156
CARL SMITH
When Dr. Legge took charge, he immediately changed the system. When he arrived at Malacca, Mr. Evans was already suffering from a fatal illness and he died some months after.
This change gave Dr. Legge the opportunity to put his own ideas of management and teaching into practice. The student body had dwindled from seventy students in 1837 to twelve in 1840. Six more left after Dr. Legge took over. With the remaining six, he began to build anew.
After two years he wrote: "I have about thirty boys from ten to sixteen years of age, and four young men . . . My maxim is to communicate ideas to them, to call their faculties into exercise, and to make them teach themselves, just as they feed themselves, it being my task to furnish them with the appropriate nourishment.”
Prompted by the suggestion of John Morrison, the son of Dr. Morrison, Dr. Legge began to think about the removal of the college to China. Political events were leading to the opening of China for foreign residence and the British possession of Hong Kong.
Within days of the planting of the British flag on Hongkong Island Mr. John Morrison was writing letters anticipating the transfer of the Anglo Chinese College.
He believed that neither money nor support would be a problem, for he wrote: “On a settlement of commercial and political affairs... there is no object that will so much open men's purses here as the Anglo Chinese College. Can we but give a fair ground of assurance that it is to take new life, and progress as rapidly as for some years past it has been retrograding.”
Dr. Legge responded to Morrison's suggestions with enthusiasm. Both men wished to revive the college in accord with original plans.
By the time Dr. Legge was prepared to move, there was the prospect of amalgamation with a school already established in
156
CARL SMITH
When Dr. Legge took charge, he immediately changed the system. When he arrived at Malacca, Mr. Evans was already suf- fering from a fatal illness and he died some months after.
This change gave Dr. Legge the opportunity to put his own ideas of management and teaching into practice. The student body had dwindled from seventy students in 1837 to twelve in 1840. Six more left after Dr. Legge took over. With the remaining six, he began to build anew.
After two years he wrote: "I have about thirty boys from ten to sixteen years of age, and four young men . . . My maxim is to communicate ideas to them, to call their faculties into exercise, and to make them teach themselves, just as they feed them- selves, it being my task to furnish them with the appropriate nourishment.”
Prompted by the suggestion of John Morrison, the son of Dr. Morrison, Dr. Legge began to think about the removal of the col- lege to China. Political events were leading to the opening of China for foreign residence and the British possession of Hong- kong.
Within days of the planting of the British flag on Hongkong Island Mr. John Morrison was writing letters anticipating the transfer of the Anglo Chinese College.
He believed that neither money nor support would be a prob- lem, for he wrote: “On a settlement of commercial and political affairs... there is no object that will so much open men's purses here as the Anglo Chinese College. Can we but give a fair ground of assurance that it is to take new life, and progress as rapidly as for some years past it has been retrograding.”
Dr. Legge responded to Morrison's suggestions with enthusi- asm. Both men wished to revive the college in accord with original plans.
By the time Dr. Legge was prepared to move, there was the prospect of amalgamation with a school already established in
!
:
No comments yet.
Private notes are available after approval.