p. 24 | Chinese Schools at Chang-Sha by P. J. Laird

Review and Herald Publishing Association · Tacoma Park Station, Washington, D. C. · Sep 3, 1908

Chinese Schools at Chang-Sha

By P. J. Laird

In “China’s Only Hope,” written by Chang Chitung, one of China’s ablest statesmen, and formerly governor-general of Hunan-Hupeh, we read: “We need not feel discouraged if there is a dearth of efficient teachers at the outset. This difficulty will soon be obviated. This year there are numberless books which treat of foreign subjects being published in Shanghai. Any man of understanding can, by the use of these, equip himself in three months to teach in the high schools. In two years the colleges will graduate men who are qualified to teach. There need be no fear on this score.” It may be that Chang-sha acted on her august statesman’s advice; for Chang-sha’s first trade report (1905) informs us that “the schools of the new learning . . . are continuing to spring up like new shoots in a bamboo grove.” At any rate it would be hard to report how many schools have opened, and closed again, since that date. But there being no official reports obtainable, and as those who know are so reticent about imparting their information, it is impossible to give any satisfactory comparisons of recent years. Last month we wrote to all the presidents of leading schools here, enclosing a short printed list for brief replies. Only four have been returned. Unwillingness may be a reason for this. Unfortunately, thoroughness is as conspicuous by its absence in government schools at Chang-sha, as it is in other departments of life. Chapuhto (which can be translated “nearly the same”) may be said of the attainment to a set standard, or pattern. The many schools being opened provided a new office for those contemplating government service. Whatever their other qualifications, they appear to be completely ignorant of the new learning. Being uncertain of their tenure of office, their policy is largely a “go-as-you-please” one. Presidents, being unable to select their own staff of teachers, because themselves ignorant of the subjects, have had to be content with a set of mediocre men, who possessed a very inadequate knowledge of their subject presented in class, but who received good salaries for their work. Much money is being squandered in keeping up a retinue of followers much like those seen at the civil and military officials’ offices.

Japanese are being requisitioned, and teach by interpretation. Cases have come to my personal knowledge where the knowledge of the interpreter has been grossly insufficient for the task, and was not discovered for quite a time. Some of the Yale University Mission foreigners are teaching in English at some schools, where the writer had to refuse an offer of two dollars (gold) an hour, on six days a week.

Students, and not the authorities, often dictate what text-books they shall use. We had proof of this right here in our own classes in this house; also when the students of the largest normal school here petitioned me through the authorities to come and teach English books which they demanded should be taught; and they were not slow to help themselves out by appealing to me in person. But my only qualification for the office, so far as they were concerned, consisted in my being an Englishman.

Some of the schools have been erected at considerable expense, and are well-built and commodious; but the buildings are generally too close together to be perfectly sanitary, and must have a high wall all around. The latter is a help to deaden the sound of the squeaky wheel-barrows and sedan-chairs, also the many hucksters’ cries in the city; but away across the river in a lovely situation it would appear to be unnecessary. When the ancient examination halls were demolished, and modern school buildings erected on the site, we used to pay periodical visits of inspection. No one seemed to be in charge; every one pleased himself how much work he did; and the wages of the men went up by bounds. But the foundations were what interested me most. They consisted of sticks of wood, say two feet long and four inches in diameter, sometimes less; these were knocked into the ground with wooden mallets. The bricks were laid on these, and so the walls grew up. But I must not tell too much, yet when one reads such glowing accounts of the transition in China, it is necessary to write some things as they are.

Outdoor gymnasiums are provided in several of the schools that we visited, and some students do creditable work on the horizontal bar. I omitted to ask whether or not this was compulsory. Maps, charts, diagrams, and models are greatly in evidence; but as one teacher remarked, the students do not know how to use such things very well.

At present there are three medical schools being operated by the government along purely Chinese lines. I hazarded a question as to what they would do if the students were unfortunate enough to break their limbs, or their eyes gave out while at school. The reply came, “No plan.” Fortunate for their students, there are some foreign physicians at Chang-sha. The industrial school interested us most of all. Seeing their show-cases full of well-made tools and other articles, we began to suspect there was hope of success for the diligent students along these lines. Imagine our dismay when we found these things were all made by artisans hired from Hankow. Calling one day to have a small stove repaired, I noticed the students staring in amazement at these artisans while they were at work, but not turning a hand themselves. But they do a little weaving of mats and coarse cloth, and even this is encouraging to those contemplating school work in China. Here, again, the manual labor is optional. But then for centuries China has been taught that “the scholar is not an utensil.”

The government takes no account of instructing its women, but private enterprise has arranged for one school of two or three hundred pupils, with some Japanese women teaching by interpretation. If only the girls could stay long enough to get a good foundation knowledge, there would be a good work in this direction.

We were much pleased with the kindergarten school for children of both sexes. Here, too, there is Japanese teaching by interpretation. There was evidence of care being taken to make this branch a success. Primary schools are legion; and from these there is a faint hope that a system may yet be drawn up which will be a systematic grading of the lower schools with the higher. At present each school is more or less independent of the others. Continuity is greatly lacking. Even the Hunan Provincial High School is contented with a knowledge of the old Chinese classics as a test for admission for boys from sixteen to twenty years of age.

To us the saddest feature of all is that these masses of students at Chang-sha, and, alas, in other cities, are being led away from the Bible; hence we are not surprised that they are developing a class of youth whom it may soon prove a knotty problem to handle. I have already written of the ill effects of the large number of students from Hunan going to Japan and elsewhere without proper preparation. Inability to speak the language of their new country, and consequent inability to understand the lectures given, have caused many to return more than discouraged; for they have also become contaminated with a wrong spirit. Others have been recalled by the government ere they had obtained so much as even a real interest in their subjects. Returning to their native places, they have been snapped up with sometimes direful results. Many had become an easy prey for Satan’s own devices. They vainly imagined, with their but half-opened eyes and ears, that these revolutionary ideas of the very worst type were all good and proper. Satan’s emissaries were only too ready to point to Japan as an example of those who held such ideas and worked them out. Arriving at their native cities,—Chang-sha

for instance,—these men readily aired their views. Others were busy with anti-dynastic literature to follow up the impressions made. Even into the girls’ schools this pernicious stuff found its way. Alas, many paid the penalty by execution. One man was hurried out and decapitated in all his gay silks and golden trinkets. This being done without trial, the student population was in a ferment for many days, and it was hardly known which way events would turn. As a result the schools were broken up earlier than scheduled. Previous to this, the students had caused one of their number, who had committed suicide, to be buried on Chang-sha’s sacred mountain; and defied the authorities for a time to remove the body. Later, when the excitement had died away, the coffin was transferred.

“Lookers-on,” it is said, “always see most.” Let us not be too eager to condemn either the government or those we are discussing in this paper. That there is a terrible need for reform in many, many ways, goes without saying. The thing for the churches of Christendom to do in China, is to keep their hands clear of all questionable practises, and let her adherents show their fellows that the gospel of Jesus Christ is able to undo the work which Satan has been doing for centuries. The time is short; and we who believe the Lord will soon perform a quick work in righteousness, plead with our fellow believers in the third angel’s message to let us have a greater measure of your prayers. Either we have it or there is no other message in this wide world which can do for these individual students, and their acquaintances in the class room what they can not do for themselves, and what a one-sided system of instruction will never produce; that is, a perfect character, which will fit them for the kingdom of God. The return of Jesus Christ for his people, is nearer than any of us can imagine. Then let us work and pray to-day; for the night cometh when no man can work. That the people are still friendly toward us, and desire to be taught by us, is plainly to be seen in the numbers who have been to make inquiries as to when we are going to open our classes in English. But with the arrival of our reinforcements, we have not one single spare room for the purpose. We can not tell how many houses we have inspected for rent, but have not been successful up to the present. Our woman teacher, who was to have joined us here, was forbidden absolutely by her foreign pastor; and, like many others, does not seem to have a mind or will of her own in the matter of faith and practise. Those that have, are not considered desirable by many foreign pastors. Recently there have been a few bright exceptions to this rule, and they have preferred to leave mission employ rather than be domineered over in this way. One man recently informed me that there was no other way open for him but to join our people; for he is convinced we have the truth. He was in charge of four or five mission schools at a city not far distant from Chang-sha. God keep him faithful to his resolve. We are being continually brought face to face with the question of the Lord’s will for our people at this great center, but we know he will reveal it in his own good time and way. We had eight Chinese at our Sabbath-school yesterday. They were all the friends of our friend, Ho Chingchin, who is assisting me in translation work. He was our reward for many hours spent in the class room teaching English last year.

P. J. LAIRD.

Chang-sha, Hunan, China.