Faces and Voices from the Early Campus
Faculty and Students Encounters
Life at the Syrian Protestant College was shaped by close and often transformative interactions between its American faculty and students. The early professors—many trained as missionaries in theology, medicine, and the sciences—viewed education not simply as the transfer of knowledge but as a moral and spiritual vocation. They often lived near their students, taught small classes, and shared daily meals and discussions that extended far beyond the formal curriculum.
The college itself was initially located on a rocky, uncultivated tract outside the city, reachable only by narrow paths. In the 1870s, with few homes nearby, faculty members resided in the city and traveled to campus on horseback. Professors wore many hats: Dr. Cornelius Van Dyck taught subjects ranging from pathology to astronomy while guiding students with a blend of scientific rigor and ethical instruction; Dr. George E. Post combined surgery with botany and zoology, leading hands-on explorations of Lebanon’s natural environment; and other faculty members covered multiple disciplines. They even supervised the construction of the college buildings themselves, managing every task personally.
The Blisses, meanwhile, embodied the intersection of mission, education, and social engagement. Daniel Bliss, alongside his wife, not only oversaw the College’s development but also hosted and participated in gatherings with colleagues such as the Posts, the Jessups, and the Lewises, as well as receptions with Ottoman officials like Rustum Pasha. Even after his retirement, Dr. Bliss remained actively involved in the College’s activities, continuing to support its growth and community.
Through the dedication of faculty such as Van Dyck, Post, and the Blisses, students gained exposure to modern science and new modes of thought while remaining grounded in their cultural traditions. The college thus emerged as a meeting ground between East and West, fostering both intellectual and moral exchange. Although tensions did arise—most notably during the 1882 Darwin controversy—the relationships and mentorships cultivated during that period endured. Graduates went on to become influential educators, doctors, reformers, and journalists, often recalling their time in Ras Beirut as a formative experience shaped by the vision and dedication of the early American faculty.