The Catholic times. [volume] (Columbus, Ohio) 1951-current, 1957-05-03

ties and in the staffs of secular
institutions Of higher education.
Father Maurus Fang -hao. pro
fessor Of history at the national
university. was the first to under
take the work. He began lectur-
ing in 1919 and was Joined that
same year by Father Joseph Kung,
and by the Benedictine Sisters.
There are now five Benedictine
Sisters, three Americans from st.
Joseph, Mimi, and two Chinese,
teaching at the national uniyer-
sity.
In 1852. the Jesuits we're in
ylted by the authorities to lecture
at the national university. To
day members of the group of
which Father Edward Murphy, of
San Francisco, is superior. lee
ture, not only there, but also at
two other State-operated univer-
sites. The Jesuit Fathers also di-
rect student center. Beda Chang
Hall, located near the national
university campus.
There is, affiliated with Inter
national Catholic Students Pax
Romano, Catholic Students AS
Socistion of Universities and Col
leges of Formosa, of which Father
Maurus Fang-hao is Spiritual Di-
rector.
The one Catholic educational
institution above middle school
level is the Providence Girls Jun
ior English College at Taichung,
central Formosa. The school is
in charge Of Providence Sisters
from Saint Mary of the Woods,
Ind, and has an enrolment of
$50 students. One-third of the
students are Catholic.
Considerable progress has been
registered in higher education in
the last IL years in Formosa.
During the Japanese occupation
there were only five colleges. in
Guiding what was known then as
the Imperial University, with a
total enrolment of l,774 stu
dents, OF whom mere 355 were
Formosan, the majority being
japanese. There are now six uni
versities, including one Protes-
tant university, five colleges, and
five junior colleges, with total
enrolment of some 10000 stu
dents.
There is keen competition for
entrance to the various universl-
ties and colleges, with greater
numbers graduating each year
from higher middle schools. I'm
der the Japanese there were
64,611 middle school students.
Today there are over 10000 stu
dents in middle schools. 1t is es-
timated that almost 5000 higher
middle school students will grad
uate in 1857.
With the highly competitive
entrance examinations for the
institutions of higher education,
there is a consequent effort for
high scholastic standards in mid
die schools. This poses certain
problem for Catholic schools. In
order to maintain a high stand
ard, a school must accept only
those students who show qualifl-
cations at the entrance examina-
tions. This, in practice, means
that the number of Catholic stu
dents eligible is proportionately
low.
As with college students, the
lack of Catholic middle schools
does not appear to affect conver-
sions among middle school stu
dents. In Taipei during a twelve
month period there we're 80 mid
die school students baptized IN
one of the city parishes, st. Saw
iour's. They were students study
ing at secular schools. The fig
ures for the other parishes would
no doubt be somewhat similar.
What is the attitude of the gov
ernment towards participation OF
Catholics in education?
In answer TO questions, the
Ministry of Education, having re-
ferred to the freedom of religion
guaranteed by the constitution OF
the Republic of China, pointed