The violence of conflicts and genocide has shattered Armenian educational systems and redefined the concept of childhood. Hence, the Armenian orphans who survived the massacres and deportations were had to receive an emergency education. The unique characteristics of this group must therefore be examined through the lens of specific agency and vulnerabilities particular to this especially fragile population. Consequently, the organization of the school years and the educational experience of these orphans was profoundly disrupted, and the curriculum offered to these children reflected the urgent reconfiguration of educational systems. Special emphasis was placed on vocational training, both to meet the critical need for labor and to ensure that orphans could survive upon reaching adulthood without falling into indigence. Despite the closure of numerous schools and the death or emigration of many educational personnel due to deportation, this emergency schooling also marked a period in which Armenian institutions gained greater autonomy in determining what occurred within their walls, as none of the traditional figures of authority were in a position to enforce their educational agendas. The schools that remained open de facto accorded significant attention to identity issues, and despite the dire situation, the institutions that sheltered these survivors made efforts to preserve their language and the specific characteristics inherent to a community-based education system.
