M'arthur Democrat. (McArthur, Vinton County, Ohio) 1853-1865, 1859-12-22
3f(tsttllanrous,
EAucntiOn in Chinn

The boys commence their studies n
six or seven years Of age. In Chini
there is no royal road to learning, bu
every boy, whatever his rank, take:
the same class book and submits to the
same training. The school.room is a
low shed, or d Oack room in some
temple or some attic in some shop
where each boy is supplied with a Ia
bio and & stool, and the teacher has q
more elevated seat and a larger table
In the corner of the room is tablet or
picture OF ConfuciuS, before which
each pupil prostrates himself on en-.
tering the room, and then makes his
obeisance to his teacher. lie then
brings his book to the teacher, who
repeats over a sentence or more to the
pupil, and he goes to his place re.
peating tie same at the top Of his
voice till he can repeat it from memo.
yy, when he returns TO his teacher,
and laying the book on the teachers
table, turns his back upon both book
and teacher, and repeats his lesson.
This is called backing his lesson. In
this way he goes through the volume
till he can back the whole book; then
another, then another, till he eau back
the list of the classics. The boys in
the school, to the number Of ten to
twenty, each go throughthc same pro-
cess, coming up in turn to back their
lesson, and he that has defective
recitation receives a blow on his head
from his masters feruIe Of bamboo,
and returns to his seat to perfect his
lesson. The school teachers are usu
ally unsuccessful candidates for pre-
ferment and office, who, not having
habits for business or a disposition to
labor, turn pedagogues. They Ye-
ceive from each OF the pupils given
sum, proportioned TO the means Of the,
parents, and varying from three to
ten Or twelve dollars year from each
pupil, and perhaps in addition an &C.
casional gift of Iruit or food.
The schools are opened at early
dawn, and tho boys study till nine or
ten o'clock, when they 90 to breakfast,
and after an hour or so return and
study till four or five o'clock in the
afternoon, and then retire for the day.
In winter they sometimes have u les
son in the evening.
The first book is called the Trimet-
rical Classic, which all Chinese boys
begin with, and which some Of their
commentators have called a passport
into the regions OF classical and his
torical literature. We should as soon
think Of putting copy Of Young'S
Night Thoughts into the hands Of a
beginner with the expectation of see
ing him master ii. These young &C.
lestials are not expected, however, to
understand what they read, but sim
ply to memorize, and occasionally
write out some more simple character,
and perhaps, after two or three years.
reading and memoriSing, they begin
to study tbesentiments Of the author.
The sons of tradesmen and mechan.
les seldom study long enough to mas
fer the classics, but gain smattering
of books, and learn to read and write
the language sufficient to keep ac-
counts, and gain a little knowledge of
mathematics, when their education is
ended. Such boys-and they consti
tute no small portion OF school boys in
China-as they grow up, retain the
sound OF many characters, but are un.
able to explain the meaning Of a page
liz any common book. Three or four
years Of schooling forms the sum of
their education, and that is INSULT
cient to give any one a practical
knowledge of the written language.-I
The China Mission, By W. Dean,
-D.D.
UIf you admit only true friends
to your house, you will need very few