan	1999-2000	Shushan Artinian
1971-1972	Vache Minassian	2000-2001	Khajag Garabedian
1972-1973	Vicken Gulvartian	2001-2002	Vartoug Bedevian
1973-1974	Vahe Keoshgerian		Shushan Artinian
1974-1975	Vahe Keoshgerian	2002-2003	Grace Kurkjian
1977-1978	Daron Der Khachadourian	2003-2004	Grace Kurkjian
1979-1980	Khatchig Dedeyan	2004-2005	Aline Keshishian
1980-1981	Hagop Demirdjian	2005-2006	Diala Terzian
1981-1982	Jenny Etyemezian	2006-2007	Nina Baboyan
1982-1983	Hrair Koutnouyan	2007-2008	Harout Artinian
1983-1984	Donald Babikyan	2008-2009	Takouhi Hovannesian
1984-1985	Hilda Kurekdjian	2009-2010	Kevork Hovannesian
1985-1986	Lena Takvorian	2010-2011	Hagop Dekermenjian
1986-1987	Shahe Shnorhokian	2011-2012	Nayiri Krikorian
1987-1988	Sevag Abdalian	2012-2013	James Dekermenjian
1988-1989	Sevag Kalaydjian	2013-2014	Berj Hovannesian
1989-1990	Pierre Kouyoumdjian	2014-2015	Arman Khederlarian
1990-1991	Natalie Kouyoumdjian	2015-2016	Levon Babikian
1991-1992	Houry Puzantian	2016-2017	Omar Khatib

Reading the listing, it becomes apparent that some of them became notable by the services they rendered to the Armenian communal life and all of them became successful in the careers they pursued.

The history club published “Ani” periodical as part of its activities (see a separate article) along with lectures by guests and students, visitations, outings to historical locations, seeing movies in the city’s known theaters and in the school, individual and group general knowledge contests, bulletin board question and answer contests, debates, documentary exhibitions of historical events, and staging.

Below is a summary of the overall activities during the past 47 academic years.

A. LECTURES

Lectures by Prof. Zein Zein, numismatist Asbed Donabedian, historian Dr. Yervant Kassouny, musicologist Ashod Badmakerian, professor of law and politics Shavarsh Torigian, Rev. Manuel Jinbashian, Father Kevork Vartabed Garbisian. Many students also gave presentations.

B. SEEING HISTORICAL MOVIES.

 The Fall of Roman Empire, Michael Angelo,
Waterloo, Cromwell, Brave heart, El-Masir, Gladiator, Elizabeth, Joan of Arc, The Musketeers, The Count of Monte Cristo, The Last Samurai, Troy, Alexander, Kingdom of Heaven, Elizabeth the Golden Age, 1492, The Other Boleyn Girl, 300; Valkiri, The King’s Speech, The Three Musketeers, Lincoln, Hercules, 300; Rise of the Empire, Exodus, Gods and Kings, Risen and Hacksaw Ridge.

Historical films were also shown in the school, repeating their showing for successive generations. The number in the parenthesis after each title indicates the number of times each film was shown.

Mary Queen of Scots (7), The Scarlet and the Black (7), Anne of the Thousand Days (5), Cromwell (5), Where Eagles Dare (3), Omar Mukhtar (3), El-Cid (3), Ivanhoe (3), Young Bess (3), Ben Hur (2), Nicholas and Alexandra (2), Elizabeth (2), Gladiator (2), Braveheart (2); and once the following films: Fall of the Roman Empire, 1492, The Last Mohican, The Mongols, Lady Jane Grey, Troy, Apocalypto, Lark Farm, Ձորի Միրօ, Joan of Arc, Vikings, The Patriot, Tora Tora, The Young Victoria, The Man Behind the Iron Mask, The Eagle Has Landed and  The Great Escape.

C. VISITATIONS

During its 47 years of existence the history club organized communal activities such as games, luncheons in the city’s various restaurants.

The history club members by themselves or along with members of the other clubs visited, Catholicoses Khoren I, Karekin II, and Aram I; presidents of the Union of the Armenian Evangelical Churches in the Near East (UAECNE), Rev. Hovhannes Aharonian and Rev. Megerdich Karageozian; Armenian Catholic Catholicos-Patriarchs: Ignadeos-Bedros XVI Batanian, Hovhannes-Bedros XVIII Kasparian, and Nerses-Bedros XIX Tarmouni.

The members also visited the Lebanon’s presidential in Baabda, Prime Minister’s seat the Grand Serail, the history museum of the American University of Beirut (16 times), Lebanon’s history museum (5 times), the museum of the Catholicosate of Cilicia (3 times), Libanorama (3 times), Hall of Fame (2 times) and once the wax museum of Jbeil, the Henry Pharaon house-museum and the Castle Moussa

D. OUTINGS

The club organized the following outings: The Byblos Castle in Jbeil (13 times), Saida (10), the Crusaders’ Castle in Tripoli (11), the Seat of the Catholicos-Patriarch of Armenian Catholics in Bzommar (9), the Beiteddine Palace (8), the Jeita Grotto (8), Nahl El-Kalb (2), the cemetery and the ruins of the city Sour (5), Our Lady of Harrissa (4), the castle of Mousallahieh (4), Cana (3), Baalbek (3), Beit Mery (1).

In 1975 the club organized a daylong trip to Damascus visiting museums and the Azmi Palace.

E. SPECIAL ACTIVITIES

The club organized a documentary exhibition about the notable Armenians of the 20^th Century (2014); staging the trial of Soghomon Tehlirian (1968, 1980) and the staging of the United Nation’s Security Council meeting about Cyprus crisis (1964). In response to Mr. Zaven Messerlian’s letter, the President of Cyprus Archbishop Makarios III sent a congratulatory telegram for organizing the event.

Dr. Zaven Messerlian

Honorary Principal