Evening star., 1909-06-27

knowing the general dislike which the
white man seems to hold against the yell
to raise any fund preparatory TO buying
books of instruction. hiring teachers, etc.
but began their work quietly with what
volunteers they could muster.
Happily for them, the Chinese who were
approached were eager to accept this
chance to break down the geratest bar TO
their progress in great western coun-
try-an inability TO understand the Ian
guage The Chinese are mentally active
from birth and have as their greatest
heritage love of study. Their attempts
to follow their two teachers and the few
assistants Of the latter In the complicated
labyrinth of language so absolutely diff
ferent from their own, brought tears to
the eyes of their instructors. Aside from
any question of religion, their determina-
tion TO learn, to study, to improve, won
their teachers even before they attempted
to inculcate the principles of Christian
ity.
Old men, brilliantly educated In their
own country, young men anxious to gain
more knowledge, ignorant coolies with
brains like clods, all fiocked to the differ
ent Sunday schools and took up 'Inglis''
with a fervor that taxed the endurance
of their instructors.
Interspersed with the alphabet in the
little book Of Instructions handed to the
scholars were passages from the Bible
to Englisr. Thus the Chinese were taught
to read the basic doctrines of Christianity
almost before they could speak the Eng
lish language, and thus they were enabled
TO slightly appreciate what their teachers
were most anxious to have them under
stand. the existence of the trinity and
the certainty of everlasting life.
As the Chinese began crowding the diff
ferent Sunday school rooms in their anx-
1ety TO learn the English language the
teachers elaborated their plan of instruc-
tion SO as TO embrace more comprehen-
sive study OF the Bible. AS soon as the
pupil was able to read English intelli-
gently he was given prayer book and a
Bible, both of which he was instructed to
peruse. In this manner the Chinaman
VINO nnished his course In English was
equipped, willingly or unwillingly, with a
knowledge Of the religion Of his teachers.
The schools at the end of some ten
years became known throughout this part
of the country. Chinese fathers sent their
children to begin their English education
with the Bible as their guide. Young
high school students were required to at
tend Sunday school that they might be-
come familiar with the Book, represent
ing as ii does the best of the English
language.
So far the schools have been run entire
ly without the aid OF philanthropists. On
one occasion an effort was made to es-
tablish a central mission to be supported
by all of the churches, but for some rea-
son this scheme never materialized
The process of teaching the Chinese the
English language is interesting. When
the child enters the school he is given a
book containing Chinese and English let
ters and sentences, the latter correspond
ingly arranged SO that the translation OF
either may be learned by simply looking
across the page. The instructions for
forming words. articulation, ETC., are
printed in Chinese, thus necessitating a
fairly complete native education on the
part of the celestial. With infinite pains
the different letters of the alphabet are
taught the pupil. following which he is
given short words TO memoriZe.
1t is curious fact that none of the
sixty teachers engaged in the work of
reforming the celestials of Washington
can speak their pupils tongue. All of
them are dependent on the services OF an
interpreter and their own facile ability
to illustrate their lessons with appro-
private gestures. The Chinese are appar-
emily the most adept students in the
world, being possessed of an amount OF
determination fairly astonishing Ia the