Milford chronicle., 1911-10-27
SCHOOLS IN CHINA
They Have, Curious and Strenu-
GUS Methods of Teaching.
AMAZING FEhTS OF MEMORY.

For Years the Pupils Are Kept Get
ting by Heart" Books Of Which They
Have No Understanding, After
Which Comes the Explanation.
A Chinese schoolboy sets off one fine
morning when seven or eight years
old TO enter on his instructional course
He makes the most profound obeisanre
TO his teacher His parents provide
the table at which and the stool ON
which he sits, TLey 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 class by himself, are busy on
his entry Each is shouting his task
at the top OF his voice. the teacher
sitting at his table in all the som
AOlent wakefulness of a judge No
wrong pronunciation or intonatiOn es
capes his practiced ear, and cOrrec-
ton is frequent.
1t is a simple country house. with
its earthen floor. its unglazed windows |
and its air Of utter poverty Our
young hopeful, says the National Re !
view, in due time is introduced to the |
''Trimetrical Classic" and the ques-
tiOnabe statement. which forms its
very threshold. that men at birth are
radically good" so set in classical
form that be has no more idea Of its
meaning than If it 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 mum
Der 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 be might
with equal profit memorize a number
Of auction catalogues. He is given in
varying order, according to the custom
followed by his teacher, the four sacred
OOOks-the Great Learning" also q
Known as THE Door Of Virtue:' the '
'Analects" Of COnfucius. the Doctrine
# the Mean" and the Book of Men q
.ius." n
As early as thirteen, it may be. he L
will have done the memory work Of o
he four books and be capable Of reel y
ng of yards. rods, furlongs or miles 9
T learning Then enlightenment in 4
be form of explanation begins Dark e
ess is made visible. and education d
nay be said to have begun There is b
7earisOme work in sight now II
As II the books themselves were not o.
sufficient difficulty. there are end ca
IS commentaries after the fashion OF al
1r own on the Bible or Shakespeare CT
he Great Learning provides illus VI
ations Of virtue, aims at the constant ei
inewal of good and so at the attain pl
ent of the highest excellence. Its
e4l Is a righteous government over a ed
anquil and happy people. The doc b
inc of the Mean" is more strictly in go
Correct conduct in every tn
age Of life is its subject de
The chief competitive examinations sti
e three in number The 6rst. for in
e Situsai. or B A. degree. is held at lei
e prefectural city; the second. the he
1-jen, or NJ. A.. at the provincial tn
pital. and the third. the Tsin-shi. In
Ii. D., at Peking In one or other tin
these the clever youth whose ca vic
sr we are following may possibly th'
d himself in a peculiar position as poi
npetitor with his own father or even ov'
grandfather. who. with more per. sui
'erance than luck or brains. keeps yet
sgging away" year after year till In
cess arrives-or death. mo