A Glimpse of Armenian Schools in U.S.A

Vahe H. Apelian

Posted in Keghart.com on October 5, 2011

This past Saturday, on October 1, on the very first day of the month we traditionally celebrate Armenian culture, I finished reading an interesting and inspiring book titled “A Glimpse of the History of the Armenian American Schools”, “Ակնարկ Ամերիկահայ Վաըժարաններու Պատմոթեան” by Dr. Hrant Adjemian.

The soft-cover book is published in Los Angeles (2011). It is 331 pages long and is in Western Armenian. The publication of the book has been realized by the generosity of the Caloust Gulbenkian Foundation for which the author expresses his gratitude.

The book presents the evolution and the chronology of the founding of the Armenian schools in the United States of America. The author first presents a brief history of Armenian presence in the country and the structuring of the nascent community in Worcester, MA and subsequently across the Mainland onto the West Coast in California.

The author notes that it took decades from the establishment of the first Armenian Church in Worcester, MA - Church of Our Savior in 1891 -  to the founding of the first Armenian school in California in 1964. The author attributes the lag of time to the belief of the community that the church is the best guardian of our heritage hence the communities vested their energies into building churches. Along the way, the Armenian Americans enabled Armenian communities in the Middle East to found their own schools by rendering them substantial financial support while not daring to venture into establishing their own schools

Adjemian subsequently presents in detail the founding of the first Armenian school by Gabriel Injejikian, whom he calls “a saint of a daredevil”, “Սրբազան Խենթ”. Gabriel Injejikian was born in Kessab, Syria and educated in the United States. He founded the first Armenian school in Encino, California in September 1964 with 12 students. The School is named after Mr. Matheos Ferrahain who had willed a substantial sum of money towards the first Armenian school in America. Gabriel Injejikian acted as its founding principal for the next 25 years.

The Holy Martyrs Ferrahian Armenian School gave impetus to the establishing other schools. The author subsequently presents a brief history of the founding of each of the following Armenian Schools in U.S.A., 16 of which are in California – 13 in greater Los Angeles, 1 in Orange County, 1 in Fresno and 1 in San Francisco. There is an Armenian School in Southfield (MI), in New Milford (NJ), in Philadelphia (PA), in Bayside, (NY), and in Boston (MA). See the listing of the schools, their founding dates and the closure dates of some of them:https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_Armenian_schools_in_the_United_States 

After briefing the history of the founding of the Armenian Schools, Adjemian presents thought-provoking assays on whether these schools are justifying their mission; on the challenges to pass the Armenian heritage to the next generation in America; on the state of the Armenian language in the Armenian Schools in U.S., and whether the Armenian Schools are preparing community leaders. The author also proposes ways and means to further the mission of the Armenian American Schools and make it more effective. 

Adjemian states that after 1986 no other Armenian School was established in US [Note: The AGBU founded the Vatche and Tamar Manoukian High School in Pasadena in 2006.]. Gabriel Injejikian took upon himself to venture again into uncharted territories and after planning for over a decade, Gabriel founded the Ararat Charter School in Los Angeles last year, 2010. The Ararat Charter School is the first of its kind established for public good by dedicated Armenian educators under the leadership of the youthful octogenarian, Gabriel Injejikian. It should be noted that the Alex & Marie Manougian Armenian School in Southfield, MI is also a charter school; however, it had started as private Armenian School but was chartered in 1995.

The book is well researched and fills an important historical void. The author lists the many sources he has consulted. He does not enumerate them but cites in the text. The book is also a tribute to the told and untold many who had faith in the mission of Armenian Schools in the United States of America as well and the vision to make them a reality. Going back to the future, I wonder if it did not look even “bleaker” in 1964 when Gabriel Injejikian founded the Ferrahian Armenian School that continues with vigor to this day.

The author, Hrant Adjemian, possesses impressive academic credentials and experience in Armenian Diaspora education. He is born in Beirut in 1941 and is a graduate of the Seminary of the Catholicoste of Cilicia. Subsequently, he taught and supervised Armenian Schools in Iran and established and conducted two choirs there. He received his B.A. from the Department of the Armenian Studies at the University of Isfahan.

In 1972 Hrant moved to France and enrolled in Sorbonne University while he taught in Armenian Schools and found and directed a choir in France as well. In 1977 he received his doctorate degree in Eastern Studies.

Dr. Hrant Adjemian moved to U.S. in 1988 and presently is a lecturer of Armenian language and literature at the University of La Verne. He is the author of 9 other books he lists inside the back cover of the book and contributes to various Armenian periodicals. He may be reached at 1107 Furman Place, Glenda, CA 91306.

The Answer is Charter Schools

Gabriel Injejikian

translated by Vahe H. Apelian

First posted in keghart.com on January 8, 2012. The original Armenian article was published in Asbarez' New Year special issue on Dec. 31, 2011. Gabriel Injejikian read and approved this translation. For Ararat Charter School check: WWW. AraratCharterSchool.com. 

What are Charter Schools and why do I think that they provide a golden opportunity to teach Armenian to the Armenian American students?

The laws governing Charter Schools in California were enacted in 1991. They came into effect because many public schools were not living up to the educational standards expected of them as evidenced by the poor academic performance in national achievement tests. Charter Schools come about in two ways. An existing public school may be converted to a Charter School, or an individual or an organization may start a Charter School.

The Charter Schools are semi-independent public schools. These schools are expected to outperform the public schools within their designated area as evidenced by the higher academic performance of their students on national achievement tests. If they succeed in their mission, their permit is renewed every five years. If they do not succeed, their permit is revoked.

Charter Schools must offer the students the state’s mandated curriculum. Besides the mandated curriculum they may offer students additional subjects such as foreign languages, longer school days or academic year. Charter Schools are not permitted to teach religion. They do not have the right to refuse a student. In the event the number of students applying is more than the seats available, then the students will be chosen by lottery.

The state funds Charter Schools at the same rate as the public schools according to the number of the students enrolled. Charter Schools are not permitted to require parents to pay tuition. However, parents are permitted to make donations for the betterment of the school.

Why do I think that Charter Schools present a golden opportunity to teach Armenian language and culture to a much larger number of Armenian American students?

There was no Armenian School in the United States until1964 when thanks to the overwhelming encouragement and support by the Armenians in Lebanon “Ferrahian” school was started in Encino, California with 12 students. During the following 25 years, 25 Armenian schools were established, enrolling around 6000 students.

The Armenian community in Los Angeles more than doubled during the last two decades during which time the only new Armenian School that was founded is the AGBU Vatche and Tamar Manoukian High School in Pasadena in 2006. However, in spite of more than doubling of the Armenian Americans, the number of the students attending Armenian schools has noticeably declined.

Presently there are approximately 60,000 Armenian American students in California. Less than ten percent (10%) attend regular private and one-day Armenian schools. One of the most important causes for this sad state is definitely the cost of the tuition.

Times have changed. There was a time when the American public schools advocated the students from immigrant parents to shed away their culture and accept and adapt to the American culture. Nowadays the prevailing mentality is that we need to retain our ethnic language and culture to enrich the American culture.

The first Charter School in California to teach Armenian is the Ararat Charter School. It is situated in Van Nuys. The school was established two years ago by a group of self-appointed pioneer educators. It started with 120 students from kindergarten to third grade. This year the number of the students increased to 257 and we added a fourth grade. To accommodate the growing number of students we established three more kindergarten classes as well. We had 140 applicants for the 66 available seats. To our great regret, we had to turn down those who were not lucky enough to have their names drawn in the lottery.

Ararat Charter School is the only Charter School in Los Angeles that teaches Armenian and Spanish languages and cultures to every student starting with kindergarten. Ninety-Five percent (95%) of its students are ethnic Armenians. The only Armenian School in Michigan, Alex and Marie Manougian High School in Southfield, was chartered in 1995 and also teaches the Armenian language as an inherent part of its curriculum.

Let us preserve and improve the excellent private Armenian schools we have established over the past decades. Let us also have more of these semi-independent Charter Schools as well.

Honestly, I hope that it will not take additional decades for our community leaders to start establishing Charter Schools to teach Armenian language and culture to the ninety percent (90%) of the ethnic Armenian students who do not or more importantly cannot afford to attend the private Armenian schools.

For further details, you may contact me at 818-885-5232. I will gladly respond to your questions.

Armenian Schools: The Wobbling Pillars of Diaspora

Vahe H. Apelian

Armenian schools, one of the pillars of the trinity that sustains the Armenian Diaspora - the other two being the church and community centers - , is wobbling. Seismic events not only wobbled pillars but have also toppled them.

The Armenian Diaspora has experienced seismic tremors in the last few decades, mostly due to the unfolding of violent political events in the Middle East--the cradle of Armenian Diaspora--and due to the global economic recession and inflation that levy an added economic burden on the families to meet the tuition costs. We have no control over these matters. The best we can do is to adjust.

Pillars also wobble, if not topple because the ground on which they were entrenched ceases to be the solid support it was once. The analogy refers to our evolving perception of Armenian schools.

Two fundamental issues have always surfaced regarding an Armenian parents’ rightful concern about Armenian schools in North America or in the Middle East. The two concerns are the education their children would receive and the ease with which their children would be able to communicate in the larger society they live in. The latter being not only the mastery of the larger society’s language but also its conveyance or deliverance, that is to say, accent. A few years ago the late George Apelian, educator, author, pointed out to me that more affluent Armenian parents were sending their children to non-Armenian schools in Lebanon for this very reason.

Shamlian Tatigian Armenian Evangelical School, Nor Marash, Lebanon

Solid education and conveyance or deliverance of the larger society's language - accent - are valid concerns. Let's put them in perspective.

A few years ago I attended an annual conference which had to do with my specialization--pharmaceutics. It was attended by people from all over the world. To warm up his audience for a dry subject he was about to deliver, one of the lecturers asked: "What is the language of science?" He then answered it: "In the United States it's English spoken with an accent”. How true. In this interdependent world, it’s also Hindi, Mandarin or Arabic spoken with an accent as well. Those who have heard Vartan Gregorian have surely noted that he speaks with an accent. But that has not prevented him from reaching the uppermost echelon of society. No one really cares much about your accent as long as you offer what your interlocutor needs to forge a win-win relationship with you--be it personal or impersonal.

Capable teachers have transmitted solid education since antiquity in structurally much more modest environments and without the gadgetry modern schools enjoy. Computers are the outcome of such basic education and will never be able to replace it. Armenian schools historically have done well in imparting sold basic education to generations of students. I have yet to hear a friend or an acquaintance tell me, in hindsight, that he or she wished their parents had sent them to a non-Armenian school to better prepare them for life. On the contrary, the overwhelming majority, if not all the former students in Armenian schools I have met, fondly remember their times there. There is a reason for it and it has to do with EQ-- Emotional Quotient of the former students.

Shamlian Tatigian Armenian Evangelical School, Nor Marash, Lebanon

EQ is a measurement of a person's ability to monitor his or her emotions, to cope with pressures and demands, and to control his or her thoughts and actions. Most educators agree that EQ is as important as IQ (Intelligence Quotient).  There was a time when what students learned in a classroom stayed with them unchanged for a long time. Not anymore. Education is also learning to constantly learn new things. A student has to be emotionally well adjusted, socially well grounded and prepared to surmount this ceaseless onslaught of newer things.  Along with imparting solid and basic education, Armenian schools have been very successful in preparing their students to score higher in their EQ having given them a solid social foundation. Most of the students I knew in my formative years, while attending Armenian schools in Lebanon, have done well. In fact, very well whether they attended college or not.

I do not want to paint a picture of an all-too-perfect Armenian school that does not exist. I simply want to elaborate on the issues of accent and of basic education so that parents would have a broader perspective should they be considering to enroll their children in an Armenian school. Historically, Armenian schools have not failed us. On the contrary, they have successfully equipped their former students with basic knowledge and social anchor to venture out to make a living in this highly competitive world. After all it has always been and will always be, in a popular Armenian saying – "our hats, hon gats" (wherever there is bread, that's where you stop).

Pictures are from Zvart Apelian's Facebook Album

Virgina Apelian: American Armenian Alliance Against Domestic Abuse (AAAaDA)

AAAaDa

Vahe H. Apelian

AAAaDa is the acronym for American Armenian Alliance Against Domestic Abuse. The alliance was founded and is spearheaded by Mrs. Virginia Apelian after her fact-finding mission trip to Armenia regarding domestic violence in Armenia.

Virginia took the trip to Armenia from April 28 to May 9, 2017. Her trip was partially funded by the Armenian Missionary Association of America (AMAA) and a few members of the Armenian Presbyterian Church in Paramus, NJ. Virginia covered the bulk of the expenditure of her trip. Months before her departure she prepared teaching materials about mutual assertiveness, empowerment and sent them to Rev. Megerdich Melkonian who had them translated into Eastern Armenian for distribution. Upon landing in the Yerevan Zvartnots Airport, Maro Matossian, who is the Executive Director of the Women Support Center (WSC) greeted her and brought her to the hotel not far from their site. WSC is a non-governmental organization (NGO) and is established by the Tufenkian Foundation offering help and shelter to abused women.

Upon her return, Virginia issued a report about her trip and submitted it to AMAA and to the session of the Armenian Presbyterian Church (APC). In her report, she noted that during her stay she started working through WSC and met young Armenian men and women and gave them presentations for building mutual trust self-respect, esteem, and empowerment to raise the next generation with such values. She also cited the following statistics about domestic violence in Armenia stating that 20% occur in homes, 2% outside the home, 2% at unknown locations, 68% of the reported abuse women died in rural areas, while 37% of the reported abused women died in urban areas.

Regarding the age of the victims, Virginia reported the following age group statistics: 10% were 60-69 years old; 20%,  50-59 years old; 5%, between 40 to 49 years old; 35%, between 30-39 years old and 30%, between 20-29 years old. It is apparent that the majority of the victims of domestic violence are young women.

Driven by these statistics Virginia spearheaded the AAAaDa. The alliance is chaired by her and co-chaired by Dr. Garbis Der Yeghiayan. Dr. Vahe H. Apelian and Berjouhy Barsoumian are the vice-chairs of the alliance, which has forty members and is growing.

Having gained the trust and the support of the members of the Alliance, Virginia Apelian wrote letters to the following Armenian Diaspora organizations that do charitable and relief works in Armenia: AMAA, AGBU (Armenian General Benevolent Union), AAA (Armenian Assembly of America), ANCA (Armenian National Committee of America), ARS (Armenian Relief Society), ABA (Armenian Bar Association), ATG (Armenian Technology Group), Prelacy and Diocese urging them to petition the Armenian Government to pass laws that would hold the abusers accountable for their horrible acts. It appears that the Armenian Government does not yet have sufficient laws or lacks enforcement of existing laws against domestic violence or abuse to persecute perpetrators of such horrible acts.

In her October 6, 2017, report Anush Mkrtchian reported that (Azatutyun.am): “Violence against women had for decades been a taboo subject in the socially conservative and male-dominated Armenian society. It has been receiving growing publicity in recent years thanks to the activities of women’s rights groups backed by international human rights watchdogs.” She further noted that: “According to the Yerevan-based Women’s Resource Center, more than 50 Armenian women have been beaten to death and killed otherwise by their husbands or other relatives in the last five years. This trend shows no signs of decline,” said a representative of the group, Anahit Simonian. “I think this is a very serious number and this process [of a enacting a law] must not drag on further.”

Neglecting to address the domestic violence issue in Armenia has given rise to a new unsettling practice that will have a profound effect on the future of the Armenian demography, and that is selective abortion.

Anna Pujol-Mazzini quoted the following in her report (Thomson Reuters Foundation, News, Monday 9, October 2017): "My husband and my mother-in-law forced me to figure out if it was a boy or a girl. When they found out it was a girl, they made me have an abortion," said Aghalaryan, whose name was changed to avoid being stigmatized in her community.” The author further elaborated on the practice of selective abortion in Armenia stating that “For Armenian families, giving birth to at least one boy is a must, to continue the family line and carry forward the surname is a society where daughters often marry and move away.” She further noted that in 2012-2013, 114 boys were born in Armenia for every 100 girls, according to the United Nations Populations Fund (UNFPA)  - this is the third largest sex-selective abortion rate in the world after China and neighboring Azerbaijan”.

These deplorable situations are well known by the Diaspora Armenian charitable and relief organizations that assist the citizens of Armenia. They have mostly distanced themselves from the issue and have resisted taking a stand against the situation on the pretext that they do not want to come across interfering in the internal affairs of Armenia or in the domestic lives. In her drive to enlist the help of Armenians supporting her endeavor, Virginia encountered the same mindset. Many explicitly shied away from joining her Alliance on record noting the same.

Pressing the government to pass legislation against domestic abuse is taking hold in Armenia at the grassroots level.  In the same report, Anush Mkrtchian reported that: “Justice Minister Davit Harutiunian expressed serious concern over these figures on Thursday. “Violence is not the foundation of a real and strong Armenian family,” he told a news conference. Harutiunian said that the Armenian government intends to tackle the problem with a law drafted by the Justice Ministry last year. Both he and another senior ministry official, Gohar Hakobian, expressed hope that the bill will be debated and passed by the parliament soon.” The issue remains a hotly contested subject on the limits of such laws not to intrude in the sanctity of the family.

The Alliance that Virginia Apelian founded and has been spearheading is the first formal attempt by an Armenia Diaspora community to take a stand against these issues in Armenia and invite the other Armenian organizations to equally take a  stand against this deplorable situation and join force with like-minded in Armenia to have the Armenian government institute and enforce laws against these practices and engage in a country-wide education against such horrid practices. 

As to Virginia Matosian Apelian, she is a psychologist, experienced assertiveness trainer, lecturer and author of three books: “Musa Dagh Girl”, “Truly Beautiful Inside and Out” and “Aliens Celebrating Christmas”. With her bold approach to raising awareness of domestic violence in Armenia and selective abortion, and confronting these horrid practices head-on, Virginia has given credence to her extraction, as a bold and a daring descendent of the famed Musa Daghtsis.

Remembering Murad Meneshian

By Vahe H. Apelian

I recently read Knarik Meneshian’s very personal and superb tribute to her husband in the Armenian Weekly, “Murad’s Story.” Her story reminded me that I too have a story about Murad Meneshian to share with readers.

A few years ago, I was enjoying the Gulf of Mexico breeze on the third floor of my cousin’s three stories spacious town house on the Padre Island, when he handed me a book to read. My maternal cousin Jack Chelebian M.D. is a practicing psychiatrist in Corpus Christi but resides on Padre Island. He is an avid reader and would make a superb writer as well—should he engage in writing. Handing the book he let me know that it was a must read. The book was authored by Murad and was entitled Raffi, The Prophet from Payajuk.

After I returned home, I began reading the book. I remained fascinated and captivated by the author’s knowledge and his superb narration of the eminent novelist and of his times that in many ways were no less a product of Raffi’s pen, as the literary and the political soul of the 19th century Armenian renaissance.

Throughout my reading, I thought of Murad and said to myself, “this is a man I should befriend.” After reading the book, I wrote to him, noting the serendipitous turn of events that led me come across his book and my impressions. I also asked him to donate—on my behalf—a signed copy of his book to the Armenian Museum of America. I wanted a personalized copy of his book to grace the shelves of the library there.

Henceforth, we communicated on and off. At times, he would comment having read an article I wrote. It is through such correspondence that I came to find that he was born in Iraq. His parents were from Govdoon village of Sepastia.

This past October, I accompanied my wife attending a yearly weeklong nursing conference in Chicago. I contacted Murad beforehand and set a tentative date for a quiet evening with our families to confirm upon my arrival. I sent him an email the evening we checked in, alerting him of our presence and readiness to have dinner together during the week. I did not hear from him that evening.

The next day I received an email from his wife Knarik letting me know that yesterday Murad was taken to the hospital because of  sudden medical complications. Two days later, she let me know that Murad had passed away and that his viewing would take place at the Armenian Apostolic Church. Instead of a dinner, my wife and I drove to offer our condolences to Murad’s family.

There I saw Murad for the first time. His body lay in an open casket with a copy of his book placed next time. Having offered our condolences to Knarik, I felt the futility of staying any longer. Unexpectedly, life had run its course on Murad and the evening with him I had envisioned all along was not to take place. As we exited the sanctuary, we came across a young man in the hallway greeting those present. We figured he is related to Murad. We approached him and introduced ourselves. His immediate response was whether we are related to Daniel Apelian. My wife let him know that Taniel is our elder son. We could tell that we had caught the young man in utter surprise for it turned out that our son and Sevan have been good friends since their days at Camp Haiastan. There was no doubt that was the case for Sevan knew not only about Taniel and his wife Nicole, but also knew our names and about us as well in ways that only trusting good friends would share each other, that Taniel's mother Marie had served the U.S. Army as a reservist for a quarter of century and retired as a Lieutenant Colonel. The moment became a bitter and a sweet reminder for me. Surely Murad would have been pleasantly surprised as well learning that well before our exchanges, our teenage sons, one from suburban Chicago and the other from suburban Cincinnati had met each other in Franklin, Mass. long, long before we did and had forged a lasting friendship. What was not meant to be ours will become our sons’ lifelong friendship.

It is not farfetched to imagine that Murad’s Sepastatsi parents named their son after the legendary freedom fighter Sepastatsi Murad. Little did his parents know that one day their son would also become a legend in his own right, for Murad’s book about the eminent novelist Raffi is a definitive work for all times.

Putting aside the countless hours Murad had spent reading and rereading Raffi’s novels over the past many decades, he spent seven years for the preparation of the book, a year of which he spent in Armenia. Murad was a chemist in pharmaceutical industry, Not only its scientists are expected to dot every “i” and cross every “t,” but are expected to verify whatever they commit on paper even if they were from a trustful source. Murad’s book about Raffi is the sum total of the sentimental and the scientific Murad meshed into one.

Seeing Murad’s body in the coffin reminded me of the epilogue of his book where he wrote about Raffi in his coffin, who “seemed to be asleep. He appeared as if his thoughts glowed on his finely furrowed wide forehead.”

There are few Armenian first names where we make a mental connection with the most prominent person bearing that name. Among the latter prominently stands out the name Raffi, a name coined by Raffi himself. Another name is Murad, immortalized by the legendary freedom fighter and a compatriot of the Meneshian family from Govdoon, Sepastatsi Murad.

May Raffi and Murad rest in peace.

 Note: The article is reproduced from Armenian Weekly, May 1, 2017.

ՏԱՐԻՔ ԱՌՆԵԼԸ (չըսելու համար ծեռանալը) ըստ George Carlin-ի

George Carlin on Aging

Թարգմանեց Վահէ Յ։ Աբէլեան

ՏԱՐԻՔ ԱՌՆԵԼԸ (չըսելու համար ծեռանալը) ըստ George Carlin-ի 

Հէ՞չ անդրադարձած էք որ միակ ժամանակը երբ կ՚ուզենք մեծնալ մեր մանկութեան է։

Երբ տասնը տարեկանէն պակաս ես, այնքան կը փափաքիս մեծնալ որ կոտորակով կը մտածես։ «Քանի տարեկան ե՞ս». «Ես չորսն ու կէս տարեկան եմ»։ Դուն երբէք եռեսունվեցուկէս պիտի չըլլաս։ Ներկայիս դուն չորս ու կէս տարեկան ես եւ շուտով հինգ տարեկան պիտի ըլլաս։ 

Պատանեկան տարիքին կը հասնիս, հիմայ ոչ ոք քեզ կրնայ զսպել։

Կը ցատկես յաջորդ թիւին եւ թերեւս ալ քանի մը թիւեր եւս։ «Քանի տարեկան է՞ս»։ «Ես տասնը վեց տարեկան պիտի ըլլամ»։ Կրնայ ըլլլար որ տասներէք տարեկան ես, բայց հէ՛յ, տասնը վեց տարեկան պիտի ըլլաս։

Իսկ յետոյ՝ կեանքիդ մեծագոյն օրը կը հաանի եւ ՔՍԱՆ ԵՒ ՄԷԿ տարեկան կ՚ըլլաս։ Նոյնիսկ թիւը արարողութեան նման է՝ ՔՍԱՆ ԵՒ ՄԷԿ տարեկան եղած ես։ ԱՅՈ!!!

Յետոյ կը դառնաս 30 տարեկան։ Օ ՜հ, ի՞նչ պատահեցաւ։ Թթուած կաթի պէս կը հնչէ։ Եռեսուն տարեկան դարձաւ։ Պէտք է զինքը արտաքսենք։ Զուարճութիւն չկայ այլեւս։ Դուն թթուած խմոր մըն ես։ Ի՞նչ պատահեցաւ։

21տարեկան Կ՚ԸԼԼԱՍ, 30 տարեկան ԿԸ ԴԱՌՆԱՍ եւ յանկարծ 40-ի կը ՄՕՏԵՆԱՍ։ Օհ ՜օ, դնենք արգելակներ, ամէն բան արագօրէն կը սահի եւ կը սպրդի։ Մինչեւ որ անդրադառնաս 50-ին կը ՀԱՍՆԻՍ եւ երազներդ արդէն գացած են։ 

Բայց սպասէ՛ 60 տարիքդ ԿԸ ՆՈՒԱՃԵՍ. չէիր կարծեր որ պիտի կարենայիր այդ տարիքին հասնիլլ։ 

21 տարեկան Կ՚ԸԼԼԱՍ, 30 տարեկան ԿԸ ԴԱՌՆԱՍ, 40-ի կը ՄՕՏԵՆԱՍ, 50-ի ԿԸ ՀԱՍՆԻՍ,  60-ը ԿԸ ՆՈՒԱՃԵՍ։ ։Բայց այլեւս արագընթաց գահավէժ ընթացքի մէջ ես եւ ԿԸ ԲԱԽԻՍ 70-ին։

Որմէ ետք օրը օրին։ 80 տարիքիդ մէջ ես եւ ամէն օր լման շրջան մըն է՝ ԿԸ ԲԱԽԻՍ կէսօրուայ ճաշիդ, ԿԸ ՄՕՏԵՆԱՍ երեկոյեան ժամը 4:30-ին եւ կը ՀԱՍՆԻՍ գնանալու ժամիդ։ 

Բայց հոն չի վերչանար։ 90-ի մէջ ես եւ կը սկսիս ետ երթալ՝ «Նոր 90 տարիքս լրացուցի։»

Յետոյ տարօրինակ բան մը կը պատահի։ Եթէ 100 տարիքը հասնիս, պզտիկ տղեկ մը կը դառնաս կրկին՝ «Ես 100 եւ կէս տարեկան եմ» !

Ամէնքդ ալ հասնիք ձեր առողջ 100 եւ կէս տարիքին։

 ԻՆՉՊԷ՞Ս  ԵՐԻՏԱՍԱՐԴ ՄՆԱԼ

Ա. Ձերբազատուէ՛ այդ անիմաստ թիւերէն՝ ըլլան անոնք տարիք, կշիռք։ Ձգէ որ բժիշկները մտահոգուին անոնցմով։ Անոր համար կը վճառենք իրենց։

Բ. Ընկերակցիր միայն ուրախ ընկերներու հետ։ Տրտնջացողները քեզ ապառողջ պիտի ընեն։

Գ. Շարունակէ սորվիլ։ Սորվէ համակարքիչը, պարտիզպանութիւն, արուեստ կամ որեւէ այլ բան։ Երբէք մի ձցեր միտքդ անզբաղ։ «Սատանային աշխատանոցը՝ ծոյլ միտքն է»։ իսկ Սատանային անունն ալ Alzheimer’s է։

Դ. Վայելէ պարզ բաները։

Ե. Յաճախ ծիծաղիր, բարձր եւ երկար։ Ծիծաղիր մինչես իսկ շնչահեղծ ըլլալու պէս ըլլաս։

Զ. Արցունքներ կը կատահին։ Դիմացիր, ոխբայ եւ շարժման մէջ մտիր։ Միակ անձը որ մեզ հետ պիտի ըլլայ մեր ամբողջ կեանքի տեւողութեան՝ մենք ենք։ Կեանքոտ եղիր այնքան ատեն որ կեանք ունիս։ 

Է. Շրջապատէ՛ դուն քեզ բաներով որոնք կը սիրես, ըլլայ այդ ընտանիք, յիշատակներ, երաժշտութիւն, տունկ, սիրական զբաղումներ։ Քու տունդ քու ապաստանն է։

Ը. Հոգ տար առողջութեանդ։ Եթէ լաւ է, պահէ զայն։ Եթէ կայուն չէ, բարելաւէ։ Իսկ եթէ քու կարողութիւնէդ վեր է օգնութիւն հայցէ։

Թ. Մի մտմտար յանցանքներուդ վրայ։

Ժ. Ամէն պատեհ առիթներու արտայայտէ սէրդ անոնց որոնց կը սիրես։

ՄԻՇՏ ՅԻՇԷ՛

ԿԵԱՆՔԸ ՉԷ ՋԱՓՈՒԱԾ ՏԱՐԻՆԵՐՈՒ ԳՈՒՄԱՐՈՎԸ ՄԻԱՆ՝ ԱՅԼ ԱՅԴ ՏԱՐԻՆԵՐՈՒՆ ԿԵԱՆՔԻՆ ԵՌԱՆԴՈՎԸ

«Կեանքը պետք չէ որ ըլլայ դեպի գերեզման ճամբորդութիւն մը՝ գրաւիչ և լաւ պահպանուած մարմինով մը. այլ պետք որ ըլլայ ամբողջովին սպառած, ամբողջովին մաշած և գոռալով…. « այս ի՜նչ զբօսանք մըն էր»։ Աբիսողոմ Աղա։

George Carlin on aging: Do you realize that the only time in our lives when we like to get old is when we’re kids?

If you’re less than 10 years old, you’re so excited about aging that you think in fractions. “How old are you?” “I’m four and a half!” You’re never thirty-six and a half. You’re four and a half, going on five!

That’s the key. You get into your teens, now they can’t hold you back.

You jump to the next number, or even a few ahead. “How old are you?” “I’m gonna be 16!” You could be 13, but hey, you’re gonna be 16!

And then the greatest day of your life . . . you become 21. Even the words sound like a ceremony . . . YOU BECOME 21. . . YEAS!!!

But then you turn 30. Oooohh, what happened there? Makes you sound like bad milk. He TURNED, we had to throw him out. There’s no fun now, you’re just a sour-dumpling. What’s wrong? What’s changed?

You BECOME 21, you TURN 30, then you’re PUSHING 40. Whoa! Put on the brakes, it’s all slipping away. Before you know it, you REACH 50 . . . and your dreams are gone.

But wait!!! You MAKE it to 60. You didn’t think you would!

So you BECOME 21, TURN 30, PUSH 40, REACH 50 and MAKE it to 60. You’ve built up so much speed that you HIT 70!

After that it’s a day-by-day thing; you HIT Wednesday! You get into your 80s and every day is a complete cycle; you HIT lunch; you TURN 4:30; you REACH bedtime.

And it doesn’t end there. Into the 90s, you start going backward; “I was JUST 92.

Then a strange thing happens. If you make it over 100, you become a little kid again. “I’m 100 and a half!”

May you all make it to a healthy 100 and a half!!

HOW TO STAY YOUNG

1. Throw out nonessential numbers. This includes age, weight, and height. Let the doctor worry about them. That is why you pay him/her.
2. Keep only cheerful friends. The grouches pull you down.
3. Keep learning. Learn more about the computer, crafts, gardening, whatever. Never let the brain idle. ” An idle mind is the devil’s workshop.” And the devil’s name is Alzheimer’s.
4. Enjoy the simple things.
5. Laugh often, long and loud. Laugh until you gasp for breath.
6. The tears happen. Endure, grieve, and move on. The only person who is with us our entire life is ourselves. Be ALIVE while you are alive.
7. Surround yourself with what you love, whether it’s family, pets, keepsakes, music, plants, hobbies, whatever. Your home is your refuge.
8. Cherish your health: If it is good, preserve it. If it is unstable, improve it. If it is beyond what you can improve, get help.
9. Don’t take guilt trips. Take a trip to the mall, to the next county, to a foreign country, but NOT to where the guilt is.
10. Tell the people you love that you love them, at every opportunity.

AND ALWAYS REMEMBER:

Life is not measured by the number of breaths we take, but by the moments that take our breath away.

Dr. Zaven Messerlian: "I fought the good fight, I finished the course"

The translation of the farewell speech from principalship, Dr. Zaven Messerlian delivered during the jubilee of his five-decades-long service as the Principal of the Armenian Evangelical College (AEC) in Beirut, Lebanon.  The event took place on May 27, 2017, under the auspices of the Union of the Armenian Evangelical Churches in the Near East (UAECNE). He continues to retain his ties with the school at its honorary principal and maintains an office with a workload of 12 periods per week, of which 4 are for teaching.

"I fought the good fight, I finished the course"

Dr. Zaven Messerlian

Translated by Vahe H. Apelian

" My life is associated with the Armenian Evangelical College from 1950 to 2017. In October 1950, I was accepted as a 7th-grade student in the old "high school" building. In those days, three students sat at one desk. I graduated in June 1955. Next year, 1956, I was elected as a committee member of the school's alumni association. I served for the next eleven consecutive years.

My ties with the school did not end there because in October 1960 I was accepted as a full-time teacher. It could very well not have happened that way. Let me explain why. I had applied for a teaching post for the scholastic year beginning October 1959 but on July I had received a letter of rejection because there were no teaching vacancies but later, just before the start of the scholastic year, a vacancy had opened. The principal had sent word to me through an alumni committee member, who informed me two weeks after the beginning of the scholastic year when it was way too late.  

I devoted that whole year to my M.A. studies and did not work elsewhere. I started teaching at the Armenian Evangelical College the following year. They say that the years pass fast. That is an illusion. The years have their unfolding but I remember my first day of teaching as if it was yesterday. I arrived at the school in the morning and saw a mustachioed and a well-built young man in the schoolyard. I said to myself, "he seems to be a teacher, I will meet him later on in the teacher's room". Even on the first day of school, there was an absent teacher.  The principal, Pastor Jezmejian, sent me to supervise the teacher's class.  I was greatly surprised to see the same person, whom I thought as a teacher, sitting in at the first-row desk of Grade 10.

When in October 1961, Mr. Hagop Kasparian became the principal of the school, he appointed me as the chairperson of the disciplinary committee and from October 1965 to June 1967, the responsibility for the secondary section of the school.

After Mr. Kasparian's departure to the United States, the Board of the Trustees appointed me on, July 17, 1967, as the principal of the school when some of the teachers were my own teachers during my years as a student. Their decision was a surprise to me. I had not envisioned it. 

I carried on the responsibility for the past fifty years, to this day. I saw the school at its pre-civil war heydays when its enrollment was up to 796 students. I experienced the mayhem of the civil war during the 1975-1976 scholastic year when the school remained open and functioning for three weeks only. During that dangerous year, I was at my desk and mostly by myself for the 200 of the year's 292 school days. I saw the precipitous decline of the school's enrollment because of the worsening civil war.  I experienced many dangerous days but also the continuation of the school and the achievement of its students in spite of limited enrollment. I experienced the steady march of its former students armed with the Christian and Armenian education they received. I felt immense satisfaction when Raffi Manougian, Hrach Seserian, Vahan Zanoyan, Hoving Kurkjian, who were my students during my years as a teacher or principal, assist the school during its lean fiscal years with their generous sizeable donations. Along with them are hundreds of the school's graduates and former students, whose names would take a long time to note here, who also stood by the school.

Not the opposition by a few during my early years, nor the dangers of the Lebanese Civil War, not even the lucrative administrative or academic offers I received from overseas veered me from my commitment to the Armenian Evangelical College and from the vow I took in 1970 at the tomb of the Saint Mesrob Mashdotz in Oshagan, Armenia to remain faithful educating successive upcoming young Armenian generations.

I am glad to say that I kept my vow. The Armenian Evangelical College became my family. I enjoyed the respect and love of all those who are affiliated with the school. I am glad to note I handed 755 diplomas to secondary school graduates (not counting those of 2016-2017) and more than a thousand to kindergarten and elementary school graduates.  I am proud of my former and present students as a father would of his children.

I am grateful to the Almighty Father in heaven for lavishly bestowing upon me the good I have enjoyed. I am thankful to my late parents, Megerdich and Satenig Messerlians and elder brother Tavit who always encouraged me in my endeavor. I am thankful for this evening and to my dear brother Haig, who has always stood by me, and who came from the United States to attend this event.  I am thankful to the pastor of the Armenian Evangelical First Chruch and his predecessors; to the members of the present and past Boards of Trustees; to the present vice-principals, the teachers, the parents, the ladies auxiliaries and last but not the least to my present and past students for their respect, trust and cooperation.

I also thank Rev. Megerdich Karagoezian, the President of the Union of the Armenian Evangelical Churches in the Near East for chairing today's jubilee; the committee members who organized this event; my former students Daron Der Khachadourian as the keynote speaker and to maestro Garo Avesian and all those who took part in today's program.

Although it is often quoted during jubilees such as this one, yet it would be impossible for me to end my address without quoting the following from the prince of the Armenian poetry Vahan Tekeyan:

“At long last, what is there left from life? What’s left to me?
Strange as it seems, only that, which I gave to others…”

Thank you all. "

Note: The quote from Vahan Tekeyan is from Tatul Sonents Papazian’s able translation of the poem. Vahe H. Apelian