The first Christian woman to undertake the direct task of educating and elevating the Nusairiyeh females was Miss Crawford.  She commenced her work in 1869.  The Mission had found that the Boarding School for boys was training a class of young men, who could not find, among the tens of thousands of families in their native mountains, a single girl fitted to be one’s companion for life.  The females were everywhere neglected, and Miss Crawford came to Syria just at the time of the greatest need.  Under the care and direction of the Mission, she commenced a Boarding School for girls in Latakiah in the fall of 1869.  At first, but few pupils could be persuaded to come.  Only two attended during the first year.  Their names were Sada and Naiuf, the sister of Zahara.  The next year Sada left, and ten new ones entered the school:  Marie, Howa, Naiseh, Shehla, Thaljeh, (snow,) Tumra, (fruit,) Ghazella, Husna, Bureib’han, and Harba.  They were all from twelve to fourteen in age, and remained through the winter, but at the beginning of wheat harvest, their friends forced them to return to their homes for the summer.  They made marked progress both in study and deportment, and before leaving for their homes passed a creditable examination both in their studies and in needlework.  The fact was thus established to the astonishment of the citizens of Latakiah, that the Nusairiyeh girls were equal in intellect and skill in needlework to the brightest of the city girls.  In the autumn of 1871 it was feared that the Pagan parents of the girls would prevent their return to the school, but, greatly to the gratification of the missionaries, all of the ten returned, bringing with them nine others; Hamameh, (dove,) Henireh, Elmaza, (diamond,) Deebeh,(she-wolf,) Alexandra, Zeinab, Lulu, (pearl,) Howwa, (Eve,) and Naameh, (grace).

During the year the pupils brought new joy to the hearts of their teachers.  Not only were their numbers greatly increased, but the older girls seemed all to be under the influence of deep religious impressions on their return to the school.  Although they had spent the summer among the wild fellaheen and been compelled to listen to blasphemy, impurity and cursing on every side, they had been able by the aid of God’s Spirit to discriminate between good and evil, and to contrast the lawless wickedness of the fellaheen with the holy precepts of the Bible.  Finding themselves unable to meet the requirements of God’s pure and holy law, they returned under serious distress of mind, asking what they should do to be saved?  Such of them as could do so, had been in the habit of meeting together during the summer for prayer, and of repeating the ten commandments and other portions of Scripture with which they were familiar.  They had been threatened and beaten by their friends on account of their religious views, but they remained unmoved.  The child-like simple faith of some of them was remarkable.  Marie was punished on one occasion by her father for attending the missionary