The French Schools in Iran

Niloufar Kasra

 

The French missionaries played a major role among foreign missionaries who founded schools in Iran.

The main French schools in Iran were Saint Louis School, Franco-Persane, Saint Josef, Jeanne d'Arc, Alliance Bani Israelit.

 

Saint Louis

It was founded by Lazarist Catholics in 1862 for Armenian boys, its main intention was to change their religion to Catholicism. It was closed in late years of Reza Shah's reign.

 

Franco-Persane

It was founded by M. Yousef Khan Richard (Moaddab-ol-molk) in 1908. It was the first school in constitutionalism which accepted girl students. After 1941, it changed its name to Razi School.

 

Saint Josef

It was founded by French Catholic missionaries in 1887 in Tehran. At first it only accepted girl students, but later they formed boy's classes. Later it was known as Manouchehri School.

 

Jeanne d'Arc

It was founded by French nuns for the Armenian and other minority girls and it was administered as an orphanage.

 

Alliance Bani Israelit

It was founded by M. Kazers, an agent of Alliance Israelit in 1898 for the purpose of gathering the children of Jewish families in an educational center. Nasseraddin Shah in his travel to Europe in 1873 had given the permission for this. The students entered the school without paying any tuition fee. The books were brought from France. Two Jewish priests were employed to teach the students the Hebrew language and for Persian language some Moslem teachers were employed. Through the helps of Jewish merchants it opened some branches in Hamedan, Isfahan, Tuysarkan, Kermanshah, Sanandaj and Shiraz.