The Minneapolis journal., 1906-06-29
CHINA's SCHOOLS
i. UNDER in / J NEW PLANS
SYSTEM ADOPTED
ON JAPANESE MODELS.
Board of Education Created at Peking
Grades Of Schools with Central
University at the Capital-students
Sent Abroad Go to Japan Rather
sthan to America Because Of Restric-
tions Here.
Consul George E. Anderson, Annoy, in
80 Nonsular Renorts

Consul George E. Anderson, Annoy, in
ssf Consular Reports.
The first new educational step Of the
Peking government was in 1908, when a
commission Of one Manchu and two
Chinese high officials was appointed to
study the whole situation and report as
to the most feasible course for China to
adopt. The old method Of conferring lit,
erary degrees, by holding biennial and
courage self education, was abolished in
November, 1905, the authority to confer
degrees now being vested In the un1-
versity and colleges to be established
under the control Of the government IN
Peking.
A board Of education has been created
in Picking to devise means to Introduce
western education and an elaborate sys-
tenn of schools Of different grades has
been initiated. The plan is to have one
or more elementary schools in every
magistracv, middle schools in prefec-
lures, colleges at the capitals Of the
provinces, and university at Peking,
besides normal schools for teachers at
points where it may be advisable. In
view Of what Japan has accomplished
in recent years China has looked to
Japan FOR a model and for help, and
it has openly been announced by Chi
nese statesmen that their aim is to pat
tern the University of Picking after the
Toxic university.
Education Is not compulsory under
the present law. Chinese boys years
old are eligible to enter elementary
schools. which are divided into two
grades, the first and second, with five
and four years, course in each grade, re-
spectiyely. The course in the first grade
elementary school includes eight differ.
ent subjects moral training. Chinese
classics, Chinese literature, arithmetic
hstGry YBeaGea Se.e and be
ond grade elementary schools include
drawing as ninth subject. Instruction
is given in these schools in the Man
| DARN dialect, and no foreign Language
1 is taught until the boy is admitted into
| the middle school. The fve-year curric
ulum in the latter includes foreign Ian
] guages, which may be Japanese, Eng
1ish, German, French or Russian. Il
also includes physics, chemistry and po
litical economy.
After graduation he can apply for ad
mission to college, where in three yeart
he is fitted for the university, In which
specialized courses Of law, medicine ano
surgery. agriculture, literature, ETC., are
IRiven. English is compulsory in the col
ilege, other foreign Languages being elec
tive. The courses In the university al
planned represent a high order Of prac
tical, technical and professional instruc
tion, but at present the matter ha.
scarcely gone beyond the Theoretical
stage, the university lacking apparatus
land instructors, it's proposed housing
being converted temples and examina
ton halls.
These schools. however, are not pub
lie schools in the American sense. The
matter Of support is left to the off
cials Of the several provinces to pass
cial officials. in turn, leave the matter
to the officials of the several district.
and subdistricts. What schools now ex
ist in line with this plan Of education
are supported largely by tuition charged
pupils, by special local taxes. by gift