In November, 1835, Miss Rebecca Williams arrived in Beirut as an assistant to Mrs.Smith.The school then increased, and in the spring of 1836 an examination was held, at which the mothers of the children and some other female friends were present.

The scholars together amounted to upwards of forty; the room was well-filled, "presenting a scene that would have delighted the heart of many a friend of missions.

Classes were examined in reading, spelling, geography, first lessons in arithmetic, Scripture questions, the English language, and sacred music, and the whole was closed by a brief address from Mrs.Dodge.The mothers then came forward of their own accord, and in a gratifying manner expressed their thanks to the ladies for what they had done for their daughters." Of the pupils of this school, the greater part were Arabs of the Greek Church; two were Jewesses; and some were Druzes; and at times there were eight or ten Moslems.
A Sabbath School, with five teachers and thirty pupils, was established at the same time, the majority of the scholars being girls.

A native female prayer-meeting was also commenced at this time, conducted by three missionary ladies and two native Protestant women.

At times, as many as twenty were present, and this first female prayer-meeting in Syria in modern times, was attended with manifest tokens of the Divine blessing.
As has been already stated, the seclusion of Oriental females renders it almost impossible for a male missionary to visit among them or hold religious meetings exclusively for women.