Mountain Home maverick. [volume] (Mountain Home, Idaho) 1906-1911, 1909-04-15
nz1Y VINO OF 7aF 1nW 0-CA1vYE3E -cOALEGx

Western Learning Taught Here is
now a popular sign in the streets OF
many a Chinese city where. only few
years ago, there was nothing but the
keenest opposition to the ideas of the
foreign barbarians." And not only |
have these unauthorized teachers ap- |
peared everywhere, but schools and
colleges have sprung up by hundreds,
under government auspices, giving
modern education, and manned by Eu-
ropean or American stats, or by ma
tive or Japanese tutors trained in Eu-
rope or America.
THE awakening of China is very
real fact at last, and it has brought
Christian missionary effort in the land
TO a turning point The new govern
ment schools and colleges charge no
fees, and they are divorced from many
of those moral and Christian influ-
ences which play so large part in the
life of similar institutions at home. 50
there was a danger that even enlight-
ened officials and merchants might be
tempted to send their sons to these in
situations. and the missionaries lost
the opportunity of influencing those
who are destined to take high place
/ in the rapidly developing public and
, commercial life of their country. AL
though the missionaries cannot afford
| to offer free education in their col
| leges. the success of the Anglo-Chinese
college at Tientsin is proof that large
numbers of far-seeing Chinese are
| alive to the value of Christian sur
roundings and influences on youth
| during his school and college career.
1t was in 1902, when Tientsin was
settling down after the red fool fury
of the Boxer rising of 1900 that pr. S
Lavington Hart distinguished grad
uate of Cambridge and London univer
stiles. set about the task of establish
ing in the city, and under the auspices
of the London Missionary society, the
self-supporting Anglo-Chinese college
Its aim was to put within reach o
Chinese students an institution which
would give a thoroughly good Englisl
education, as far as possible on thu
lines of an English public school, ma
king no secret of its association witt
the Christian missionaries.
Many and varied are the dufficultie
of the principal of an English colleg
in China. To begin with, the GROUPING
of the scholars into classes is no
made easier by the fact that some o
the Younger students, from earlier cor
tact with foreigners, possess a bette
acquaintance with the English lar
guage. in which the teaching is cor
Quoted, than some of those senior t
them in years. Hence arise certai
: difficulties in the organization of tn
classes and in the maintenance of di
cipline. Then western learning ha
not yet brought acceptance of tn
| western" custom of postponing ma
| rage until the bridegroom is at leas
| clear of the schoolroom, with the r
suit that more than once or twic
scholars have had to ask leave of a
sence in the middle of term becaus
they were going to be married.
In spite of these and other difficu
ties. and in face of the growing comp
ton of the free government instit
lions. the Anglo-Chinese college h;
continued to prosper. 1t was opene
in 1902. in a building which had q
i especial interest for DR.. LayingtC
Hart. seeing that ii had been erected
a memorial to his brother and for
Theological college, which has no
been removed to Pelxin. At the ope
ing there were 10 students. but II
number has steadily grown, until no
there are more than 300 and the bull
ings have twice had to be enlarge
These extensions are the only part
| the work for which money has ev
been asked, for by great sacrifice
and the exercise of rigid economy
the part of the principal and staff.
the other expenses of the college ha
been met from the fees of the ST
dents. A bright student can pa
through the preparatory departing
= &C.,. ..oaro nd after this the q.