- 3 -
ecclesiastical and classical system of Europe and therefore is naturally drawn towards Young China, which is in revolt against the political social and classical system of old China.
291
On the other hand, we have been too prone to criticize adversely young China. We expose its faults and denounce its excesses instead of recognizing its virtues and offering it guidance and leadership. Neither officially nor privately have we encouraged higher education for the Chinese. When the University of Hong Kong was founded by a few idealists who foresaw the present unfortunate position, the Imperial Government gave it its blessing and £300 per annum for scholarships. Financial assistance which has come to the University has been made not so much to advance its original aim as to save it from bankruptcy and so save face!
Neither merchants nor firms, who have made vast fortunes in China, have felt any obligation to endow Institutions of higher learning in China.
The general attitude of the British towards education in China is very well illustrated in Shanghai. Although Shanghai is or was an International Settlement, its administration by general consent and approval was very largely in the hands of the British merchants. In this vast town until quite recently there was no
Director of Education, and the total sum spent annually on education was 400,000 taels, the greater portion of this being spent on non
Chinese schools. Yet in the same town 142,000 taels per annum were
spent in maintaining the Municipal Orchestra. Seeing that the Chinese are most anxious for western knowledge and willing to pay
for it through taxes, it seems that an excellent opportunity was lost in giving that education in a British atmosphere, when its value in the pioneering sense would have been exceedingly high, seeing that it would have set the standards and provided the
methods for many other parts of China.
If this British attitude is changed, and we are determined
to
No comments yet.
Private notes are available after approval.