Show AMERICAN GIRL G GOES ON N STAND IN I TURKISH R I H COURT URI Miss Mis Edith Sanderson Sander Sander- son Denies Teaching Teaching Teaching Teach Teach- ing Christianity to Students Student in School Turkey April 25 CAP One AP-One One A-One One of ot the tho strangest scenes In the history of ot this ancient Moslem Mos Mos- lem capital took place today when a lone hone American girl faced a Turkish court which is trying her for teachIng teaching teach teach- ing ing- Christianity Chr stanly contrary to Turkish regulations and testified in her own defense Addressing the court in fluent Turkish MI Miss Mios s Edith Sanderson 28 28 of ot Berkeley Calif delivered an Impassioned Impassioned Im mi- plea for her liberty She frankly admitted discussing the New Testament with wih two girl students students students stu stu- dents who came to her privately while she was a a. teacher In the American Amerian school for girls here but stated that it was after school hours and did not contravene the Turkish law against teaching re religion religion re- re ligion in schools The atmosphere was tense when Miss Sanderson rose to speak With Wih her ier first r t few words of ot Turkish there here were audible murmurs of surprise surprise surprise sur sur- prise showing how effective was this strategy Denies Teaching Only once was there a a. pause in Miss Sanderson's unabashed c cOntralto con contralto cOn cOn- n- n voice She was trying to say sayf f fair lr play ply and good sportsmanship sportsmanship sportsman sportsman- ship but as these expressions have hae no equivalent in Turkish she had to repeat the Turkish equivalent for high ideals 1 Miss Sanderson said that after she had been ben at the school two years several girls came cameto cameto came cameto to her and told her that they had been reading the New Testament I and would be Interested in iii talking things over occasionally This was wasI I of ot school hours and not In Inthe inthe i iI the school building 1 I These hese years following I h have ve I talked with wih them only a few times she said When they came I an answered answered answered an- an their questions Often It I was when we were out on a walk or in our house It was all al a a personal personal personal per per- thing with wih me and not in the name of ot the school I had no intention of breaking any law law t talked as friend frend to friend and not as a teacher to a pupil pupi in a a. class I have never taught religion In the school or carried on what I consider ganda There has ha been no 10 systematic systematic fJ'S going after any anyone one No Noone Noone Noone one has ever been baptized and no noone noone noone one has been allowed to attend any religious services services' Explains Wor Work Telling of ot her her ph physical education work with wih Turkish girls gills not only to give them strong bodies but teach high ideals Miss Sanderson told of ot her work in caring for them If it they became sick When I talked to these girls I had no Intention of doing anything at all al against the government and there there has been no desire deiro dElre to make mae Americans out of ot them or to denationalize denationalize de de- de- de nationalize them After relating the work worl of ot the school and declaring that the girls were better beter Turks and more mor loyal to their government for tor having hayIng been there she concluded Therefore since I feel that I have done nothing against Turkish h religion or nationalism I am convInced convinced convinced con con- vinced I shall shaI be acquitted and I entrust m myself to Turkish justice sel 4 |