Deseret evening news. [volume] (Great Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1867-1920, 1910-01-06
THE NATIONS AWAKENING.

reputc ana prominence
awakening is reported from o,her
South American states
Thus, Vice Consul General Joseph j.
Slcchta, of Rio dc .Janciro. reports that
n decree has been issued authorizing
the cstablishmcnt of MISUNDERSTANDING
schools In tic capitals Of the severai
States of Brazil At least Ave OF the
most important industries OF the stste
ore TO be represented in each school,
training in more than the five branches
being given when such authorization
Is given by the government. The
schools are expected to supply the DC
mand for skilled laborcrs and foremen
in several industries These skiilcd
artisans are to be taken from the ranks
of the apprentices showing most apti-
tude In their respective trades. Ap-
prcntices arc to be received between tho
ages OF IL and 13 years. The expense
of running the schools Is to be met.
so far as possible. by the sale OF ma
terial and products manufactured or
partly manufactured in the institution.
The agricultural inspectors are to hs-
cdlizc the schools in their respective
districts.
1sven China has awakened and Is now
keen In the establishment of new
schools. by means of which the govern
mont expects to modernise the ancient
empire
or the oId-styIe schools. which date
back TO the time of Confucius. and are
found throughout the Empire. Gen.
Dorsey of Shanghai says that their
number Is beyond computation; every
village and hamlet has one or more.
1t is In them that the largest number
of youths still receive their education,
and II Will probably be long time
before all of them are superseded. by
schools of modern learning. They arc
not a part of any government educa-
tional system. nor are they under any
government regulation or supervision.
They are really private schools opened
In a room OF an ordinary reed. adobe.
or brick house by one OF the litcrati
under the old regime, who in most
cases was born and reared In the
neighborhood. The teachers collect
their pupils and are paid by subscrip-
tion from the parents. and by presents
from the pupils at the great fcasts.
out Of these primitive institutions havc
come some of the great men OF China
The curriculum In them is very limited,
Mathematics. science. geography, his
tory are not taught, except in so far
as they appear In the old classics. The
principal thing is to teach. the pupils
to write, to memorize the classics. to
make essays. and compose poetry.
Recently, however, the Chinese gov
ernment has adopted an elaborate
scheme of education, modelled on that
of Japan. When it Is carried out In
system on modern lines and with q
Western curriculum which will COM
pare favorably with that Of any other
country. Schools of all grades will be
established in every province, and these
will be on modern lines. A commend
able start has already been made
Schools and colleges have been opened
in many places in substantial building:
of Western style Of architecture. The
one great obstacle the Government 1.
encountcring in carrying out its new
educational scheme is the lack of quail
fled teachers. This has seriously Grip
pied many OF the schools In their initia
stage.
The reason for reporting to our gov
crnment the condition of progress o
Chinese schools is not because of tn
general interest our consul there sup
poses the people OF America to hav
in such knowledge. but because thi
awakening will make necessary the us
OF school books and apparatus and pos
sibly open up new products for Ameri
can makers.
This is especially true of blackboar
crayons none of which are used In tn
old-etyle schools. There the pupil
learn to write from copies set by the
teachers, and which they at first trac
with a brush and india ink through
thin and very cheap paper made
bambo fiber.
In the new schools 1t will be othel
wise. All these Institutions use or wi
use crayons, and the consumptic
throughout the Empire will be cnorn
Gus. But it does not follow that TO
eigncrs engaged - paanufactu
and sale OF school 1>SaSsiee viii benet
therefrom Tho ceS---st arc deternIn,
to manufacture FOR themselves wh
they require in every line. and aIrea,
small factories have been establish
for making school crayons out of gy
sum. The product resembles the Anne
lean article, and answers admiral
the Same purpose, besides being VIC
much cheaper
In this instance. Chinese exclusiy
ness Will secra to be somewhat justi
able. for II besides getting the hoI
made article they can get 1t at lcss C,
than the imported. no one can fl
fault wfth their policy. although IL
to be remembered that this policy h
greatly retarded the progress of tn
nation in tie past.