The Under Secretary of state
for the Colonies.
-2-
17th March 1932
27
Commission considered it a great misfortune to China that the urge of this transformation should have come chiefly from the industrial civilisation of the United States and the Soviet Republic of Russia, countries presenting, though in very different ways, the greatest possible antithesis to the older culture of the Chinese Empire, with the result that the reactions brought about were correspondingly violent and extreme. They felt that had more of the youn, leaders of China been educated in En-lish traditions, much that was best in the old Chinese civilisation might have been preserved and the changes might have been accomplished with less pain and greater benefit to all classes of the people. With this in mind, the Commission urged that steps should be taken to devise means for attracting Chinese students in considerable numbers to British universities and workshops.
In this connection the Missionary Council would desire
to press an even wider consideration.
The English educational tradition is fundamentally a Christian tradition and in the best English educational ideals the school has been regarded as a society in which a way of life is both learned and practised. With this has gone freedom for development of personality and for experiment. It is this fundamental contribution of English education that Eastern nations appreciate and seek. While it is no doubt highly desirable to attract Chinese students in increasing numbers to British universities and workshops, it is surely of even greater importance to secure that wherever possible a strong British cultural influence should be exerted in the country itself and that every effort should be made to promote
In and foster this influence in its educational institutions. this respect Hong Kong, as a British Colony and the centre of British cultural influence in China, presents an unrivalled opportunity. To close down a school with the past traditions and future possibilities of the Diocesan Boys' School at the present time would seem to the Missionary Council to constitute a real disaster, not only for the Colony, but for the whole of China.
4. A second consideration, and one with which the Missionary Council is immediately concerned, is the effect which the financial position of the school must have upon the recruiting of masters from this country.
The Bishop of Victoria (Hong Kong), Chairman of the