The centennial of the remarkable & resilient Kessab United Ousoumnasirats Djemaran: Stepan Apelian recalls – 2 –

 I have attached my abridged translation of Stepan Apelian’s recollection of his days at the Kessab United Ousoumnasirats Djemaran at its centennial. From there Stepan graduated from the School of Agriculture of the American University of Beirut, and his brother Ara Apelian M.D. graduated from the School of Medicine.  They are among the many students who attended the remarkable Kessab United Ousoumnasirats Djemaran. Vahe H Apelian

LtoR: Stepan and Ara Apelian

When the Armenian language mattered

It was the beginning of the 1959-1960 academic year. My father and I came to Kessab on the day of the registration by a new route. I had not come from Keorkeuna, where we lived, by that route before, the Gourom (Գուրօմ) route, which comprised walking through the next village Chakhaljekhժ (Չագալճըգ), to Upper Chinar (Վէրի Չինար), to Gelegen laurel trees patch (Քէլէգին Կէսլէօտ), towards  Gouron (Գուրոն), and onto Ushbaghen (Օւշպաղէն). "That's where your school is," said my father. "This should be your route to Ousoumnasertats school."

I was an eigh-years-old kid. Summer or winter, that would be my daily route. Looking around, I silently followed my father. "Today we will register you, tomorrow we will start the classes," said a man with white hair, short stature wearing thick glasses, but had a commanding posture. He was a close ideological friend of my father. He was going to be our principal. His name was Joseph Basmajian.

My mother was also had him as a teacher and principal. He was a man who dedicated his life to teaching and raising generations up to his untimely death. They would say that he died suddenly and unexpectedly. They said he still had a a lot to offer and was very active and energetic. He was barely sixty-five years old. We were shaken to our core. Kessab mourned the death of this distinguished teacher and principal.

I looked all around. There was a lage hall that had a dozen doors opening to what would be our classrooms. At the entrance, there was a big gate. I was watching from the principal’s office when the Mr. Principal announced my name and said to us, "we will admit you to the third grade".  I became emotional complaining looking at my father to see if he  would give  his consent to keep me in the same class. He was in agreement!  But I was not.  I complained looking at my father upset. "I don’t want to repeat my class", I protested. Mr. Basmajian explained to me his decision in a convincing way. He said, "here, the Armenian language we teach is at a higher level. The Armenian language you will be taught is at fifth grade level.  Do not regard yourself as a third grader. On the contrary, jump another grade and consider yourself that you are now at fifth grade!” 

Indeed, when the classes began, almost all subjects were taught in Armenian, be it science, geography, mathematics, history. Arabic was considered and aught  as another language. Along with the instruction in Armenian, the subjects, such as history, geography were also taught in Arabic, in a different context. The lessons thus were thus double, one in Armenian, one in Arabic. The principal taught English. He made the lessons interesting but was very demanding.

Books, books, and twice as many notebooks, it was a heavy load for me to carry on my eight years old frame. Rain, cold, snow, storm or blizzard should present no obstacle.  I should carry them from from Keorkiuna to Ushbaghen and back, through the Gelegen laurel trees patch, to  Keorkeuna.  A shiver went through my spine. How can I carry this burden? But the following day, I was very comforted when I learned that my classmates from Soulian neigherhood of Karadouran would be doing the same crossing twice longer than I did.  Ananother thing that worried was knowing who my classmates would be, in terms of age and height. Most of my classmates were older or the same age as me. I had classmates 4-5 years older than me. Repeating a class was a very common phenomenon.

In our days, the use of the cane in the classroom was inexhaustible, and that reality worried me but I was almost always spared, I never got hit with the cane, but some my friends did, and I would see them jump a meter, under the blows of the cane! The teachers expected the student who walked daily from Kaladouanara to Kessab/Ushbaghen would have time to read and study.

Our school day started at 8 a.m. in the hall with singing "Aravod Lousso Luson", crossing and praying. and would finish at 4 pm, with a two-hour break at noon time. The teachers and the students from Kessab would go to their homes to have lunch during the break. Those of us who came from the surrounding villages, brought our lunch with us. Every student wanted to know what  did his friend brought for lunch. Sometimes some students did not want to show their provision for the day, which would be bread, dried figs and raisins, at. times hard-boiled egg, a piece of cheese. In the spring, some freshly riped cucumbers with the bread, the sweet smell of which gathered everyone around the bundled food. During the holidays, our provisions would be a bit different.

To be continued….

Kessab United Ousoumnasirats Djemaran:
Courtesy of Kessab Educational Association of Lebanon, 1993