The Richmond Virginian. (Richmond, Va.) 1910-1920, 1915-03-01
BY Southern News Missionary Bureau,
Ida Clyde Clarke, Editor.

BY Southern News Missionary Bureau,
Ida Clyde Clarke, Editor.
That new idea Is being success
fully worked out by the Southern
Baptist missionaries in China Is shown
by the following letter from S. Ernest
Stephens. a missionary there:
This is the first year we have had
regular classes In the trades depart
ment, and all the boys taking this
work are doing well In their literary
work and are already profitable 70
the institution in doing many odd
Jobs. These students take the regu-
lar literary course In four or five
years. according to their ability. IN
stead of three years. thus giving am
pie time to work In the shops These
students pay less than half board the
first year, less than one-third the
second year. less than oAe-seventh
the third year. and nothing the fourth
and fifth years. After three years
their labor will more than pay their
board. So a trade student can COM
plete his fun literary course and learn
we'll his trade for less than the cost
of one year to a regular three-year
literary student.
Profitable i'm Many Ways.
"The department of masonary and
general repairs is profitable in many
ways First of all. 1t gives the stu
dents in the academic, normal and
seminary classes chance to work al
all off periods they can spare from
lesson preparation, thus aiding them
financially. In the next place we get
more work for our money. for these
students work very much more rap
idly than the average workman. we
now have some capable masons among
the students and are ready to do all
of our building In the future with our
head mason in fine lead. 1t is most
refreshing to see these young Chinese
scholars in the normal class doing
the ordinary work of carrying dirt
and brick to help pay expenses. This
work grows in favor every day. Tne
difficulty Is to furnish work for all.
"Our CANARY has done we'll this
year-more orders than we can III.
This enterprise gives promise OF pro-
viding employment tor many students
at off hours in the future. We are
getting q good start of foreign rrulf
trees and berries. and hope soon to
begin a nursery for the propagation
OF these new varieties among the
Chinese. This will give both profit
table and Instructive employment to
our students We have splendid beer
cattle in this section. and they are
not dear. so we plan to put in the
winter months canning beef. SO furn-
ishing work for the boys at time
when there would be otherwise Moth
ing for them to do.
New Type Graduates.
Zone of the present graduating
class will complete his course az a
timer, and go out to take up MS
trade next year. All the men gradual
ing this year are new type, having
largely worked their way Through
school. The Chinese teachers recog-
nize the great advantage OF the new
methods, and say We are now max
ing different type of citizens-Chris-
tians with some backbone. AT least
ten of the present class of the twenty
one have decided definitely to preach
the gospel as a life work. i thank
God that some of them were called TO
this work by the Lord as the Result
of reports from some OF the evange-
lists who are now working in the
West. These Pingtu men are not
afraid Of suffering hardships' 10
preach to their own people. There
are now more than thirty students
in this institution who are looking
forward to a life of toll and gladness
in seeking to save the lost"