PERSECUTIONS OF THE GREEKS IN TURKEY SINCE THE ...

PERSECUTIONS OF THE GREEKS 3
the Turkish Government and rendered immediately dependent
upon the Ministry of Education.
A consequence of this law was that the following
demands were made upon the Metropoles and the Patriarchate:
First, that the teaching of the Turkish language
in the Greek schools should be imposed in equal
measure with the teaching of Greek, and that it should
be introduced into the girls' "schools as well. Second,
that geography and history should be taught in Turkish.
Third, that copies of the schedules and programs of the
Greek schools should be submitted to the Turkish inspectors
and that statistical tables of the schools should
be formed on the basis of the government programs.
Fourth, that the teaching of the names of places, cities,
mountains, etc., in Turkey should be in the forms officially
accepted by the Government, i.e., that Constantinople
should be called Stamboul, that the Dardanelles
should be called Tsanakale, etc. Fifth, that in future
the proper authorities to whom the teachers shall appeal
on questions of teaching or other subjects connected
therewith, should no longer be the Patriarchate and the
Metropoles but the directors of the communal and private
schools.
II. Wills and Testaments
Not satisfied with this fatal blow to Greek education,
the violation of other privileges of the Patriarchate was
aimed at as well. According to the above mentioned
Circular of 1891 every difference between heirs or between
the guardian of minors and his wards, as well as
every dispute as to the legitimacy and authenticity of a
will was to be decided by the mixed Counsel of the Patriarchate
or of the Metropoles. This right was now abolished
even as regards secret wills. As a result of this, after
the death of a Mr. Rizou, a Greek, the Sheikhoulislamate *
assumed jurisdiction of his will and rendered a decision
* The highest Mohammedan religious court and expounder of Mohammedan
law.