The Washington times., 1903-10-12
AMERICAN TRAINING
FOR YOUNG CHINAAEN
Sir Chentung Wants More
Students to Come Here.
THINKS OUR SCHOOLS BEST
Hopes His Government Will Increase
Appropriation for This Purpose.
Few Sent to Europe.
THINKS OUR SCHOOLS BEST

Before the opening of the next school
year Sir Chentung Liang-Chang. the
Chinese minister. hopes to have thirty
additional boys sent to this country to
be placed in American schools. He ex-
poets these students to be sent from
the province of Tien-Tsin.
In case he can persuade his govern
ment to make an appropriation Sir
Chentung viii have a central school
established where commissioner will
look after the boys and make il pos
sible for them TO have instruction in
the Chinese language and literature in
vacation time.
At present there are twenty-five Chi
nese students in this country. under the
care OF the Chinese minister, who are
trained at different colleges and prep
aratory schools for the diplomatic SER
vice and other government positions in
China that require knowledge Of Eng
lish.
Minister Educated Here.
Sir Chentung received most of his edu-
cation in the United States, and is a
great admirer of the educational insti-
tutions in this country. He is anxious
to have Chinese parents send their chill
dren here TO be educated. At present
there are only ten or fifteen young
Cinnamon from prominent families in
American colleges. besides the twenty
f1ve young government wards. BY hav-
Ing the number of students under gov
fnaraocod Cfr
also hopes to increase the number Of
students sent here at the expense of
their own families.
In the fVs China appropriated
more than 100000 TO pay the expenses
of I'D students in the United States for
a period of ten years. Sir Chentung was
among the young men of prominent
families selected to receive the training
in America. Some of the young men
became so independent as a result of
their advanced education that they
scoffed at Chinese methods and made
themselves distasteful to conservative
Chinese. Consequently the government
recalled many of the students before
they had completed their education
Sent Here as Boys.
All these young men were sent here
at the age OF thirteen or fourteen years.
and when recalled most of them were
between eighteen and twenty-three
years old. Although the Chinese did not
entertain a high estimate OF American
institutions Of learning. Immediately af-
ter the return OF these young men. there
has since been reason to think better of
them and their American training.
All of these students returned to
China. AS they grew older they ad-
eminent service. in railway and manu-
featuring enterprises. Many OF them
also became prominent engineers and
physicians.
The pendulum which once swung away
from American colleges is now swinging
back this way and the Chinese minister
expects the number OF Chinese students
I'm this country to increase rapidly from
year TO year.
China now has about 1000 students in
Japanese schools. Sir Chentung SAYS
that two years ago there were only
about 600 Chinese I'm Japanese schools.
but the number has increased at rapid
rate. Japan is so near China that stu
dents can go there at small expense
The Chinese minister speaks in high
terms of the japanese colleges and uni
versities, and says their courses are ex-
cellent In medicine the japanese uni
versities have especially good courses
Few Chinese students go to European
institutions.
Placed in American Families.
All the young men who came to the
United States under the care Of Sir
Chentung are from sixteen TO eighteen
years old He believes boys at this age
have a better grasp of their own Ian
fIaV
and are more likely 70 succeed in Amer
ican schools.
The minister's wards were placed in
good American families as soon as they
came here this summer. in order that
they might acquire English. Not more
than two were placed in one family,
and homes were found for all where
they might have good school advan-
tages. Several Of the young men have
already learned enough English 20 gain
admission 20 preparatory schools Only
few weeks ago two of them entered
Philips Academy. AS soon as they are
prepared for college they will go 10
Yale and other high-grade institutions.
Most Of the boys will go TO technical
schools One of the young students is
now IN the Massachusetts Agricultural
College. and still others will be placed
in schools OF this sort as soon as they
are prepared. Others will go into schools
of mining.
The Chinese minister is especially in
terested IN agriculture, and hopes to
have American methods adopted in
China Although the Chinese are ex-
cellent farmers, their methods are so
primitive that Sir Chentung hopes they
Will be greatly benefited by the training |
IN up-to-date farming which American |
agricultural colleges are giving.