(1390), Wt. 20024-26, 6000, 11/08, A, & E, W,
"
(8327). 1081-7, 6000. 4/09.
"
Times
3.7.09.
BRITISH AND GERMAN METHODS. AN OBJECT-LESSON.
(FROM A CORRESPONDENT.)
TOKIO, MAY 21.
periods of special stress. Other illustrations could be given, such as the organization of Chinese dispensaries throughout the colony by the initiative of the Chinese themselves, and the Fa Leung organization, also entirely Chinese, for the rescue, maintenance, and repatriation of Chinese "Why does not your Government support women and children emigrants from all parts of China on their way through Hong-kong, in the same way as the German Government is supporting a similar scheme at Kiao-chau?"
abuses of the emigration trade. Thus, whilst the Chinese students at Hong-kong would have been probing questions put to me by a Chinese fellow-passenger in the steamer from Hong-kong to Japan. He was a Cantonese gentleman who had received the rudiments of Western education in Hong-kong, and, having apparently done well for himself in the world, was very anxious to give his sons still larger educational advantages. Knowing his own country thoroughly, he was also quite aware that if Chinese boys are to derive the full benefits of Western education from the point of view of moral training as well as of book-learning, they must be removed from the atmosphere of Chinese cities. He was therefore deeply interested in the scheme which is now afoot for creating a University in Hong-kong where Chinese youths would not only receive the scientific training of which the Chinese stand so greatly in need if they are to develop the material resources of their country, but would also be subjected to the moral discipline of collegiate life under proper supervision and control.
KIAO-CHAU HIGH SCHOOL,
As an illustration of the grafting of Western methods of organization and Western conceptions of civic usefulness on to a Chinese stock can achieve, the Chinese city affords valuable object-lessons in the practical application of theoretical science.
From the British point of view, the scheme is equally commendable, for it is surely of the utmost importance that, at a time when undoubtedly the leaven of new ideas is fermenting all over China, the rising generation from which so much is expected should be brought into close contact with the best aspects of British life. British influence may no longer be paramount in the Far East, but the supremacy of the English tongue is as yet untouched, and just as the variety of provincial dialects in China has led to the adoption of "pidgin" English as the lingua franca, not only of foreigners, but of the Chinese commercial classes outside their own districts, literary English must serve as the one common medium of Western learning until China has evolved a literature of her own on the lines of Western thought. But, unless we bestir ourselves, this advantage will be lost to us in the same way as so many other advantages have been lost to us in the field both of diplomacy and of commercial enterprise.
The Germans, though the last comers, have set to with their usual systematic thoroughness. The latest official report of the German authorities at Kiao-chau contains instructive details concerning the high school which is about to be created there for Chinese students. Though in name only a high school, its scope is even larger than that of the proposed University of Hong-kong, for in addition to a medical and a technical branch, there is to be an agricultural branch including forestry, and a political science branch, comprising international law, State and administrative law, mining and maritime law, political economy and finance.
THE HONG-KONG UNIVERSITY.
Medicine and engineering are the two branches of Western science for which at present there is the largest demand and the greatest scope in China, and to these the proposed University at Hong-kong will, in the first place, address itself, for the scheme has grown up out of certain proposals for extending and developing the College of Medicine and the Technical Institute which have already done yeoman's work in the colony. An outline of the scheme appeared a month or two ago in The Times.
A public-spirited citizen of Hong-kong has offered the considerable sum (about £27,000) required for the erection of suitable buildings on condition that adequate funds, estimated at about £100,000, shall be provided for purposes of equipment and endowment. A small portion of this amount will be derived from the absorption of the College of Medicine and the Technical Institute, and the rest, it is hoped, will be raised by private subscription. The Chinese community in Hong-kong is responding generously to the appeal which has been issued by the Governor, Sir Frederick Lugard, who has devoted himself heart and soul to the scheme, and, what is more, it has elicited substantial support not only from the Chinese communities in other colonies, such as Penang, Singapore, and, under the French flag, Saigon, but from the neighbouring Chinese city of Canton, where the Governor-General has promised to give very effective expression to his thorough sympathy and approval.
One very attractive feature of the scheme is that subscribers of £1,000 to the endowment fund shall be entitled to present one scholar, who, provided he passes the entrance examination, shall be received without payment of fees, and the provincial towns and cities of Southern China, at least, will, it is expected, prove keen to avail themselves of this privilege.
The technical branch, to which special importance is evidently attached, is to include mining, electrical and railway engineering, together with architecture and shipbuilding.
In connexion with the high school there will be a preparatory school of six classes on the lines of a German Realschule without Latin, for which pupils will be received from Chinese Government schools, as well as from other German schools already existing in China.
The German Government does not rely for such purposes on private initiative. On the basis of 250 scholars, the capital cost of the establishment is estimated at £32,000, and the annual expenditure at £10,000. The German Government undertakes the whole cost, except for a capital contribution of £2,000 from the Chinese Government, which has agreed—and this is one of the chief features of the scheme—to accept the certificates issued by the Kiao-chau High School as a qualification for admission to the Chinese Government service.
While the University will be strictly undenominational, facilities will be given to religious bodies who wish to maintain hostels of their own, under such rules as the governing body of the University shall lay down. The essential feature of the scheme is that all students shall reside in colleges and hostels where they will be constantly in touch with the British professorial staff, and this is the feature which above all others commends itself to the Chinese themselves. They will thus be withdrawn from the unwholesome influences which too often surround Chinese students in a Chinese city and even in their own homes, whilst Hong-kong is so largely Chinese, and Chinese at its best, that they will not be exposed to the same danger of becoming entirely denationalized to which those who are sent away for years together to a foreign country so frequently succumb.
Nowhere has contact with the West served more happily than at Hong-kong to develop the best features of Chinese character. The Tung-wa Hospital is one case in point—an institution maintained and directed entirely by the Chinese for philanthropic purposes, which include not only the nursing of the sick and the burial of the dead, but the administration of charitable relief in other forms during periods of special stress.
"The Chinese Government," it is stated, "repose the fullest confidence in German enterprise in this important educational question," and substantial concessions, of which the expediency has yet to be proved, have been made to the Chinese Government in order to secure its confidence by reserving to it a certain control over the course of instruction in Chinese through a resident Chinese inspector and a special commissioner from Peking who will attend at the final examinations. Otherwise "the management of the whole school is exclusively German, and the German teaching staff will be appointed from Germany," for the main object of the institution is to teach the rising generation of Chinese "to appreciate German intellectual life and to get a liking for the German character—a liking," the report adds with commendable frankness, "of which there is a lack in China.”
(1390), Wt. 20024-26, 6000, 11/08, A, & E, W,
"
(8327). 1081-7, 6000. 4/09.
"
Times
3.7.09.
BRITISH AND GERMAN METHODS. AN OBJECT-LESSON.
(FROM A CORRESPONDENT.)
TOKIO, MAY 21.
periods of special stress. Other illustrations could be given, such as the organization of Chinese dispensaries throughout the colony by the initiative of the Chinese themselves, and the Fa Leung an tion, also entirely Chinese, for the rescue, maintenance, and repatriation of Chinese "Why does not your Government support women and children emigrants from all parts the Hong-kong University scheme in the same of China on their way through Hong-kong, way as the German Government is supporting which has done a great deal to check the worst a similar scheme at Kiao-chau ?"
abuses of the emigration trade. Thus, whilst was the Chinese students at Hong-kong would have probing question put to me by a Chinese in the social life of their own community, as fellow-passenger in the steamor from Hong-well as in the government and administration kong to Japan. He was a Cantonese gentle-of the colony, opportunities such man who had received the rudiments of Western no education in Hong-kong, and, having apparently the
Chinese city affords of soning what
grafting of Western methods done well for himself in the world, was very organization and Western conceptions of civic
of! anxious to give his sons still larger educational usefulness on to a Chinese stock can achieve, advantages. Knowing his Own country they would find in the European hospitals, in! thoroughly, he was also quite aware that if the groat naval and mercantile dockyards of Chinese boys are to derive the full benefits the colony, and in the workshops of the Kow- of Western education from the point of view toon-Canton Railway valuable object-lessona of moral training as well as of book-learning, in the practical application of theoretical they must be removed from the atmosphere solence.
KIAO-CHAU HIGH SCHOOL,
As
of Chinese cities. He was therefore deoply From the British point of view the scherne is, interested in the scheme which is now afoot equally commendable, for it is surely of the for creating a University in Hong-kong where utmost importance that, at a time when un- Chinese youths would, not only receive the doubtedly the leaven of new ideas is fermenting scientific training of which the Chinese stand all over China, the rising generation from which so greatly in need if they are to develop the so much is expected should be brought into material resources of their country, but would close contact with the best aspects of British also be subjected to the moral discipline of life.. British influence may no longer be collegiate life under proper supervision and paramount in the Far East, but the supremacy control.
of the English tongue is as yet untouched, THE HONG-KONG UNIVERSITY.
and just as the variety of provincial dialects Medicine and engineering are the two branches in China has led to the adoption of "pidgin " of Western acience for which at present there English as the lingua franca, not only of is the largest demand and the greatest scope in foreigners, but of the Chinese commercial China, and to these the proposed University classes outside their own districts, literary at Hong-kong will, in the first place, address English must serve as the one common medium itself, for the scheme has grown up out of of Western learning until China has evolved certain proposals for extending and developing a literature of her own on the lines of Western the College of Medicine and the Technical thought. But, unless we bestir ourselves, this Institute which have already done yeoman's advantage will be lost to us in the same way work in the colony. An outline of the scheme as so many other advantages have been lost appeared a month or two ago in The Times. to us in the field both of diplomacy and of A public-spirited citizen of Hong-kong, has commercial enterprise. offored the considerable sum (about £27,000): required for the erection of suitable buildings The Germans, though the last comers, have on condition that adequate funds, estimated set to with their usual systematic thoroughness. at about £100,000, shall be provided for pur- The latest official report of the German authori- poses of equipment and endowynent. A small ties at Kiao-chau contains instructive details portion of this amount will be derived from the concerning the high school which is about to absorption of the College of Medicine and the be created there for Chinese students. Though Technical Institute, and the rest, it is hoped, in name only a high school, its scope is even will be raised by private subscription. The larger than that of the proposed University Chinese community in Hong-kong is responding of Hong-kong, for in addition to a medical and generously to the appeal which has been issued a technical branch, there is to be an agricultural by the Governor, Sir Frederick Lugard, who branch including forestry, and a politionl has devoted himself heart and soul to the scheme, science branch, comprising international law, and, what is more, it is elicited substantial State and administrative law, mining and support not only from the Chinese communities maritime law, political economy and finance. in other colonics, such as Penang, Singapore, The technical branch, to which special in- and, under the French flag, Saigon, but from portance is evidently attached, is to include the neighbouring Chinese city of Canton, where mining, electrical and railway engineering, the Governor-General has promised to give together with architecture and shipbuilding. very effentive expression to his thorough In connexion with the high school there will be sympathy and approval. One very attractive a preparatory school of six classes on the lines feature of the scheme is that subscribers of £1,000 of a German Realschule without Latin, for to the endowment fund shall be entitled to which pupils will be received from Chinese present one scholar, who, provided he passes Government schools, as well as from other the entranos examination, shall be received German schools already existing in Ching, without payment of fees, and the provincial | The German Government does not rely for such towns and cities of Southern China, at least, purposes on private initiative. On the basis will, it is exproted, prove keen to avail them- of 250 scholars the capital cost of the establish- selves of this privilege.
ment is estimated at £32,000, and the annual
While the University will be strictly unde-expenditure at £10,000. The German Govern- nominational, facilities will be given to religiour ment undertakes the whole cost, except for a bodies who wish to maintain hostels of their capital contribution of £2,000 from the Chinese own, under such rules as the governing body Government, which has agreed--and this is of the University shall lay down. The essential one of the chief festure of the scheme-to feature of the scheme is that all students shall socept the certificates issued by the Kiao-chan reside in colleges and hostels where they will High School as a analification for adulation. be constantly in touch with the British pro-to the Chinese Government service. "The fessorial staff, and this is the feature which Chinese Government," it is stated, "repose above all others commends itself to the Chinese the fullest confidence in German enterprise themselves. They will thus be withdrawn in this importent educational question," and from the unwholesome influences which too substantial concessions, of which the expediency often surround Chinese students in a Chinese has yet to be proved, have been made to the city and even in their own homes, whilst Hong- Chinese Governmont in order to secure its kong is so largely Chinese, and Chinese at its confidence by reserving to it a certain control best, that they will not be exposed to the same over the course of instruction in Chinese through danger of becoming entirely denationalized a resident Chinese inspector and a special to which those who are sent away for years commissioner from Poking who will attend at together to a foreign country so frequently the Snai examinations. Otherwise "the succumb. Nowhere has contact with the West management of the whole school is exclusively served nore happily than at Hong-kong German, and the German teaching staff will to develop the best features of Chinese character. be appointed from Gormany," for the main The Tung-wa Hospital is one case in point object of the institution is to teach the rising an institution maintained and directed entirely generation of Chinese "to appreciate German by the Chinese for philanthropie purposes, intellectual life and to get a liking for the which include not only the nursing of the sick German character--ā liking," the Teport and the burial of the dead, but the administra- adds with commendable frankness, "of which tion of charitable relief in other forms during there is a lack in China.” Another very im-
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