In 1852 and 1853 the Female Seminary in Beirut reached a high degree of prosperity, and the girls’ schools in different parts of the land were well attended.  Miss Cheney arrived from America to supply Miss Whittlesey’s place.

In 1854, Dr. De Forest was obliged from failing health, to relinquish his work and return to the United States.  A nobler man never lived.  As a physician he was widely known and universally beloved, and as a teacher and preacher he exerted a lasting influence.  The good wrought by that saintly man in Syria will never be fully known in this world.  The lovely Christian families in Syria, whose mothers were trained by him and his wife, will be his monuments for generations to come.  It is a common remark in Syria, that the great majority of all Dr. De Forest’s pupils have turned out well.

I have not been able to find the official reports with regard to the Female Seminary of Dr. De Forest in Beirut for the years 1847, 1848, and 1849, but from the Reports made by Dr. De Forest himself for the years 1850, 1852 and 1853, I make the following extracts: 

In 1850, the Doctor writes:  “The Seminary now has seventeen pupils including two, Khozma and Lulu, who act as teachers.  The older class have continued to study the Sacred Scriptures as a daily lesson, and have nearly finished the Old Testament.  They have studied a brief Compend of History in Arabic, and have continued Arithmetic and English.  Compositions have been required of them weekly in Arabic until last autumn, when they began to write alternately in English and Arabic.  A brief course of Astronomy was commenced, illustrated by Mattison’s maps, given by Fisher Howe, Esq., of Brooklyn, N.Y.

“Recently the pupils have been invited to spend every second Sabbath evening with the other members of the family in conversation respecting some missionary field which has been designated previously.  The large missionary map is hung in the sitting-room, and all are asked in turn to give some fact respecting the field in question.  Even the youngest, who have not yet learned to read with facility in their own language, furnish their mite of information.

“The instruction in this school has been given by Dr. and Mrs. De Forest, aided by Mrs. De Forest’s parents and the two elder pupils who have rendered such efficient aid heretofore.  The pupils of all the classes have made good progress in their various studies, and their deportment has been satisfactory.  They are gaining mental discipline and intellectual furniture, and have acquired much evangelical knowledge.  Deep seriousness has been observed on the part of some of the elder pupils at different times, and they give marked and earnest attention to the preached word.