As early as January of 1956, the Air Force Dependents Schools began the necessary preparations to take over the education of dependent American children in Ankara. The assistant area superintendent made a staff visit to TUSLOG Headquarters to determine the adequacy of the Ankara American Educational Association school to meet USAF educational requirements. Preliminary plans for utilization of the former building and the employment of certified personnel was made and in December 1956 a contract was signed for the remodeling of the building. The following July the administration believed plans to be complete, all teachers hired and all leases approved.

Late in July, however, the Area IV Superintendent, Mr. Kirkpatrick, paid a visit to Ankara to inspect the proposed facilities. The planned building was condemned as totally unsatisfactory and Mr. Kirkpatrick went to the Headquarters of the 7135th School Group in Wiesbaden with plans for a new school building. Colonel Burris was assigned as engineering officer to supervise the reconstruction of a local automobile service garage into a school which would meet American standards.

Although the building was not quite ready for complete occupancy, high school classes convened on the 16th of September. This late beginning necessitated our having a number of Saturday morning classes to compensate for the days of school missed. Only the first two floors were used for classes initially while a third floor was being added to the building. After Christmas holidays, the high school moved to the partially completed third floor and grades two through four occupied the vacated rooms on the first two floors. A gymnasium has been planned but because of inclement weather construction is not expected to begin until this June.

We have established many traditions for the first year of our new school. "Trojans" was selected the name of our athletic teams and Green and White for the colors. Our paper was named the "Konusmaker," which in Turkish means to speak.

Our first year in this new school has been truly a memorable one, unusual for the foreign influence it afforded. We are sure that in the years to come Ankara American High School will continue to play an important role in the USAF Dependent Schools Program and that her graduates will make vital contributions in all realms of this space travel-conscious society of ours.