The Largest Student Movement in the Early Turkish Republican Era: 1924 Teacher Training Schools Boycott

ABSTRACT

This study investigates the largest student movement in the early Turkish Republican era, the 1924 boycott at the teacher training schools, through the publications of the Turkish press, Turkish presidency archives and the literature. Due to the one year extension of the study period for teacher training schools in the 1924–1925 academic years in Turkey, the current students expected to be moved to an upper grade in the transition process to the new system, which was not the case. As a result, there were 13 teacher training schools for boys in 1924, and the students at these schools boycotted classes starting on 24 November 1924 because they were subject to injustice. Although the boycott did not end in favour of the students, they proved the ability to use their rights as the active citizens the Republican administration desired.

KEYWORDS:

• Teacher training schools for boys
• boycott
• Ministry of Education
• Turkey
• Istanbul

Disclosure Statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the author.

Notes

^1. Yıldırım, Osmanlı’da İşçiler, 114–15.

^2. Aktar, İkinci Meşrutiyet Dönemi Öğrenci Olayları, 44–5.

^3. Dağlar, “Emrullah Efendi-Tevfik Fikret Anlaşmazlığı,” 27–47.

^4. Ibid.

^5. See Ergün, Modern Eğitim Sistemlerinin Doğuşu.

^6. Yılmaz, “Critical Examination of the Alphabet and Language Reforms Implemented in the Early Years of the Turkish Republic,” 59–82.

^7. Gündüz, Osmanlı’dan Günümüze Eğitimde Dönüşümler, 172.

^8. Ergün, Atatürk Devri Türk Eğitimi, 26–30.

^9. Cicioğlu, Türkiye Cumhuriyetinde İlk ve Ortaöğretim, 304.

^10. Binbaşıoğlu, Türk Eğitim Düşüncesi Tarihi, 107.

^11. “Mekteplerde Anarşi” (Son Telgraf, November 26, 1924).

^12. Robinson, “Teacher Education: A Historical Review,” 49–67.

^13. Selleck, James Kay-Shuttleworth: Journey of an Outsider.

^14. Steward and Thomas, Caribbean Issues and Developments.

^15. Wolhuter, “Teacher Training in South Africa: Past, Present and Future,” 124–39.

^16. Mayer, “Forty Years of Teacher Education in Australia: 1974–2014,” 461–73.

^17. “Fransa’da Darulmualliminler” (Darüşşafaka, October 18, 1909).

^18. See Barkey, Empire of Difference; Finkel, Osman’s Dream.

^19. See Evered, Empire and Education under the Ottomans.

^20. Şanal and Alaca, “Tanzimat’tan Günümüze Öğretmen Yetiştirme,” 86–288.

^21. Mahmut Cevad, Maârif-i Umûmiye Nezâreti, 415–17.

^22. Öztürk, Atatürk Devri Öğretmen Yetiştirme, 20.

^23. Evered, Empire and Education under the Ottomans.

^24. Ünal and Birbudak, İstanbul Dârulmuallimîni, 124.

^25. Şanal and Alaca, “Tanzimat’tan Günümüze Öğretmen Yetiştirme,” 286–8.

^26. Becerikli and Demirel, “İstanbul Yüksek Öğretmen Okulu’nun Kısa Tarihçesi,” 603–31.

^27. When they were founded in 1848, the teacher training schools for boys were called Dârülmuallimîn but their name changed to teacher training schools for boys in 1924: “Dârülmuallimîn Muallimâtın İsimleri Değişiyor” (Cumhuriyet, June 25, 1924). Therefore, this study uses the name “teacher training schools for boys.”

^28. Dârülmuallimîn -i İbtidaî, which was established instead of Dârülmuallimîn -i Sıbyan in 1891, was a two-year school until 1908. It became three years in 1908 and four years in 1915. After 1924, their duration of education was extended to five years.

^29. “Lise ve Darülmualliminler Programı” (Akşam, November 24, 1923).

^30. According to the 1915 Dârülmuallimîn regulation, it was necessary to be a minimum of 16 and maximum of 18 years old to be admitted to the teacher training schools for boys. See Ünal and Birbudak, İstanbul Dârulmuallimîni, 321.

^31. “Muallim Mekteplerinde Grev” (Tanin, November 23, 1924).

^32. Yılmaz, “Heyet-i İlmiyeler (1923–1924–1926),” 90–9.

^33. “Muallim Mekteplerinde Grev” (Tanin, November 23, 1924).

^34. Ünal and Birbudak, İstanbul Dârulmuallimîni, 97.

^35. Öztürk, Atatürk Devri Öğretmen Yetiştirme, 96.

^36. Uygun, “Sözlü Tanıkların Dilinden Çanakkale’de Öğretmen Yetiştiren Kurumların Tarihi (1955–1992),” 161–94.

^37. “Dârülmuallimînde Bir İçtima” (İkdam, September 30, 1924).

^38. “Yeni Bir Grev Daha!” (Cumhuriyet, November 22, 1924).

^39. “Bütün Erkek Muallim Mekteplerinde Dersler Tatil Ediliyor!” (Tevhid-i Efkâr, November 22, 1924).

^40. “Muallim Mektebinin Sınıfları Beşe Çıktı” (Cumhuriyet, October 10, 1924).

^41. “İlk Muallim Mektebi” (Akşam, October 10, 1924).

^42. “Dârülmuallimîn Talebesinin Tatil-i Tedrisatı” (Son Telgraf, November 22, 1924).

^43. “Bütün Erkek Muallim Mekteplerinde Dersler Tatil Ediliyor!” (Tevhid-i Efkâr, November 22, 1924).

^44. “Dârülmuallimîn Talebesinin Tatil-i Tedrisatı” (Son Telgraf, November 22, 1924).

^45. “Maarif Vekâleti ve Dârülmuallimînler” (Tanin, November 22, 1924).

^46. “Dârülmuallimîn Talebesinin Tatil-i Tedrisatı” (Son Telgraf, November 22, 1924).

^47. “Konya Muallim Mektebi Talebesinin Bir Talebi” (Cumhuriyet, November 10, 1924).

^48. “Bursa Muallim Mektebinin Derdi” (Tanin, November 12, 1924).

^49. “Maarif Vekâleti ve Dârülmuallimînler” (Tanin, November 22, 1924).

^50. “Bugün İstanbul ve Anadolu’daki İlk Muallim Mektepleri Talebeleri Grev Yapıyor!” (İkdam, November 22, 1924).

^51. The newspapers of those times called this a boycott and published the news accordingly. The principal of Istanbul Teacher Training School for Boys, İbrahim Alâeddin Bey, also called this action a boycott: İbrahim Alâeddin, “Muallim Mekteplerinde Boykotaj” (Resimli Gazete, November 29, 1922). Therefore, this student movement is referred to as a boycott rather than a strike.

^52. “İlk Muallim Mektebi” (Akşam, October 10, 1924).

^53. “Yeni Bir Grev Daha!” (Cumhuriyet, November 22, 1924).

^54. “Bugün İstanbul ve Anadolu’daki İlk Muallim Mektepleri Talebeleri Grev Yapıyor!” (İkdam, November 22, 1924).

^55. Ibid.

^56. “Bütün Erkek Muallim Mekteplerinde Dersler Tatil Ediliyor!” (Tevhid-i Efkâr, November 22, 1924).

^57. “Erkek Muallim Mekteplerinden Sonra Sıra Liselere Geldi!” (Tevhid-i Efkâr, November 24, 1924).

^58. “Dârülmuallimîn Ne Halde?” (Akşam, November 26, 1924).

^59. “Bugün İstanbul ve Anadolu’daki İlk Muallim Mektepleri Talebeleri Grev Yapıyor!” (İkdam, November 22, 1924).

^60. “Muallim Mektebi Talebesinin Bugünkü Grevi” (Son Telgraf, November 22, 1924).

^61. “Yeni Bir Grev Daha!” (Cumhuriyet, November 22, 1924).

^62. In 1923, seven very effective strikes took place in various Turkish cities: Güzel, Türkiye’de İşçi Hareketi, 171. For example, when the workers went on strike, eight newspaper owners in Istanbul could not publish their newspapers for 15 days and they had to publish a joint newspaper called Müşterek Gazete.

^63. Erdal, “Sanayideki İşgücünü Durumu,” 170.

^64. Şahin, “Darülfunun Talebe Cemiyetince Gerçekleştirilen Bir Eylem: Tramvay Olayı,” 265–80.

^65. “İstanbul Az Kaldı Bir Korku Geçirecekti!” (İkdam, December 8, 1924).

^66. “Muallim Mekteplerinde Grev” (Tanin, November 22, 1924).

^67. Maarif Vekaleti İhsaiyat Mecmuası, 44.

^68. “Dârülmuallimînin Talebesinin Grevi Devam Ediyor” (Cumhuriyet, November 25, 1924).

^69. “Mekteplerde Grevler” (Vatan, November 27, 1924).

^70. “Mekteplerde İnzibat Ne Hale Düştü?” (Son Telgraf, November 23, 1924).

^71. “Dârülmuallimînler Grevi” (Vatan, November 25, 1924).

^72. “Mekteplerde İnzibat Ne Hale Düştü?” (Son Telgraf, November 23, 1924).

^73. “Dârülmuallimînler Grevi” (Vatan, November 25, 1924).

^74. “Mekteplerde Anarşi” (Son Telgraf, November 26, 1924).

^75. “Mekteplerde Grev Teşebbüsleri” (Tanin, November 26, 1924).

^76. “Mekteplerde İnzibat Ne Hale Düştü?” (Son Telgraf, November 23, 1924).

^77. “Adana Muallim Mektebinde” (Son Telgraf, November 29, 1924).

^78. “Dârülmuallimînden Çıkarılanlar” (Cumhuriyet, November 30, 1924).

^79. “Bursa Muallim Mektebinin Derdi” (Tanin, November 12, 1924).

^80. “Mekteplerde İnzibat Ne Hale Düştü?” (Son Telgraf, November 23, 1924).

^81. “Dârülmuallimînler Grevi” (Cumhuriyet, November 24, 1924).

^82. “Şimdi de Liseler Greve Hazırlanıyor” (Tanin, November 25, 1924).

^83. “Mekteplerde Anarşi” (Son Telgraf, November 26, 1924).

^84. “Mekteplerde İnzibat Ne Hale Düştü?” (Son Telgraf, November 23, 1924).

^85. Ibid.

^86. “Mekteplerde Grev” (Vatan, November 24, 1924).

^87. “Grev Salgın Bir Hastalık Haline Girdi” (İkdam, November 24, 1924).

^88. According to article 35 of the Act of Education, students signed a contract during the registration. The contract says that “on condition that the students were expelled from the school except for a health problem, the guarantors of students will pay 40 Ottoman gold coin for the students boarding at the school and 10 Ottoman gold coins for external students.” See Ünal and Birbudak, İstanbul Darulmuallimini, 329. For instance, Hacı Osman Efendi, the guarantor of Ömer Lütfi Efendi, who was expelled from Trabzon Teacher Training School due to the boycott, was sued by the Ministry of Education to collect 25,360 kuruş. However, Ömer Lütfi Efendi was found to be innocent, and the case was dropped following the admission of Ömer Lütfi Efendi to Sivas Teacher Training School (Presidency Republic Archive, BCA. 28/39/18).

^89. “Mekteplerde Talebe İhtilafları Hallediliyor” (Tevhid-i Efkâr, November 26, 1924).

^90. “Talebe Grevi Maarif Vekâleti Cevap Verdi” (Tanin, November 24, 1924).

^91. “Mekteplerde Grev Hastalığı Sona Eriyor” (Cumhuriyet, November 26, 1924).

^92. “Türkiye’de 12 Dârülmuallimînde Anarşi” (Son Telgraf, November 26, 1924).

^93. “Trabzon’da Tatil-i Tedrisat Yüzünden Gürültü” (Son Telgraf, November 24, 1924).

^94. “Trabzon Dârülmuallimîni” (Vatan, November 27, 1924).

^95. “Türkiye’de 12 Dârülmuallimînde Anarşi” (Son Telgraf, November 26, 1924).

^96. “Muallim Mektebi Talebelerinin Grevi” (Hâkimiyet-i Milliye, November 25, 1924).

^97. Ibid, 72.

^98. “Dârülmuallimînler Grevi” (Vatan, November 25, 1924).

^99. Ibid.

^100. “Türkiye’de 12 Dârülmuallimînde Anarşi” (Son Telgraf, November 26, 1924).

^101. “Talebe Grevlerine Muallimler de İştirak Ettiler mi?” (Tevhid-i Efkâr, December 1, 1924).

^102. “Mekteplerde” (Tanin, November 28, 1924).

^103. “Erkek Muallim Mekteplerinde Grev Umumiyetle Zail Olmuştur” (Cumhuriyet, November 28, 1924).

^104. “Adana Muallim Mektebinde” (Son Telgraf, November 29, 1924).

^105. “Dârülmuallimînin Talebesinin Grevi Devam Ediyor” (Cumhuriyet, November 25, 1924).

^106. “Mekteplerdeki İnzibatsızlık” (Tevhid-i Efkâr, November 27, 1924).

^107. “Mekteplerde İnzibatsızlık ve İntizamsızlık!” (Tevhid-i Efkâr, November 25, 1924).

^108. “Dârülmuallimîn Grevinin Son Safhası” (Tevhid-i Efkâr, November 27, 1924).

^109. During the 1924 boycott of the Teacher Training Schools for Boys, there was disorder in the Faculty of Theology, the College of Business and Commerce, Kuleli Military High School, the Military Medical School and the Darülfünun (the university).

^110. Yunus Nadi, “Mekteplerde Grev” (Cumhuriyet, November 27, 1924).

^111. Necmeddin Sadak, “Mekteplerde Anarşi” (Akşam, November 26, 1924).

^112. “Mekteplerde Anarşi” (Son Telgraf, November 26, 1924).

^113. “Dârülmuallimînden Tardedilenler” (Tanin, November 27, 1924).

^114. “Derse Başlamışken Mektebi Terk Ettiler” (İkdam, November 27, 1924).

^115. “Dârülmuallimînden Tardedilenler” (Tanin, November 27, 1924).

^116. “Muallim Mektepleri Grevi” (Cumhuriyet, November 28, 1924).

^117. “Dârülmuallimînin Talebesinin Grevi Devam Ediyor” (Cumhuriyet, November 25, 1924).

^118. “Dârülmuallimîn Grevi Müessif Bir Netice Verdi” (Cumhuriyet, November 27, 1924).

^119. “Mekteplerde Grevler” (Vatan, November 27, 1924).

^120. “Muallim Mektepler Hadisesi” (Vatan, November 30, 1924).

^121. “Dârülmuallimîn Grevi Müessif Bir Netice Verdi” (Cumhuriyet, November 27, 1924).

^122. “Türkiye’de 12 Dârülmuallimînde Anarşi” (Son Telgraf, November 26, 1924).

^123. “Muallim Mektepleri Grevi” (Tanin, November 28, 1924).

^124. “Darulmullimin Grevi” (Tanin, November 29, 1924).

^125. “Muallim Mektebi Talebesi” (Vatan, November 29, 1924).

^126. “Dârülmuallimîn Talebesinin Grevi Neticesi” (Son Telgraf, December 2, 1924).

^127. “Muallim Mektebi Talebesi” (Vatan, November 29, 1924).

^128. “Maarif Vekilinden Beklenen” (Son Telgraf, December 12, 1924).

^129. “Mekteplerde” (Tanin, November 28, 1924).

^130. “Darulmullimin Grevi” (Tanin, December 29, 1924).

^131. İbrahim Alâeddin, “Muallim Mekteplerinde Boykotaj,” Resimli Gazete, November 29, 1924.

^132. Ibid.

^133. “Dârülmuallimîn Talebesinin Grevi Neticesi” (Son Telgraf, December 2, 1924).

^134. “Kıymetli Gençler” (İkdam, December 3, 1924).

^135. Ibid.

^136. Ibid.

^137. “İlk Muallim Mektebi Müdürü Ne Diyor” (Tevhid-i Efkâr, December 4, 1924).

^138. “Mekteplerin Ayrılan Efendiler” (Son Telgraf, December 11, 1924).

^139. “Dârülmuallimînden Çıkanlar Tekrar Alınıyor” (Cumhuriyet, December 23, 1924).

^140. “Dârülmuallimînde Metrud Talebe Affedildi” (Tevhid-i Efkâr, December 22, 1924).

^141. “Dârülmuallimînlerden Çıkarılanlar” (Son Telgraf, December 22, 1924).

^142. “Erkek Muallim Mektebinden Tardedilenler” (Tanin,December 29, 1924).

^143. “Dârülmuallimîn Tahkikatı” (Tanin, December 8, 1924).

^144. “Dârülmuallimînde Tahkikat” (Cumhuriyet, December 5, 1924).

^145. “Muallim Mektepleri Grevi” (Vatan, December 12, 1924).

^146. “Erkek Muallim Mektebi Talebesinin Metalibi Reddedildi” (Tanin, December 16, 1924).

^147. Öztürk, Atatürk Devri Öğretmen Yetiştirme, 84.

^148. https://www5.tbmm.gov.tr/tutanaklar/TUTANAK/TBMM/d02/c015/tbmm02015071.pdf.

^149. https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/boycott.

^150. “Dârülmuallimîn Talebesinin Tatili Tedrisatı” (Son Telgraf, November 22, 1924).

^151. Akyüz, Türk Eğitim Tarihi, 329.

^152. Ünal and Birbudak, İstanbul Dârulmuallimîni, 97.

^153. Öztürk, Atatürk Devri Öğretmen Yetiştirme, 250.

^154. Aktar, İkinci Meşrutiyet Dönemi Öğrenci Olayları, 99.