Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1919-12-23

periodically, war has promoted international
education. British, French, Italians and Amer
leans have been drawn together in closer bonds
Of feeling than ever before. The desire to know
more about their aliens is expressed widely in
each of these countries Lectures on America
given by a famous American professor in
France aroused an unexpected amount OF en-
thusiasm; while Americas interests in French
traditions was stirred by the admission OF our
soldiers to French universities.
This interest was SO great during the war
that American educators sent an invitation to
Great Britain, France and Italy to organize
educational missions to the United States.
England responded by sending highly dis
tinguished mission to this country in October.
1918. little later France followed her ex
ample. italy SO far has not accepted the in
vitation. though various Italian scholars have
expressed themselves in favor of stronger CO.
operation between Italian and American
universities.
The British mission was said to be the most
distinguished group OF British university men
ever to leave England. 1t came eager to plan
an exchange Of students with America, as 1t re-
garded this Of prime importance to both coun-
tries. 1t stayed two months, visiting univers-
tiles and planning details OF an exchange sys-
TEN. Before they left, the British scholars
declared themselves amazed at the high quality
Of the American universities, especially at the
state universities, which have no parallel in
England.
The French mission was not SO greatly con-
cerned with an exchange. system as with the
idea Of interpreting French achievements to
the United States 1t spent large part of its
time making speeches to American students,
mostly with conspicuous success.
Until now, the only formal and regular
schemes to send students to foreign UNIVERSE
ttno hAv nm tISo phnd nIrlo rShi in ncI
and the boxer indemnity scholarships. The
Rhodes scholarships were founded in 1902 by
the will OF Cecil Rhodes, British empire builder
and idealist. Rhodes had always valued col
lege education as an unreasonable advantage
In life. His health was such that he could stay
in England only for short periods. but he was
so determined to graduate from Oxford that he
went back and forth between England and
South Africa and studied at intervals for eight
years to obtain degree When he was grant
ed an honorary degree by Oxford years later;
he regarded the occasion as one Of the highest
points in his career.
His bequest allows the United States to
send two students at time from each state
to spend three years at Oxford. Canada, Brit
ish, Africa, Australia and the West Indies also
have their quotas. while before the war Ger
many was given Is.
Oxford is noted for high standard Of
classical training Universities Of the United
States excel in technical lines; the German
universities, before the war, attracted students
from all over the world because Of their repu-
tation for intensive research, while the UNI
versity of Vienna was best known for Its medi-
cal school. Such regulations for excellence
along special lines have for years attracted stu
dents from other countries to certain uni
versities.
But the idea back of the international ex-
change Of students is not so much to catalog
these best universities and the best professors
and to send students to them. 1t is rather to
place students and professors in foreign uni
versities so that they may broaden their out
look and come to understand ether peoples.
The war, which had so paralSsing an effect
on the European universities, brought large
numbers Of foreign students to the United
States Until then, European students desiring
to attend English-speaking schools went to
England. The war practically closed European
schools to outsiders, and neutrals desiring
higher education sought out the United States.
South America and the Orient sent even larger
numbers of students to this country.
OF the Orientals. the most interesting are
the boxer indemnity students, mentioned be-
fore. When congress RENTED $13,6O0,OO0 OF
the boxer rebellion indemnity, paid by the Chi.
Eese government, the Chinese decided to spend
tho money in scholarships in American schools
and colleges. One hundred students were to
be sent every year for five years, and then SO
| students every year for 20 years. The students
| were to spend from five to nine years in this
country
This agreement was a complete surrender
on China's part of her prejudice against west.
ern culture In the middle of the 18th cen.
| fury. China had sent 100 students to the United
States as an experiment After a time word
| came to the pig-tailed Chinese dignitaries I'M
Pekin that their proteges were becoming Amer.
icanized in dress and manners. ALI students
were Immediately recalled, and for years they
bore the displeasure of their government, and
were not allowed to hold any Office of impor:
lance in their country.
| Toward the end OF the 18th century, Chi
nese were again gradually given permission tc
study in America. Now Chira sees the gooG
points OF western education, and has even mod
flied her own fronbound classical curricula tc
follow some Of the western ideas.
That China, so long regarded as synonym
for moss-grown convention, should find some
thing good in western education and incorpo
rate its advantages into her school system IL
Illustrates how an exchange Of students bene
fits country.
n F@El E@C77