Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1906-11-30
EDUCATION IN China
New Movement is the Leading
Topic of interest.
DOMINATION OF JAPANESE
Great Difficulty Experienced in Get
ting Text Books.
HOW MONEY IS BEING RAISED
Immense Popularity Of Athletic Sports
Schools for Girls Established
by Princesses.
HOW MONEY IS BEING RAISED
BY WILLIAM r. CURTIS.

BY WILLIAM E. CURTIS.
written for The Star and the Chicago Record
Herald.
Mr. Edward T. Williams. Chinese secre
tary of the American legation at Picking,
has sent the Department Of State a very
interesting report reviewing the new ecu
catlonal movement in China. which. Mr.
Rockhill says, Is 1.-The leading topic or IN
terest among the Chinese" Within the
last few months. in obedience to an i'm
perial edict. a general system of free pub
lie schools on modern lines has been adopt
ed In that country, and compulsory educa-
ton will be enforced as rapioiy as the
schools can be provided
They begin with the kindergarten and
reach the Imperial University at Picking.
Some time ago the empress dowaser Is
sued an edict for the establishment OF
university at the capital of each or the
twcnty-oue Provinces and believe that
sixteen provinces have already taken
steps to carry out that order. High schools
and academies UNDER Official SUPERVISION
are springinG UP everywhere as last as
competent teachers can be obtained Ihese
schools are on the American plan and the
regulations which fiii eight volumes. are
almost q repetition of those governing the
free public schools of Japan. which were
orsanixed in imitation OF those OF the
United States The department OF educa-
lion 10 In charge of the two chancellors of
the Imperial University, Mr.. Chang Po-hs'
and Mr.. Jung-chinG.
Japan's influence Dominating.
The influence Of Japan Is predominant In
the educational. as it Is In the military
movement. and all other reforms. which ID
perfectly natural. because that Is the oniy
country from which teachers can be drawn
who understand the Chinese language. ana
they can be obtained for very much smaller
salaries than would be required for Euro
neans or Americans. Japanese text books
can be readily altered to suit the chinese,
and in an emergency may be used without
translation because the languages are 50
similar What is more important. the Jap
anese understand their neighbors. AS Mr..
Williams says, there Is a spiritual kinsMp
between the two nations They contem.
plate affairs from the Chinese point OF
view. Their own social and religious IN
stttutiors are similar to those OF China.
They can enter into close sympathy with
the Chinese, wear Chinese dress. live upon
Chinese food dwell IN Chinese houses. ana
adapt Themselves easily and heartIy 70
Chinese environment; and they never Of
fend Chinese prejudices. as Americans
often do. consciously or unconsciousiy
And. what Is even more important. japan
has only recently passed through the same
peaceful revolution that Is just beginning
in China This fact establishes sympathy
and will enable the japanese. who are fully
I'D to date, TO gra1t MODERN sySlcM VI
education upon the ancient system Without
destroying anything that is valuable In the
latter.
The difficulty of obtaining text books has
been serious, for millions of copies or
primers and other books for primary
schools must be provided before the work
of teaching can commence rms neeo mas
been supplied by the translation of Jap
anese standard works and American text
books which have been in use In the mis-
sionary schools. The several missionary
printing offices and the Society for the Diff
fusion of Christian knowledge have aban-
doned almost everything else; and for
year or more have been running their
presses night and day on books for the
primary schools.
A large number Of Americans are also
employed, as many as can be obtained
chiefly as superintendent and instructors
In the normal schools and also as trans
lators of text books, under government su-
pervisiOn.
Great Public Interest.
Mr. Williams says tine new system has
now been thoroughly inaugurated In every
province, and bids fair to make rapid de-
yelopment In the near future. The public
interest Is shown by the liberal contribu-