President
Carl Compton, a graduate of Grinnell, began working at Anatolia College in 1913 in Merzifon as a teacher. With the 1919 unrest in the region, the school closed and its staff was forced to leave the country, yet he stayed behind to care for the hundreds of orphans who sought refuge in Anatolia’s facilities. Compton had a rare gift for inspiring confidence and self-esteem in students and colleagues. This was the quality that President White saw in him, and so, a few years later, in 1925, invited Dr. Compton to assume the duties of Director at Anatolia’s new home, Thessaloniki. His contributions led him to become the fifth consecutive President of Anatolia in 1950. He was the one who raised the spirit and strengthened the values of the school, managed to consolidate the College’s finances, proceeded with the construction of new facilities to house the newly acquired Girls School, and brought in new faculty members. Even after his eight-year tenure ended, from his home in Massachusetts, where he moved, he continued to speak lovingly about the school, raising funds for scholarships and offering his wisdom and experience as a trustee member.
