New Ulm review. (New Ulm, Brown County, Minn.) 1892-1961, 1922-04-05

except as they may naturally reflect
changes in habits Of mind. There is in
it little sympathy with missionary efforts,
not because they represent the West, but.
because it is believed that they do not
represent what China most needs from
the West, namely, scientific method and
aggressive freedom and independence
of inquiry, criticism and action. Hence
the remark quoted earlier about the cause
Of the failure Of Chinese diplomacy in
Washington and it's root in the weakness
Of the education given by Americans in
China.
In wanting a transformation of their
country, the Young Chinese have in
thought of a Westernized China, a China
which repeats and initiates Europe or
America. They want Western knowledge
and Western methods which they them
selves can independently employ to de-
velop and sustain a China which is itself
and not copy of something else. They
are touchingly grateful to any foreigner
who gives anything which can be con
strued as aid in this process. They are
profoundly resentfu of all efforts which
condescendingly hold up Western insti-
buttons, political, religious, educational, as
models to be humbly accepted and sub
missively repeated. They are acutely a
ware that the spirit Of imitation at the
expense of initiative and independence
of thought has been the chief cause of
China's retrogression, and they do not
propose to shift the model; they intend
to transform the spirit.
There is nothing which one hears SO
often from the lips Of the representatives
of Young China of today as that educa-
ton is the sole means Of reconstructing
China. There is no other topic which is
so much discussed. There is an enormous
interest in making over the traditional
family system, in overthrowing .militarism,
in extension Of local self-government
but always the discussion comes back to
education, to teachers and students, as
the central agency in promoting other
reforms This fact makes the question
Of the quality and direction of American
Influence in Chinese education a matter
of more than academic concern. The
difficulties in the way of a practical ex-
tension and regeneration of Chinese educa-
ton are all but insuperable. Discussion
often ends in an impasse:. no political re-
form of China without education; but no
development of schools as long as military
men and corrupt officials divert funds
and oppose schools from motives of self
interest. Here are all the materials Of a
tragedy of the first magnitude. Apart
from this question of education what is
done and what is not done in Washington
is of secondary moment. It makes vital
the matter of American influence. There
is great and growing philanthropic
interest in America for China. It shows
itself in support of educational schemes
and in generous relief funds. It is not
motivated to any considerable extent by
economic considerations, by expectation
of business profits, nor by political ex-
pediencies. It is motivated largely by
religious considerations. It is well in
tentioned, but the intentions are not al
ways enlightened in conception nor in
execution. It was not disgruntled for
eigner nor a Jealous, anti-foreign Chinese
who told me that American missionary
colleges in China had largely simply
|transplanted the American college cur
riculum and American conceptions Of
discipline" and that instead Of turning
out graduates who could become leaders
lin developing the industries Of China on
an independent Chinese basis, it had
turned out men who when they went
into industry took subordinate positions
in foreign managed industries, because
Of their training especially in the English
language. There is no difference in effect
between this statement and that quoted
at the beginning Of this article about
fostering the dependent, the slavish, mind
and character. And a missionary ac-s
lively engaged in educational work was,
its author. American influence in Chinese
education should have something better
tO do than Ia train !cny,o Ys,nioia1 7,n1itina1f