Honolulu star-bulletin. [volume] (Honolulu [Oahu, Hawaii]) 1912-2010, 1916-03-18
Thus Writes Dean r. Wickes,
c. u. Missionary, in Resume
of Far Eastern Work

That foreign vice as well as foreign
science is penetrating China: that
modes of education are rapidly under.
going vast changes, and that, at times,
it is hard Tor residents OF the country
to say under just what form OF govern
ment they are living. are few Of the
facts brought out in an interesting let
ter received by Central Union church
from Dean r. Wickes, one OF its mis-
siona-ies. ..~ =.
The letter is, in full. as follows:
While the Yastness of China, the
variety OF conditions in even nearby
regions, and the rapidly Of changes in
certain lines make congratulations
very difficult and liable to error,
will try 10 give some notes on general
conditions in the field of Central
Unions mission, hoping to help on
your understanding of our situation.
THE climate of North China is in
general healthy one, inclined TO dry
ness except during a month or two in
summer The almost entire lack Of
sanitary precautions on the part OF
the Chinese and the blowing of dust in
the spring are perhaps the chief men
aces TO health. Though efforts are be-
ing made to reduce the number of flies
and mosquitoes and encourage better
ventilation Of Chinese houses, such re-
forms have not yet gone very far. The
great mass of the people are poor,
having comparatively little surplus en-
ergy TO devote 10 anything beyond the
perennial problem Of getting enough
10 eat and wear.
Education Changing.
'Yet China has always honored
learning, and IL is the ambition OF
every family to have some member
of il get an education, which is still
the road to wealth and official posi-.
ton. The kind of learning sought is
different from that OF a generation
ago, for the most part emphasizing
western science rather than Chinese
literature. The old type of village
private school is disappearing, and
the new type is being established, but
not yet in such large numbers. So
that, largely on account of the general
financial stringency due to Europe's
struggle, il appears that even fewer
Chinese children have an opportunity
for an education than did a genera
ton ago.
There is also great lack of COM
petent teachers, which government
normal schools are laboring to supply.
On the other hand, the great develop
ment of the Chinese press and of the
postal service. which Is now rapidly
extending to even the smaller market
towns, tends greatlytto the increase of
intelligence. Free public lectures are
ALSO provided and sent out even into
the smaller cit IS by the board of edu-
cation. But str proportion OF. those.
who can read is still very small At
lecture in our Tungchou city chapel
recently cubcg of pasteboard we're
used to show tie ratio of the number
who could read and write to the entire
population in various countries.
Don't Show Me This"
THE speaker set the cube repre-.
senting Americas population upon
that representing the number educat-
ed as its foundation, and pointed out
its stability, and similarly with Eng.
land, Germany and japan. When he
came to China, the president of the
Chamber of Commerce, who was pres
emit, rose and besought him not to ex
hibit her weakness. He was in tears
as he said: We had our republic, and
ii was doing WELL and now they have
taken it away. Don't show US this
In sizeable village some 10 miles
east of here when the press Of the
country had been buzzing for weeks
over the japanese operations against
Tslngtau, which is in the next prov
ince to us, not member of the size.
able crowd OF farmers gathered to
hear our band of preachers could tell
us in what province of China lighting
was going on 0
Need ! say there was no school in
the village? 1t is said that in this
county or Tungchou the magistrate
plans to open 40 new schools with
the Chinese new year just beginning
Six cents an acre has been added to
the taxes, and q considerable sum is
said to have been thus made avail
able. But am also told that In China
such plans often come to nothing, thb
money being used mp, but more teach
ers being secured than pupils.
Foreign Vices Penetrate.
This brings lis to moral conditions.
Foreign vices as well as foreign sci
ence are penetrating China Cigar
cites are everywhere and smoked by
all ages and both sexes. Foreign wines
are popular among the better to do
in Picking and elsewhere. and drunk
en- man is occasionally seen on the
streets. At present there is relax
ing of the strict measures taken
against opium in the splendid fight of
the last few years. The morphia
needle has been introduced, reducing
by more than half the cost of the
drug habit. DESPITE the opposition to
bound feet for women, except among
the Manchus and Christians woman
with natural feet is still the exception
through much the greater part of
China, and many of the growing girls
limp about as though very uncomfort.
able to say the least
@But no girl can enter one of our
Christian schools without giving her
feet chance To grow and carry her
about easily, and this is true of some