The Bossier banner. [volume] (Bellevue, Bossier Parish, La.) 1859-1952, 1877-10-04
CHINESE BOYS.
The Chinese Educational Colony IN Coh-
ttecticut-Yung Wing and His lIo fro-
teges.


fiecticut-Yung Wing and His 115 Pro-
teges.
A Athick-set, short man, broad featured,
and of bilious complexion, attired in
the latest style, is daily passenger on
the morning and evening trains between
Hartford and Avon. He might be taken
for Spaniard, but, except for the broad
nostrils, would never pass for a native
of China. Such, however, he is, and
the head OF the Chinese Educational
Commission, whose headquarters are in
Hartford, and who have in their charge
one hundred and fifteen of the brightest
lads in all the Chinese Empire.
Thirty years ago this man, then lad
in an interior Chinese village, was pick
ed up by an American missionary, and
the stories he heard of the wonderful
land across the Pacific induced him to
run the risk that native of China then
incurred who left his country, and come
to America. After his arrival several
gentlemen interested themselves in him.
He was put to school, and at length he
was graduated at Yale College. He was
the first native of China to take col
legiate degree.
Yung Wings ten years in this coun-
try thoroughly Americanized him, and
he decided to make it life work to pry
open the eyes of his sleeping fellow
countrymen, and show them what their
real condition is, and what they must do
to put themselves on an equality with
other nations.
He went back to China and began the
work. He was too shrewd to tell the
mandarins at first that China is far be-
hind the rest of the world. He said
nothing for some years, but made him.
self so valuable by the use of certain
knowledge and suggestions that he had
gathered in the United States, that he
soon became person of some influence.
Then he began slowly to drop hints as
to the way in which things were done in
America. SO he went on cautiously
for the mandarins are very bigoted-
until at last he suggested, and, as his
influence grew more powerful, urged his
plan, and in 1869, nearly twenty years
after his return to China, the Emperor
consented. He was allowed to choose
one hundred and fifteen boys, from sew
en- to fourteen years of age, and to bring
them to this country and give them such
training as he saw fit. For this pur-
pose the Chinese Government appropri-
ated ST $780, 900, and in 1871 the first par
ty of boys arrived in Hartford, followed
in 1873 and 1874 by others.
With them came Yung Wing and four
assistants and their servants, and these
at their home in this city make with the
boys Chinese colony not only as pccu-
| liar as the Chinese, but unlike any other
Chinese people in the United States.
These represent the wealthy aristocratic
Chinese. They are no more like the
laundry Johns than the Directors are
like the laborers on railroad. M.
AS soon as the boys reached Hartford
they were put by two and threes with
American farmers families in Connec-
ticut and Massachusetts towns, so that
they might learn the language as quick.
ly as possible. But so that their Chi
nese schooling might not be lost, they
came alternately to the head quarters il
) Hartford and spent three weeks in ex
! clusively Chinese studies. A fine edifict
, has been erected in Hartford by Yuns
Wing, near the residences of Marsha
Jewell, Gen. Hawley, Mark Twain, ant
, Harriet Beecher Stowe.
7 Some of the boys have got far enough
2 along to enter Yale College, and in tn
school contests they have invariably
3 beaten their American schoolmates
5 From college they will 60 to the pro
+ fessional schools, particularly the sci
e entifc studies, and then will be ready t.
!; return to China, where they will spen
t their lives as teachers.
t 1t is Yung Wings opinion that the in
n fiuence of 115 able men, thoroughly ed
e ucated, and, more than all, thorough
Americanized by the Is years spen
e here in their boyhood, can not fail {
y ultimately removing all obstacles tina
d Chinese bigotry has thus far put up t
progress.
# The social life of the assistants whol
IS Yung Wing brought over recently n
d ceived some prominence by false rumc
d circulated bv two New York paper
Yung Wing is mandarin of the tift
y rank. His four assistants are Nge1
fifth rank; Yung, sixth; Kwong, sixt
l. and Leu, seventh. Ynng Wing himse
e has been naturalized, and is an Amer
d can citizen. He has an American wifi
e, sister of DIR. Kellogg, an infuenti
s, physician of Hartford. His habits, g
t, tire, and religious belief are America
5. Ngeu is quiet man, and likes a go'
e. dinner and society. With him are tv
Id wives, and this fact has been general
ry known in Hartford. Both wives a
40 sometimes seen on the sidewalk, and c
ct casionally receive American ladies, b
. they are never seen with Ngeu, a
never appear at any Of his entertai
ments. This, not because he has t.
of wives here, but because Chinese custt