24th Dee, GENERAL attention of foreigners in Shanghai was naturally drawn to the dinner recently given by certain Chinese Indies to a number of their foreign sisters, to interest the latter in the proposed establishment of a School for Chinese girls on modern lines, That foreign ladies here would be full of sympathy with this endeavour was certain, We all welcome heartily any sign of progress, and it is particularly pleasant to see Chinese ladies, who are generally kept sv much in retirement, coming forward to take charge of an enterprise of this kind, which will tend to bring the ladies of the future still more into the outer air. The preliminary regulations for the new school, the text of which will be found elsewhere, show that the institution has been carefully thought out; and the very first words show that itis to be, as it must be to succeed in its purpose, essentially Chinese. "The school is to be established on the basis of Confu-clanism, and kis posthumous tablet will be dedicated." None but the most narrow-minded foreigner can object to all due reverence being shown to the great Chinese sage, one of the world's teachers of ethics. It is not to be denied that a slavish adherence to Confucianism alone has done: far too much to limit and confine the Chinese mind for maw centuries; but when the reverence for Confucianism is to be combined with the study of Western languages and sciences, we have no fear of the result, It will be noticed that the school is to have two managers, a foreign Indy and a Chinese lady, whose powers apparently are to be equal, and there are to be twelve honorary managers chosen from the subscribers. As subscriptions are invited from foreign as well as from Chinese ladies, we presume that it is contemplated that some of these shall be foreigners. There are also to be twelve honorary gentlemen managers, who are to raise subscriptions, and generally supervise the management, with two paid overseers under them. It will no doubt be a little difficult to get this rather complicated machinery into gear, so that it will work without friction; but as all concerned will be inspired by the same desire to make the scheme a success, things should soon settle down, and as only forty girls are to be admitted at first, the work on all the managers' hands will not be overwhelming.
It was at first announced that only girls with unbound feet would be admitted into the school, but it has no doubt been. realised that this was not quite fair to girls whose feet were nlready bound, he regulation has now been modified, and it reads: "Foot. binding is a wicked custom in China, so after having been admitted into the school, the girls shall advise each other to unbind their feet. For the present both girls with feet bound or unbound shall be similarly admitted, but after the lapse of a few years girls with bound feet' will not be admitted." Yo deny to a girl already disadvantaged by ber feet being bound the benefit of a good education would have been cruel, while it is perfectly just to let parents know that if in the future they insist on this torture for their little ones, the remoters of this school will not at least be a party to their action.
It is distinctly laid down that the school is intended for girls of the middle and upper classes. 'I'heir education is to be alt foreign and half Chinese, and every pupil in addition to the ordinary routine of "the three R.s" must take up mathematics, law, or medicine at the same time those who take up law.or medicine must also have a fair knowledge of mathomatics. Those who propose to enter the teaching profession must study mathe-maties, law, and medicine, and those who become proficient will in time receive certificates allowing them to practise law and medicine. Some years ago the author of some verses on "Amalgamation" in these columns wrote: 7
"T passed a lawyer's office; on the shingle Was ' Wang and Johnson, Bartisters-at-law.'"
When Sharghai follows the West in admitting lady lawyers to practise in its Courts, they also will be
Text read from the printed page and cleaned; old type leaves the occasional error.