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In 1820, Reverends Pliny Fisk and Levi
Parson established a Protestant Mission base
in the ancient town of Smyrna. Sixty-seven
years later, Alexander MacLachlan sailed to
Tarsus and co-founded a protestant school for
boys – today known as The American Tarsus
College. A disagreement with his co-founder,
however, prompted him to accept an invita-
tion for a holiday in Smyrna. He had heard
that there was a need for a boys’ school there.
If he didn’t like the town or if he found there
was no need for his services, he decided to
simply head back to the US.
If Alexander MacLachlan expected a back-
ward city, he didn’t find one. Smyrna was
a thriving city in the Ottoman Empire.
It was – if the phrase can be coined – the
‘Paris of Asia Minor’. It was well-known
for its majority Christian population,
which comprised of Greeks, Armenians,
Levantines, Europeans, and Americans.
The city was divided into quarters: the
Greek quarter across the city; the Euro-
pean quarter just behind the quayside; the
wealthy Armenian quarter nearby, and the
Jewish quarter.
It was a friendly arrangement. All were
enjoying a bourgeoisie lifestyle, enjoy-
ing dining in opulent hotels, reveling in
imported foods, and frequenting lavish
clubs.The many banks and at least seven
postal systems (each country set up its
own next to the Ottoman system) were
further testimony of the city’s prosperity.
Just beyond, were the overcrowded and
dilapidated quarter of the Turks, most of
whom were artisans and craftsmen.
The most recent arrivals were the Ameri-
cans who set up their homes in a large
colony just outside the city: ‘Paradise’.
It was here that MacLachlan would
eventually build his vision of a school:
International College.
But at this moment in 1890, MacLachlan
was solely preoccupied with Rose Black-
ler, the daughter of an American busi-
nessman who moved to Smyrna in 1844
to open a trading store. She was a teacher
at the American Collegiate Institute – a
Protestant girls’ school in Smyrna.
A year later, on 14 February 1891, they
married. Rose would later prove to be
instrumental in founding IC and support-
ing her husband through many upcoming
trials and tribulations.
While in Smyrna, MacLachlan realized
that there was a strong need for a boys’
school. He knew he was the man for the
job but the decision had to come from the
American Mission Board in Boston.The
MacLachlans returned to Tarsus to debate
their next move. Should they return to the
US or wait around in Tarsus for the Board
to make this critical decision?
Spring turned into summer and there was
still no word from the Board.The couple
was now expecting their first child and
MacLachlan was getting increasingly wor-
ried.The last ship to Smyrna leaves in early
October.This would be his last chance.
Finally, in an impromptu move and without
the formal consent of Boston (unbeknown
to MacLachlan, the Board had indeed
approved but slow communication delayed
the arrival of the message), the couple
boarded the last ship. It was already Octo-
ber and the school year was about to start.
Barely two weeks after their arrival and
armed with only a promise of $1000 (later
cut to $500) from the Board to be delivered
a few months into the school year, the Ma-
cLachlans managed to rent a small building
which was previously used as a school.
But “Mrs. Bartlett’s Boys’ School” and its
meager leftover equipment were nowhere
near MacLachlan’s vision for a school. Still,
it would have to do for now. He pulled out
the few discarded pine desks and put in an
order – on credit - for a supply of textbooks,
4
SUMMER
2012
The Adventures of
Alexander MacLachlan:
Life in Smyrna
Smyrna harbor