Lincoln County leader. [volume] (Toledo, Lincoln County, Or.) 1893-1987, 1912-02-16

a box or kept in hole Just OUTSIDE
There may also be a few birds in
cages hanging about to cheer the fami-
ly with their sweet music.
These homes are anything but neat
and comely. but you will be made wei.
come when you call, although perhaps
the chair upon which you are to sit
must be wiped off before you dare
occupy 1t.
There will be excuses for the untidi-
ness. the woman perhaps saying that
they are too poor to keep clean! But
you are there either to see how the
other half lives or else to carry some
message of teaching them how to bet
ter their conditions or perhaps to
bring cheer to some forlorn heart, SO
do not see to much. or notice the un-
savory odors that float in from every
direction!
Before going to China | had sup
posed that 1t was only the rich and
well-to-do families who had their
daughters feet cramped. but l soon
found that the custom was very gen.
eral throughout all of central China.
ln the country as we'll as in cities, this
horrid custom was carried out with
nearly all the women.
In the province of Canton however.
this has never been as general among
the poor as in other parts, hence this
Is why you here see only an occasional
woman with bound feet. NEARLY all
the Chinese here are from the prov.
ince of Canton.) Farther north the
custom is almost universal
For thousands of years the Chinese
have valued education more than any.
thing else. Every little hamlet and
village all over that great empire has
had its schools where their literature
has been taught to boys whose par
ents have been unable to employe
private teachers in the house. The
systei is not governmental. but
schools are subscribed for from pri.
vate funds. Very often this provision
for schools for those unable to pay for
an education has been from purely
philanthropic motives. In other cases
it has been kept up by men of means
from a religious standpoint, thinking
that by SO doing they may gain merit
in the next stage of existense. At any
rate the sons of the poor as well as
of the rich have had more or less of
chance to gain an education.
The prime idea of study with the
Chinese is to make as many OF the
five senses as possible aid in forming
the impression Of the name and writ
ten character upon the mind OF the
child. The understanding Is a matter
of later period and will develop OF
itself at the proper time. The eyes
see the proportions and outline Of
the character. the mouth or voice Is
used in repeating its name. and the
ear hears the voice and so adds its
quota in the brain impression. These
characters when first taught to chill
dren are always written upon small
squares Of paper and are felt and
handled continually while at study, so
that the brain is aided by seeing. voic-
ing, hearing and feeling, all thus help
ing the mind to receive its gift Of ma
terial which it will hold till the intel
lect is ready to make use of it.
The little fellow may not for years
to come know the meaning of single
character he learns to repeat with per
feet accuracy. but what he has learn
ed can never be effaced from his men,
ory. 1t is his possession as long as
life lasts. In after years. when he
begins to read books. and his faculties
develop, these same characters will
largely explain themselves by their
context, and the minds of these chill
dren will open and expand in mar
velous manner.
Another advantage of this kind OF
study comes to the teacher. as there
is never any difficulty in keeping the
children quiet and out of mischief.
They are repeating over and over a
thousand times in concert with others
and have no time for anything else.