The coastland times. [volume] (Mnateo [i.e. Manteo], N.C.) 1947-1959, 1958-08-15
ELLISON RECOUNTS
HIS IMPRESSIONS OF
PARKWAY FORMOSA

William A. Ellison, of Belhaven,
who recently returned from Tai
wan (Formosa), where he was asso-
ciated with the U. S. government
as scientist and fisheries expert,
has much of interest to tell about
the people, both the natives and
the Nationalist Chinese. Mr.. Eli
son and his wife awaited themselves
of every opportunity to learn more
about the people than can be seen
from casual observation.
eve cut across all lines, che
said" We had tea in the poorest
sort of farm,houses on the one hand
and, on the other, in the amazingly
multiple family homes of the we'll
to-do. We knew the pedi-cab dri-
vers and the laboring people and
attended functions which the Pres
ident and his wife graced. The av-
erage American could never have
any concept of this part of the
world unless he had lived here
among the people and in close con-
tact with them. One of the things
which impressed me is the insati-
able desire for knowledge and the
effort that the people will make in
order to learn. / was constantly
amazed at the hours which the
schools keep and at the high stand
ards that the high schools and UNI
iversities insist be met. In addition
to what they learn by going to
school six days a week they fill
the libraries and reading rooms on
the seventh. Another thing which
impressed me was the devoutness
and childlike faith of Christian
Chinese. l attended the Easter
service at one of the local Chinese
Baptist churches and found con-
gregation of nearly 1000. A sur
prising number of the leaders of
the country are Christians. I was
surprised to learn that sectarian-
ism was practically non-existent.
l think that does great credit to
the missionaries who have gone to
the island. l had always imagined
that in foreign countries the
churches were built by the gener-
osity of the American public.
There the facts are contrary to
this idea. While substantial con-
tributions have been made from
America or Canada, the bulk of
the load has been carried by the
Chinese themselves. The Baptist is
probably the leading church there,
wi III the Presbyterian coming
next. Incidentally, the Christian
Chinese are not of the riff raft. In
my office alone, there were three
Christian, Chinese. One holds an
NJ. A. from the Imperial University
in Tokyo; another an M. A. from
the National Taiwan University
and my secretary very pretty and
gracious girl has a dgree from an
English college at Tansui, sea-
port town about 80 miles from Tai
pei. The island has an eighty-five
percent eliteracy rate, though
the schools are crowded and the
C hildren go to school in
three shifts. 1t was interest
| ing to note that the little
boys who Craze the water buffalo
always take along a book to read
or musical instrument to play
Mr.. Ellison added that he thinks
that the United States is justified
in aid to Formosa and the Nation
alist Chinese. Had the island not
been supported by our government,
he believes, it would long since
have been in Communist hands,
but not through the will of the
people, and that would have been
a step toward greater Communist
domination in the Far East.