Cyrus Hamlin

Cyrus Hamlin

Name

Institution

Date

Cyrus Hamlin

Brief Background of Cyrus Hamlin

• Summing up the life of Chris Hamlin by identifying that he was a missionary, teacher, diplomat and college president.
• Cyrus Hamlin birth and early childhood

Cyrus Hamlin born in Waterford, Maine, 1811

• Education life- Attending common school a few weeks every year in his early years

Attended Bridgton academy to prepare for ministry

Attended Bowdoin College where apart from ministry work engaged in mechanical work and Christian courage.

Chris Hamlin was a 19^th-century missionary, teacher, diplomat and college president. All these were quite great achievements in the 19^th century which necessitates a look into Hamlin’s life. He was born in Waterford, Maine in 1811. Hamlin’s early life was on a farm where he grew up until he as 10. during these years, Hamlin would only attend school occasionally, specifically a few weeks in a year. In preparation for ministry, Hamlin went to Bridgton Academy in 1829 and proceeded to Bowdoin College where he graduated in 1834. During his time at Bowdoin, Hamlin engaged in other courses such as Christian courage and mechanical work. One of his achievements from these courses was building a steam engine which was the first-ever of its kind in Maine.

Life after Bowdoin College

• Graduation from Bangor Theological Seminary
• The initial intentions of Hamlin as going to Central Africa as an explorer
• American Board of Commissioners referred him to Constantinople to establish a high school.
• Marriage in 1838- Henrietta Jackson

After graduating from Bowdoin College, Hamlin went to Bangor theological seminary where he graduated in 1837. While his initial intentions were to go to central Africa as an explorer, the American Board of Commissioners had other plans for him. They sent him to Constantinople near East to establish a high school. Before he went to Constantinople, he married Henrietta Jackson, and they sailed to their new assignment together.

The Work-Life

• Hamlin as among the individuals who helped in the founding of Bebek Seminary in Constantinople where he later became the principal. (1840-1860)
• The introduction of various profit-making initiatives within the seminary that advanced the skills of the students and helped in the construction of various churches in Cypress.
• Hamlin’s resignation from Bebek Seminary as a result of disputes on ‘secular labours’

Immediately after getting to Constantinople, Hamlin got engaged in the founding of Bebek Seminary for boys. After the institution’s formation was complete, Hamlin would proceed to become a director or a principal of the school. During his tenure, he introduced various initiatives such as bread making to improve the entrepreneurial and marketing skills of the students. However, this did not augur well with different stakeholders, such as fellow missionaries and the leadership of ABCFM. They indicated that Hamlin was engaging the centre in Secular labors leading to his resignation. He worked with the institution between 1840 and 1860.

Life after Bebek Seminary

• Collaboration with American philanthropist Christopher Robert, to found the Robert College in Istanbul, Turkey in 1863.
• Hamlin’s service as president of the college from 1863-1877.
• The challenges faced by the Robert College

The beginning of a war which destabilized the operations of the college.

Hamlin’s spirit to overcome challenges by returning to the college after the war and renovating it to bring it back to its feet.

After the clashes at Bebek, Hamlin felt the need to establish a college near Istanbul in Turkey. With the help, funding and collaboration of American philanthropist Christopher Robert, Hamlin founded the Robert College in 1863. Here, he would serve as the president until 1877 where a war erupted forcing him to go back to his country. Upon return, the college was destabilized with the library, geological and biological specimen in a mess. His spirit to overcome challenges was exhibited then when he renovated the college amid laughter from different stakeholders. The renovation brought the college back to shape and made it better by including a gymnasium, and a starr boarding hall. Notably, it is Hamlin who opened the gates of the college to women. Hamlin would retire in the year 1885 after leaving the college in good standing.

Other Notable Events

• Teaching at Bangor Seminary for three years- taught dogmatic theology
• Hamlin as principal of Middlebury College
• Published Among the Turks and My Life and Times.

After his exit from Robert College, he taught Bangor seminary for three years. Here, he taught dogmatic theology. Hamlin also served as the principal of Middlebury College. He brought the college back from the brink of collapse which exhibited the good leadership skills of Hamlin. The two books that Hamlin published were Among the Turks and My Life and Times.