EDUCATION IN CHINA

Evening Star, Issue 12399, 12 January 1905, Page 5

EDUCATION IN CHINA

The Rev, Louis Byrdo sends ‘The Times’ the following account of the reopening of the Provincial College at Kwei-lin, in the province of Kwang-si, China, written by another missionary;—

Although for some time there has been a provincial College in existence in this city to bo. exact, since 1899, it has hitherto occupied buddings of a more or less cramped nature, ana the actual class rooms and lecture halls ■wore insignificant in size and fittings, but this has now been changed, under the energetic and progressive lead of the new go°f “«ege, Seng Tab Tai, a native of the Fuhkien Prov.noe. About four or five months have been occupied in the alterations. Mr Li the teacher of English, also a native of Fuhkien, has acted as architect, and certainly the results do him credit. Throughout the work has been personally superintended by Seng Tao Tai, who has modelled the college upon the hnes of the Japanese institutions, which he personally inspected during a three or four months 1 residence in that country. The work was completed about August 18, and opened by Viceroy Tsen on tho 21st. The following day I, with my colleague, the only two representatives of the missionary staff in the city for the moment, were invited by the governor of the collage to pay a visit of inspection. Wo were much struck by the really tine now entrance to the buildings, which are built on tho bank of a branch of the Cassia River, ami thus lend themselves more readily to tho builder’s art. A row of trees has been planted along .the front, and a good stone parapet running along the nver bank puts a finishing touch to a good promenade. Tho entar.ee is wholly foreign in nature. The gate itself is about ott high, and is a fair copy of a foreign openwork gate, and is flanked by iron palisading. A broad cement path, with flowers and shrubs on cither side, leads up to the door under the clock tower, which is the entrance proper to the school buildings. On the right and-left are nice rooms with glass windows. One room is for the sale of books for the students, another is for the college treasurer. 'Opposite tho entrance door is a fine building, built in foreign style and having glass windows and doors. This is tho reception room, and here we were received by the genial 1 head,’ who seized our umbrellas as we entered and promptly deposited them in a stand just insido the door, and then couducted us to delightful easy chairs in the middle of a really handsome room, one which would compare favorably with many modem drawing rooms. This, we were informed, had been expressly fitted up for visitors. The mrmture was good, the floor was covered with a carpet of English manufacture, which must have cost at tho lowest estimate quite ISOdol. Altogether tho room had a dignified and luxurious aspect. “We found Seng Tao Tai an exceedingly interesting and entertaining man of about thirty-five years of age. He was dressed plainly, and received us as one who was .accustomed to foreigners. He very soon dis--played a photograph of himself and two sons, who arc students in Japan, dressed in European dress, of which he seemed to be very proud. Wo had refreshments in foreign fashion, with a punkah brought from Hongkong waving over our heads. During this time we had a very nice chat with out host and two of his assistants. Our inspection of the buildings was interesting. First there were the teachers’ rooms—high, light, airy, and comfortable rooms they arc too, and in comparison the students’ rooms are poor, for one room, not very large, has to accommodate four students. These latter rooms are built in long rows, with a small strip of courtyard separating them, in which are planted bananas, which, however, never produce fruit in Kwei-lin, it being too cold. On a level with the clock in the tower—which clock, by the way, is two clocks with fairly large faces, a two-faced clock being unattainable—there uas been constructed a content promenade about 20ft from tho ground. This commands the entrance, and from it a splendid view k obto'r-d of the river «nd the Peak and other mountains in the distance. From this tower proudly floats the dragon flag, which, by the niefcamorphosis now taking place in China, is gradually rallying round It the patriotism of the ‘ Young China ’ party. “ The next building which attracted attention was the loity auditorium, which contains desk accommodation for 200 students, and a good rostrum for the lecturer, and behind that a good gallery which is to be placed at the disposal of any visitors who care to attend the lectures given. The scats in this gallery are covered with cushions like those of a railway carriage. Underneath the gallery is the laboratory for the chemistry students. Our next visit was to the fine dining hall, which is arranged for 200 men, eight at a table, in correct Chinese fashion. Tho building which surprised us most, however, was a long, low erection divided off into small compartments. These are the bathrooms cf the college, no less than forty iu number. Then there was the drill ground, in which the 8111)161112 have to exorcise every day, and beyond this a garden is to be laid out for the benefit of the students in botany. At tho end of tho drill ground swings are to be erected for the juveniles, of whom about forty are in the college. As we were completing our round wc passed a house which was still in the carpenters’ nan is this, we were told, was to be the sick ward of ihe school

“ A word about the students. They are composed of about 160 young men and 10 boys, the latter ranging from twelve to sixteen years of age. All have a agree to slay for four year. They are allowed their rice and two suits of clothes a, year. The clothing is a kind of uniform, and is in foreign style. At present they are wearing white duck suits, black socks, and semi-foreign shoes, and foreign-shaped straw hale, upon the bands of which and on the jacket collar is worked tho name of the college. The men are chosen by examination, but the boys are the nominees of officials. The course consists of some of the usual Clunese subjects, to which are added arithmetic, chemistry, botany, Japanese, and English. I am not sure If this is a complete list, but all I cin call to mind at present. The masters hail from Canton and Fnhkicn, and it remains to be seen whether they are competent or not.’