The Richmond Virginian. (Richmond, Va.) 1910-1920, 1911-07-14

That China is gradually working out It's great
problem of educating its Young people along
modern lines Is becoming more ana more eNA"
dent.
The nature of the problem can best be appre-
ciated when 1t Is considered that it IS only hVe
years ago that the old examination system was
done away with and system of education along
new lines inaugurated, system TO be es-
tablished with few teachers with modern
education and with few available funds.
That such revolution could be affected at
once Is impossible. The measure of success
attained in some provinces Is remarkable. no.
tably in and near Pekin SIX years ago IN
schools In the metropolitan Province of Chill
there only about 5000 students, whlie
now there nearly 100000 III modern schools
The schools conducted under the supervision
OF the ChhIi Provincial Board Of Education
now include. among facilities afforded in the
province by the government, independent Of
mission other schools. one uId'e rsify at
Tientsin one provincial college az Faotingtu,
seventeen Industrial Schools three ,f, ffermel
schools, forty-nine elementary normal schools.
two medical colleges. three foreign language
schools. eight commercial schools, five agrieul-
tural schools thirty middle schoois' 80 upper
primary schools, 1854 lower primary schools.
lsi girls schools, IA halliday aad night
The university at TIentsln has ms reputation
OF being the best institution Of the sort of
China. However. the Imperial University at
Pekin ia developing rapidly and VIII soon be
"a strong institution
In the remote provinces the situation
Is not promising. The commissioner OF
customs at Chung-kip In his last report gives
an outline Of the school establishments in Sec
huan Province He reports that primary
schools teaching Chinese and little arith-
metio and geography, exist in considerable num-
bers scattered throughout the province In
/ Chengtu and the more advanced perfectural
cities English, elementary mathematics and
drill are generally added to the curriculum of
these schools, but these schools lack good
teachers and equipment, and In all the smaller
cities and market towns are little in advance or
the old type OF Chinese schools" That is said
to he the also in other provinces. The
middle schools, which the regulations Of the
4 re- n.,tn inv N
prefectural and district city. exist now only
| In the prefectural cities About fo11r years
ago almost every district city established one
but either from lack Of students or from In
experience they now nearly aH closed.
Only in the larger prefectural cities are they
we'll organized. The subjects taught are
Chinese, English, elementary mathematics and
! science, history. geography ethics and ply
steal exercises.
Province six years ago. 1t was the first school
| in the province to teach modern subjects. The
| university, therefore, must have begun its career
| as very elementary school, 1t mas 500 STU
dents and the arts course consists OF the Chinese
! classics. English, French, history, ethics, poll
| teal economy and some mathematics; the
science course. of English, Mathematics. chem
| istry physics and natural history. Chemical and
physical laboratories have been equipped. and
| recently the staff consisted of English.
| three American, three japanese and several
| Chinese professors.
/ In various other provincial capitals the col
/ leges established in line with the imperial de-
/ cree revolutionizng the educational methods
Of the country are growing rapidly and are
/ doing advanced work. those at Hankchow.
1 Fooehow and Canton being particularly favor
! ably mentioned. In these colleges quite a
number OF American university men en-
ployed
/ IT Is noteworthy that while Chinese
students are going to Europe and America for
! educational advantages the number going to
Japan Is growing smaller. 1t lis said that while
at time there were nearly 10000 Chinese
students in Japan there are now probably less
| than 900 Several reasons for the change
are alleged. the fact that most provincial CAPT.
tails now afford similar advantages being one.
MSst provinces now have schools for more or
| less perfect technical training, railway schools
! bein established in several where lines OF
study approaching railway construction and
I management being taught. The military
| board of Pekin also has ordered the estab-
4 fishing of military schools in every 'hsin'' or
district and several schools of considerable merit
have been established in line with this move
ment-Ex