One of them, who a fortnight ago did not know a single letter of the alphabet, can now read one verse in the Bible." July 1, 1825, Messrs.

Goodell and Bird speak of the first girls taught to read in Syria in mission schools.

"Our school contains between eighty and ninety scholars, who are all boys _except two_.

One is the teacher's wife, who is perhaps fifteen years of age, and the other a little girl about ten." That teacher was Tannus el Haddad, who died a few years ago, venerated and beloved by all sects and classes of the people, having been for many years deacon of the Beirut Church, and his wife, Im Beshara, still lives, with an interesting family.
On the 21st of Dec, 1825, Dr.King wrote as follows: "I spent about a month in Tyre, and made some efforts to establish a school for Tyrian females, and was very near succeeding, when one of the principal priests rose up and said, 'It is by no means expedient to teach women to read the word of God.

It is better for them to remain in ignorance than to know how to read and write.