The Press., 1910-06-29

Il Like pr. Arnold of Rugby, he aimed to build character in his pupils and not to convert them into walking en. cyclopedias or intelligent parrots. II was through him that I was intro. duced to Addison: Goldsmith, Dick. ems, Sir Walter Scott, Macauley and Shakespeare. '' While living in Che home of Mrs. Brown. Yung Wing be. came a sincere Christian and also be. gan to consider deeply how he could make himself most useful to China. He was urged to study for the minis. try and go back as missionary, but he saw another way In which he felt that he could do much needed work. He went to Yale college and gradu- ate6 there in 1854, the first Chinese to graduate from that institution, where there are now some twenty five bright Chinese youth studying. Then he went back to China with a great dream in his mind. He had seen the great superiority of western oivilIzA- tion over the Chinese, the dense ig- noranoe of his countrymen as to that superiority and the great need of re form throughout China. So he con. ceived the educational scheme of hay ing a hundred picked Chinese youths sent to America for an education at the expense of the Chinese govern. ment, to remain in this country for thorough course of fifteen years, to learn the best that America had to teach them. That they might not forget Chinese or be ignorant of Chinese learning they were to have Chinese teachers also, so that the two branches of learning might be carried on simultaneously. Many years elapsed before there was any chance to carry out this great plan of his which was the ambition of his life. But at length about 1870 circum- stances favored him and the govern. ment adopted his scheme, appropriated generous sum of money to carry 1t out and appointed him educational comm issioner to supervise it. He was SO delighted that he could hardly con. tain himself and at once set about to carry it out. He succeeded in col lecting a number of Chinese youths, whom he brought to Hartford, where he erected large building on Collins street for their home. Here the boys, about 8 hundred in all, were in- structed during the whole or part of the years from 1871 to 1880, and most of them did finely. But Yung Wing was a reformer before the time, China was not ready for the western learning and had deep dislike for every thing foreign, So in 1880 the opponents of Yung WinR's scheme suc- oeeded in getting the mission broken up and in having him and the students recalled to China. It almost brcke his heart. and he felt as though his whole work had been failure But anyone who has kept watch of recent changes in China knows that since that time his scheme has been con- pletely vindicat9d The government found from among those hundred youths men who were most useful, and many of whom are now the lead CTS in the reconstruction of China. The government has now adopted Yung Wings plan on a far larger scale than he ever dreamed, and plans to send some 25OO of the brightest of it's youths to America to learn all that we can teach them. This story shows that no reformer should be dis couraged by temporary defeat, because if thing is right it is sure to triumph in the end I love to think that some small part of tbis great influence which is transforming the mighty empire of China came from one who was born in the Insignificant town of Union. Harvey M Lawson.
 Mashapaug.
 E Labreck was in town over Sun day.
 Miss Bessie Moore of LakevilIe is
 
 Danny Thompson injured his right hand in an accident Sunday
 The rye harvested on the Capt. Paul place last week was over seven fest high in places.
 G. W Crawford brought two boats to the lake for O. Dollbuea of Nor. wioh this week.
 Miss Frances Walker Is visiting friends in Springfield, Hartford, South Manchester and Warehouse Point
 Chestnut blossoms are beginning to show in many places, and it won't he but few weeks before the golden rod will be in bloom.
 E. O. Walker and Miss Walker Ut. tended the commencement exercises and reception at Southbridge high school last week.
 Among the guests at Ferry s Inn on Sunday were Mrs. John Morse of California and A Caron, one of fhe sslectmen If 'Southbridge.
 The dry weather has not injured orops- rather given them, a good start, and grass seems to be maturing early Many complain this year of an extra number of potato bugs. but shortage of apple tree worms and nests. Corn in most places has been slow in coming, and in many places it has routed in the ground, necessita. ting second planting .i,
 soMERs.
 Mrs. Pairing of Brooklyn, with three children, are in town, guests of Mrs W. A. Pease.
 G&awnarr0vn m~nl