Waterbury evening Democrat., 1905-11-06

tended-cellege Songs Sung by Chi-
 nese Students.
 The sleepy old empire of China is awakening very rapidly and adopting modern ideas with remarkable facility, says William E. Curtis, the Chicago Record-Herald's Washington core spondent. Private letters tell of recent events of the greatest significance, which illustrate how rapidly the people are throwing off their old ways and adoptingthe features of modern civiliza- tion. Each of the new universities and academies that have been established to educate candidates for office in mod ern sciences and foreign affairs has physical culture department, gym nasium and other facilities for outdoor exercise, under the direction of Amer ican teachers or natives who have studied at American or English schools They have introduced football, base ball and other American games and track athletics with great success. Not only the students, but their parents and friends and the public generally, have become enthusiastic on the sub ject, and at the first track meet ever held in the Chinese empire more than 1000 students and pupils of the public schools were present, with several thou sand other spectators.
 The meet was held at Wuehang, in Hupeh province, in the very center of China. Wuchang Is provincial capi- tai and the residence of that great and good viceroy, Chang Chin Tung, some times called ''the Gladstone of China" and familiarly known as 'the grand old man" Chang Chin Tung presided at the athletic exercises, which gave them additional importance and signifi- canoe, and the old gentleman (for he is past eighty years of age) became as much excited over the contests as any youngster in the immense throng. He awarded the prizes to the winners with great ceremony, thus making the event an official function. It Is understood that these tournaments will occur ev- cry year hereafter, and this will make athletic training feature of the educational system of China.
 Perhaps the most significant incident of the occasion was the singing of a national hymn by the 1000 children and students who had gathered for the tournament. My informant does not say who wrote either the words or the music, but as Chang Chih Tung Is a poet of wide reputation and has frequently written verses for ceremonial occa- sions, it is entirely probable that he was the author of the words, and they 'stay have been arranged to some for. ign air introduced by the missionaries T natives who have been in America r. 'hiIia has never had national hymn
 he is perhaps the only nation that has
 cen without one; hence this little 'pisode also marks an epoch in Chinese sistory.
 Athletic sports have been cultivated i all of the missionary schools and
 pllcges and other institutions under
 oreign teachers. There are cricket Mbs composed of natives In Shanghai r.entsin and other of the treaty ports in imitation of the English residents who carry their sports with them wherever they go. I have seen many tennis courts in China, and the Country club of Shanghai, to which many oi the wealthy Chinese belong, has very good golf links. At St. Johns college in the suburbs of Shanghai, the stu dents have football team, and they play baseball also. They have a glet club and banjo club, and 1t Is inter esting to hear them singing the college songs that are so familiar to American ears.
 The Chinese. however. have verJ few national sports and athletic exer cises. Archery has been practlced fol centuries and has been considered al ! admirable sport, and even now on tn, palace grounds at Peking tournament are often held in which famous bow men from different parts of the land contest for prizes. But foot races, jump ing. throwing weights, vaulting. foot ball and other physical contests have been hitherto unknown. The publI, was never invited to witness such ex hibltions, and they were never recog