The Birmingham age-herald., 1908-02-14

there might have been social war, rein
 forced by ''hatchet'' society.
 Chinatown also has it's dark side. This plague-spot is the cause of most of the disturbances in the Celestial quarter. They have neither criminal
 nor civil law suits, and there are no robberies-at least not by Chinamen. Several small companies are engaged in smuggling women into the city for immoral purposes, and they pay the
 "tongs" to guard them, or prevent
 others from stealing their women. The
 respectable business men of China
 town desires that this immoral element be "banish ed" but it seems as impos-
 sible to eliminate it as it Is to rid the Angelic City of it's sirens. The
 worst feature of the Chinese social evil is that 1t is sh own to tourists. and painted blacker than it is. The mer- chapts regard this a reflection upon their countrymen, and contend that this part of Chinatown is no worse than the gambling dens, brutal prize fight rings, and other similar places in the Ameri- can quarter, which are passed through
 in order to reach Chinatown.
 There are about 300 children in Chinatown the age limit of youth be- ms lp ySalS. lHtIG dIc SCNSidi PIl- vate sch ools; also mission schools. Many of the children attend both, mainly to learn English. The private teachers charge s2 50 and s3 per month, the smaller children being charged the larger sum. Girls are given less schooling than boys, as it Is not con- sidered necessary to educate them highly, in view of their future sta tion in life as wives and drudges. As the girls grow older they are taught at home by tn cir mothers. Children are first sent to school at the age of 1 years. The first lesson is taught at home; to venerate the ancestral tablet which Is found in every Chinese house. h old. It is not worship of idols, as told to tourists, but a mark of respect to ancestors. Children never pass be- yond the control of their parents as long as they live. Filial duty Is the greatest of all yrtures and ends only with death.
 In the Chinese school room is a square table, beside which the teacher sits. fac ing the east-the source of light. Within easy reach is q bamboo rod The pupils know what this is for without being told. Each pupil has d small desk and chair. Upon the desk Is a copybook of rice paper, with yellow paper back, small ink stone, a stick of India" ink, a 'camels hair" brush, and a tiny cup of water with which to moisten his block of ink. Then the pupil is ready to try his hand on "pothooks The India" ink is made in China, and the "camel's hair is of bamboo fiber Fine penmanship, or rather brushmanshp, Is considered greater accomplishment than reading. School lasts eight or nine hours day for six days. Their studies are mainly the writings of Gonfucius and of the classics Their parents select for them the books or line of studies that please them, and they take longer or shorter les sons according to their ability. This sys- tenn is made feasible by each pupil being in class by himself. Accordingly, he advances upon his merits, and dull pupil does not hold back a class suggestion here for American school boards. The pupil first learns the sound of the charac- ters, so as to recite them, thus getting the sense of the story instead of the words The pupils study aloud The teacher gives as a reason for this that it de- velops the voice, and also enables him to discover when any one is not studying. He is familiar with their voices, and when one Is inactive, he brings the bam- boo into play. Each pupil Is called up in turnN He hands the teacher the book, turns his back, folds his hands behind him. and recites as loud as he can. By his back, the teacher explains, the pupil cannot .'crib' from the book The characters in the book are large. and when it is placed upon the table it lies flat as the back is of paper. and thus the pupil could easily ''erib,' They do not study mathematics. geography, or the natural sciences.
 Some of the families who have adopt. ad western ideas have their children arght in western text books, which have ,een translated into Chinese, or rather he Canton' dialect, which is the lam ,uaee of commerce. but the older fam l lies still cling to the traditions and GUS oms of their ancestors, and are bring | ng up their children in the same man. | Ter, though surrounded by modern civ | lzation Few. If any. however, depart ] rom their ancient social customs. Wear ng he queue Is one instance, though this | s thS most modern of all their customs. 1 The Chinese were long -hars" until con
 A.