The Olneyville times. (Olneyville [Providence, R.I.]) 1887-1917, 1911-10-13
SCHOOLS IN CHINA
They Have Curious and Strenu-
GUS Methods of Teaching.
AMAZING FEfTS OF MEMORY.
For Years the Pupils Are Kept "Get-
ting by Heart" Books Of Which They
Have No Understanding, After
Which Comes the Explanation.


old to enter on his instructional course.
He makes the most profound obeisance
10 his teacher. His parents provide
the table at which and the stool on
which he sits. They also supply the
"four precious articles" the ink slab,
the ink cake, the pen or brush for writ
ing and the paper.
He will have no need at first OF the
writing materials, all his time being
employed In memorizing the books
given him. Perhaps a dozen boys.
each q class by himself, are busy on
his entry. Each Is shouting his task
Mt the top of his voice. the teacher
sitting at his table In all the SOM
nolent wakefulness OF a judge. No
wrong pronunciation or intonation es-
capes his practiced ear, and correc-
tion Is frequent
It's earthen floor, its unglazed windows
and it's air of utter poverty. Our
young hopeful, says the National Re
view, in due time Is introduced to the
"Trimetrical Classic" and the ques-
tionable statement, which forms It's
very threshold, that "men at birth are
radically good" so set in classical
form that he has no more idea OF its
meaning than IL 1t were In Greek. 1t
Is not meaning, however, that Is the
object Just now, but sound and mem
orizing.
Then he will be introduced to the
book OF surnames. 400 In number. as
another exercise In getting by heart"
after which in parts Of the land the
Thousand Character Classic" Is set
This is a book consisting Of the num-
ber of characters named. no one OF
which is ever used twice. Still no ex-
planation is vouchsafed. For all the
learning our youth Is gaining he might
with equal profit memorize number
Of auction catalogues. He is given In
varying order. according to the custom
followed by his teacher, the four sacred
books-the Great Learning" also
known as 1.-THE Door Of Virtue" the
"Analects" Of Confucius, the Doctrine
Of the Mean" and the Book OF Men
cius."
As early as thirteen, It may be, he
will have done the memory work OF
the four books and be capable Of reel
ing off yards, rods, furlongs or miles"
OF learning Then enlightenment In
the form Of explanation begins. Dark
ness Is made visible, and education
may be said to have begun. There Is
wearisome work in sight now.
As II the books themselves were not
Of sufficient difficulty, there are end
less commentaries after the fashion OF
our own on the Bible or Shakespeare.
The Great Learning" provides Illus
trations Of virtue. aims at the constant
renewal Of good and so at the attain
ment Of the highest excellence. Its
ideal Is a righteous government over q
tranquil and happy people. The DOC
trine OF the Mean" Is more strictly In
dlvidualistic Correct conduct in every
stage Of life Is It's subject.
The chief competitive examinations
are three In number. The first, for
the Situsai. or b. A. degree, Is held at
the prefectural city; the second. the
Ku-jen, or NJ. A., at the provincial
capital, and the third, the Tsin-shi,
or LII. D., at Peking. In one or other
OF these the clever youth whose ca
reer we are following may possibly
find himself in n peculiar position as
competitor with his own father or even
his grandfather. who. with more per-
severance than luck or brains, keeps
''pegging away" year after year TIL
success arrives-or death.
Many are the attempts at trickery,
cribbing, bribery or whatever may
bring the candidate sufficiently near
the top to be one OF the favored few
who 'pass," the percentage OF these
being fractionally small at times. To
guard against fraud there are pre-
cautions such as could never have been
suggested in the west
Every candidate has his own little
cell in which he works during the days
of the examination. Not few die
under the ordeal. ANY essay is good
which gives a man his NJ. A." says
the proverb, and '1f one comes out
first on the dragon list there is chance
within ten years OF being in the Phoe-
nix pool" which being interpreted
means that he who heads the NJ. A.
list is likely by and by to become a
Hanln. So, indeed, It happens to our
young hopeful now arrived at years OF
much discretion. He even becomes the
shuang Yuan Of his year, the laureate
or senior classic, as he might be named
in the west.
whereupon on his return to his ma
tive province he is received with the
highest honors from the highest peo-
pie. the viceroy leading. and then n
curious thing happens. Many OF the
people OF the province having the same
surname apply for the honor OF being
permitted 10 worship Mt the ancestral
hall OF the successful genius and ac-
company their appeals with valuable
persuasives They thus establish a