Brummana High School was founded in 1873 by Theophilus Waldmeier, a Swiss Quaker missionary, who first came to Lebanon in 1867 and was appointed as inspector of schools in Beirut, the mountains of Lebanon, and Damascus. In 1873, he came to Brummana and took charge of the Quaker Girls School. In the following year, he bought Birket El Ghanam (20,000 square yards of property), changed its name to Ayn Essalam, and was authorised by its owners, the Friends’ Syrian Mission, to build the Training Home for Boys, which is now Brummana High School.
Education in Brummana High School was, and still is, based on principles of the Society of Friends or Quakers, as they are commonly known. These principles stress non-political, non-discriminatory and non-racial values, promote the spirit of service, and encourage the pursuit of higher standards through enlightened methods.
Furthermore, the fundamental Quaker belief that there is something of God in every man requires the school to prepare its students intellectually and practically, while instilling in them the spirit of service so that, upon graduation, they become well-equipped to serve their communities. The school does not indulge in missionary activity, and students' own religious beliefs are never challenged or looked down upon. Teachers from outside the Society of Friends are expected to be in sympathy with the Society of Friends' principles and to teach accordingly, particularly emphasizing moral values, intellectual excellence, self-reliance, and respect for the individual.
Since the foundation of Brummana High School, its old scholars have supported the school unconditionally.
Below is a list of all the administrators and principals who have managed the school since its inception.
| Mr. Theophilus Waldmeier |
1873-1878 |
Mr. Roderick Grosvenor |
1962-1968 |
| Dr. Bechara Manasseh |
1878-1880 |
Mr. Barty Knight |
1968-1975 |
| Mr. Lutfallah Rizkallah |
1880-1895 |
Mr. Robert Hudson |
1975-1977 |
| Mr. Thomas Little |
1895-1908 |
Mr. Cyril Harvey |
1977-1978 |
| Mr. Daniel Oliver |
1908-1911 |
Mr. Alex Goodwin |
1978-1982 |
| Mr. Case Bocca |
1911-1913 |
Mr. Alan Rowland |
1982-1984 |
| Mr. Marchel Fox |
1913-1914 |
Mr. Naim Baroud (Acting Principal) |
1984-1986 |
| Dr. Tanios Manasseh |
1914 |
Mr. Elie Sawaya |
1986-1991 |
| Mr. Marchel Fox |
1914-1928 |
Mr. Naim Baroud (Acting Principal) |
1991-1993 |
| Mr. Robert Davidson |
1928-1930 |
Mr. Shukri Husni |
1993-1994 |
| Mr. Christopher Naish |
1930-1936 |
Mrs. Nora Younes (School-Coordinator) |
1994-1996 |
| Mr. John Turtle |
1936-1946 |
Mr. Sami Cortas |
1996-1997 |
| Dr. Kenneth Clay |
1946-1948 |
Mr. Bahige Nassar |
1997-1998 |
| Mr. Herbert Dobbing |
1948-1957 |
Mr. Tim Agerbak |
1998-2001 |
| Mr. Duncan Campbell |
1957-1962 |
Dr. Walid El Khoury |
2001-2019 |
|
|
Mr. David Gray |
2019 - Present |
Brummana High School is a coeducational day and boarding school, which bases its educational philosophy and methods on the Quaker ethos. Today BHS is locally managed, offering the Lebanese Baccalaureate programme and the International General Certificate of Secondary Education (IGCSE) programme. BHS is also a candidate school for the International Baccalaureate Diploma (IB) programme and is pursuing authorization as an IB World School.
BHS seeks excellence in academic life, and in the arts and sports, while promoting integrity amongst faculty and students, regardless of religion, gender, culture, colour or social status. The school prepares the students in a comprehensive manner for the adult world. Besides imparting information and knowledge, it aims to develop students’ intellectual curiosity and critical thinking, and encourages them to achieve their cultural, physical, and artistic potential.
BHS nurtures self-reliance, cooperation, friendship, non-violence, honesty, simplicity and compassion. Above all, it develops in the students the ideals of service, in accordance with the school motto: “I SERVE”.
For more information, visit the Brummana High School
website.