-
ANATOLIA
COLLEGE CELEBRATES
100 YEARS
IN THESSALONIKI -
ANATOLIA
COLLEGE CELEBRATES
100 YEARS
IN THESSALONIKI
ABOUT OUR
CENTENNIAL
Since its founding in 1886 in Merzifon of Pontus, Anatolia College marked a new era for education. Year after year, what started as the idea of a group of American missionaries transformed into an educational center with a global reach. And then came war and hardship…
It was in 1924, after the Asia Minor Catastrophe, that the College saw its sun rise to its highest point once more, continuing its long tradition of excellence, innovation and social contribution from a new homeland.
This year, we celebrate 100 years since the relocation of Anatolia to Thessaloniki. Join us in welcoming the future through a series of special events that honor our history in the city that has always been a crossroads of cultures.
![gate-image-anatolia](https://100.anatolia.edu.gr/wp-content/uploads/2024/01/gate-image-anatolia.jpg)
A MESSAGE FROM
THE PRESIDENT
Our school has demonstrated immense perseverance through a century of hardship, from the Second World War all the way to the recent economic crisis, from which we are just beginning to emerge. By holding true to our core values, Anatolia College has swelled from 13 students to over 6,000 yearly —not only pushing through temporal challenges, but blossoming into a vibrant, diverse community.
A MESSAGE FROM
THE TRUSTEES
Anatolia and our host city, Thessaloniki, have grown and prospered together. Both have proven to be resilient, with an indomitable spirit to improve the human condition. Today, purpose remains the mission of providing the best educational experience possible for our students and their families.
OUR
HISTORY
1810
The American Board of Commissioners for Foreign Missions is organized in Boston.
1840
Missionary Cyrus Hamlin founds Bebek Seminary on the outskirts of Constantinople.
1862
The Seminary is transferred to Merzifon in north-central Turkey; soon begins the construction of the new campus.
1886
Anatolia College is founded at the Merzifon Seminary with Charles Tracy as its first President. Students are principally Greek and Armenian, most boarding at the school. The faculty is Greek, Armenian, and American. Enrollment soon reaches 115 students.
1887
First Anatolia College graduating class.
1891
The Anatolia campus in Merzifon now includes the Girls' School, orphanages, and a hospital.
1891
George Herrick is appointed as the 2nd President of Anatolia College.
1894
Anatolia incorporated under the laws of the state of Massachusetts.
1910
Anatolia College establishes the first School of Deaf in the region.
1914
George White takes over as the 3rd President of Anatolia College.
1914
Turkish massacres of Armenians. Among those killed are Anatolia staff and faculty.
1916
Anatolia closed for three years because of World War I, its campus occupied by Turkish troops.
1921
Executions by Turks of student leaders and faculty advisor of the Pontos club, the school's Greek literary society. The new government terminates the operation of Anatolia College in Merzifon, forcing the school to seek refuge outside of Turkey.
1922
Smyrna catastrophe and defeat of Greek expeditionary force. Anatolia Board of Trustees organized in Boston.
1924
Anatolia College reopens in Thessaloniki, with the help of Eleftherios Venizelos, in rented buildings in Harilaou, with 13 students, all boys, mostly refugees.
1927
Mission School for Girls in Thessaloniki becomes part of Anatolia College.
1933
Ernest W. Riggs becomes the 4th President of Anatolia College.
1934
Anatolia moves to a newly constructed campus near the village of Pylea, on the lower slopes of Mt. Hortiatis.
1934
The iconic Macedonia building of Anatolia College is entering its final phase of construction.
1937
The Anatolia College Alumni Association is organized for the first time.
1940
Greece enters World War II when Italy invades. The school is closed, and its campus is used as a military hospital.
1941
Germany invades Greece, and the Anatolia campus is taken over by Germans, to be used as general headquarters for the Balkans.
1945
The school reopens with the help of its students. The Girls' School moves to Pylea, with George White Hall, Ernest Riggs Hall, and Olympos Hall (now Ingle) soon added to the campus.
1950
Carl Compton serves as the 5th President.
1950
Anatolia establishes the first English-only school in Thessaloniki, "Piney Woods School", for the growing international community.
1951
The Athens Alumni Association is founded.
1958
Dr. Howard Johnston becomes the 6th President.
1961
Inauguration of Kyrides Hall, with state-of-the-art labs that accommodate Anatolia's innovative approach to the teaching of sciences.
1964
Robert Hayden is appointed the 7th President of Anatolia College.
1964
The Secretarial School opens on campus, leading to employment opportunities for young women.
1972
Joseph Kennedy becomes the 8th President.
1974
Dr. William McGrew takes over as the 9th President, while 26 scholarship students from Cyprus arrive on campus, in the wake of the Turkish invasion.
1976
The Indoor Gym is completed with the help of USAID, exemplifying the US government's commitment to the development of our campus.
1981
Anatolia College classes are now co-ed.
1981
The American College of Thessaloniki – ACT (then named SBALA) is founded to provide post-secondary instruction in business and the liberal arts.
1985
The Association of Friends of Anatolia College is founded to provide moral and financial support for Anatolia College.
1986
Anatolia College celebrates its first centennial since its founding in Merzifon, receiving a Silver Medal for its contribution to education by the Academy of Athens.
1989
The Eleftheriades Library is built to serve the High School, named after a former scholarship student and his wife, a former professor of Anatolia.
1995
ACT opens Stavros Constantinidis Hall, then called New Building, the first on its new campus.
1997
ACT is now accredited by the New England Association of Schools and Colleges, the same body which accredits top US schools such as Harvard and Yale.
1998
The International Baccalaureate Diploma Programme is now offered at Anatolia High School.
1999
Richard Jackson takes over as the 10th President.
2002
Dedication of the Bissell Library at ACT.
2003
Anatolia Elementary School opens as Anatolia assumes operations of the Rigas Feraios School located on an adjacent campus.
2005
The new football field is inaugurated, donated by the alumni.
2007
Raphael Hall is fully renovated and reopens as an events space.
2008
The Bachelor degrees offered at ACT receive European validation. The renovated indoor High School gym is inaugurated.
2009
Dr. Hans Giesecke becomes the 11th President of Anatolia College.
2011
The President's Club is organized, its members being Anatolia's most dedicated and ardent supporters. Anatolia successfully completes its 125th Anniversary Matching Fund campaign.
2013
Dr. Panos Vlachos takes office as the 12th President of Anatolia College.
2014
Anatolia College becomes the hosting partner of Johns Hopkins University’s world-renowned Center for Talented Youth-Greece (CTY) program with a founding donation by the Stavros Niarchos Foundation.
2014
The Entrepreneurship Hub opens at ACT.
2017
The Lifelong Learning Center receives its license, offering various courses for upskilling and reskilling at ACT.
2017
Introduction of the Innovation Isle, which includes flexible learning spaces, the Fabrication Lab, and the Green Education Center.
2019
Anatolia College welcomes Pinewood American International School back into its family.
2019
ACT's New Building is renamed Stavros Constantinidis Hall, in honor of Stavros Constantinidis, 1947 alumnus, Trustee of Anatolia College, and one of the most important benefactors of our not-for-profit educational institution.
2020
The Anna Papageorgiou STEM Center opens its doors on the Anatolia High School campus.
2021
ACT expands with the acquisition of the Rigas Feraios facilities, which are fully renovated to become the West Hall.
2022
A new Anatolia Elementary School campus is created to accommodate our new learning paradigm.
2023
A new building is completed to host the IBDP program, as well as The Kassandra Center for Educational Excellence, which shares innovative educational practices with the wider community.
2024
Anatolia College celebrates 100 years since its relocation to Thessaloniki.
THE ALUMNI 100
CAMPAIGN
BECOME
ONE OF THE
ALUMNI
WHO WILL WRITE
HISTORY
SUPPORT OUR MISSION BY DONATING €1,000 TO ANATOLIA COLLEGE, AND LEAVE YOUR MARK ON OUR SCHOOL’S HISTORY.
Reserve your place among our alumni. Donations accepted between February 5 and April 22, 2024. Places will be filled on a first-come, first-served basis.
![home_whatareyoumadeof](https://100.anatolia.edu.gr/wp-content/uploads/2023/12/home_whatareyoumadeof-1.jpg)
WHAT’S
HAPPENING
-
Thessaloniki Founding Day
Monday, January 22, 2024 -
“Hamlet” by the Alumni Drama Club
April 5-7, 12-14 & May 24-26, 2024 -
Anatolia High School Student Art Exhibition
May 16-18, 2024 -
ACT Homecoming
Friday, May 31, 2024 -
Formal Luncheon by the Association of Friends of Anatolia College
Saturday, June 8, 2024
SUPPORT OUR
CENTENNIAL EVENTS
There are many ways to support Anatolia College and contribute to the celebrations for our 100 years in Thessaloniki, as we prepare various open events and welcome the whole city to join in! You can provide funding, offer your services or help out in one or more of our scheduled events.
100
WISHES
Celebrate 100 years of Anatolia College in Thessaloniki by sharing your wish with us.
Let’s create a special digital wish board for our school, sharing messages of love, hope and positivity from all over the world!
100 PEOPLE WHO MADE
HISTORY
Everett Stephens
Faculty Member Trustee
Everett Stephens was a prewar Anatolia teacher, trustee, and Chair of the Board (1971-1978). During his years of service, the Board of Trustees became better acquainted with the school, its personnel, and the context in which it operated. Following his retirement from Babson College in 1978, he assumed the direction of Anatolia’s stateside fundraising. In appreciation for their long service, the Board of Trustees in 1982 approved President McGrew’s proposal to rename Minnesota Hall, a boys’ dormitory, in honor of Everett and Mary Stephens.
Tasos Pappas
Faculty Member
Tassos Pappas was one of the most popular teachers at Anatolia College. As a music teacher, he directed the Anatolia mixed choir, which consisted of fifty senior students. The Anatolia choir became widely known and often participated in events outside the school. The sudden death of the inspiring conductor in 1970 was a great blow and prompted his students to insistently demand that the auditorium where the choir gave its concerts be renamed in his memory.
Sotiria Christoforidou
Faculty Member
The inspired Home Economics teacher, Sotiria Christoforidou, left an indelible mark on all her students and edited the beloved Anatolia College cookbook. Mrs. Christoforidou taught at Anatolia College for over thirty years, significantly contributing to the development of the Home Economics program. She had a deep knowledge of Greek tradition and cuisine, and she managed to incorporate the principles of healthy eating into her teachings. Her students remember her as a dynamic and passionate educator who emphasized the practical application of knowledge, while her colleagues appreciated her dedication and innovative approach to education. The cookbook she edited, which contains her own recipes as well as recipes created by her students, became a valuable source for generations of alumni and their families, offering both knowledge and enjoyment.
Orestis Iatrides
Faculty Member
Orestis Iatrides was one of the first teachers to join the faculty of Anatolia College during its relocation to Thessaloniki. When the College moved to its new facilities, Iatrides took over the management of the boarding house. In 1941, when President Riggs was forced to leave Greece due to the war, he entrusted the responsibility for the state of Anatolia to a committee consisting of three staff members: Orestis Iatridis, Prodromos Embeoglou, and Georgios Markoglou. Iatrides, who had earned the president’s trust as the manager of the boys’ boarding house, as a teacher, and as a counselor and translator when accompanying him on matters with the Greek authorities, was appointed interim director of Anatolia. When the U.S. diplomatic offices also closed and withdrew from Thessaloniki, Consul General Johnson handed over the titles of Anatolia’s property to him. Together with his family and in collaboration with art teacher George Paralis, they managed to transfer and eventually save part of Anatolia College’s library and equipment from the German occupation. An important initiative by Iatrides, with the participation of the committee appointed by President Riggs and in collaboration with other Anatolia teachers, was the establishment of a temporary Greek school in the center of Thessaloniki. The new school was named Adamantios Korais and provided students with an education modeled after Anatolia’s standards, while ensuring a livelihood for the teachers and staff. Orestis Iatrides continued as a senior advisor to the president and teacher until his retirement in 1962.
Anastasios Geropapadakos
Faculty Member
Anastasios Geropapadakos was a member of faculty for twenty-two years and served as a principal for the last eleven years of his tenure. His scholarly work on the Greek language was widely appreciated, and he enjoyed the respect of his colleagues. Ioannis Papingis, a ’69 alumnus, referred to his pedagogical skills and strong dedication to his students. When, in March 1969, during the dictatorship, the Ministry of Education refused to approve the reappointment of Mr. Geropapadakos, President Hayden made every possible effort to ensure he remained in his position. Hayden persisted in his efforts to reverse what he considered profoundly unjust, but all these efforts failed.
Nikolaos Papachatzis
Faculty Member
Nikolaos Papachatzis, a distinguished scholar of Greek language and history, emerged as a leading teacher of ancient history, gaining widespread recognition. A dedicated professor for 26 years, he not only devotedly taught his Anatolia boys in the classroom but also served as an advisor to the boarding school. Years after his retirement in 1972, his graduates continue to remember with appreciation his effective teaching methods, as well as the frequent field trips he organized to nearby archaeological sites. The English translation of one of his scholarly works, entitled “Monuments of Thessaloniki,” was published by the College press.
Lambros Pararas
Faculty Member
Lambros Pararas taught Modern and Ancient Greek at Anatolia College for many years. He was one of those teachers who, through their instruction, deeply touched their students. The graduates, who later became established authors Kleitos Kyrou and Vassilis Vassilikos, remember Lambros Pararas as a remarkable man, a visionary, a proponent of Demotic Greek, a romantic, and passionate about literature.
George Paralis
Faculty Member
In 1938, George Paralis, already an established painter and art teacher, joined the faculty of Anatolia College. His teaching career ended in 1971. In addition to his dedication to education, his contribution to Anatolia College was decisive. During the German occupation, working with the Iatrides family, he managed to save a significant portion of the school’s library collection and other equipment. By transporting and storing the salvaged items in the basements of their homes, they ensured the survival of the institution’s intellectual heritage. In his honor, the renovated Art Room at Anatolia College was later named after him.
Edgar Sether
Faculty Member
Edgar Sether, Head of the English Department from 1964 to 1971, reshaped the teaching of English language, which had always been a high priority for Anatolia College. During his tenure, a concerted effort was made to recruit faculty for a minimum three-year term. Previously, the average tenure of English-speaking teachers did not exceed one year. This led to the creation of a more close-knit faculty group, with members like Alice Eppinga and Samuel (Peter) Fey, who remained at the College until the end of their careers.
Robert Hayden
President
A Northwestern University graduate with a Master’s in Education from Stanford, Robert Hayden became the seventh president of Anatolia College in 1964. He was the first Anatolia College president to have experience in American secondary education. Known for his exceptional educational and administrative skills, Hayden excelled at fundraising and building relationships. He assembled an effective administrative team in Greece and, with Chairman of the Board of Trustees, John Chapman, launched a successful fundraising campaign in the United States. Hayden envisioned a bold path for Anatolia College – an “experimental school” with an innovative curriculum. Unfortunately, this vision proved difficult to reconcile with the requirements of the national education program. Hayden’s presidency ended in February 1972.