They say it is President Roosevelt's proud boast that his children have at: tended the Public and Elementary school, and sat side by side with the children of the working man. Circumstances force our great self-governing colonies to copy the American system; but in England, even in these democratic times, class feeling runs high; and, though the new Education Acts passed, or about to be passed, will do much in the direction of levelling up and levelling down, the tendency for those who can afford it is to send their children to so-called higher-d: while the board schools and elementary voluntary schools are perforce patronised by the poorer classes. Even if desirable, it does not appear there is room un the China Coast for a school that insists on a certain standing. The majority of loys here have come from Shanghai, We also have pupils from such widely distant places as Newchwang and Canton.
Character.
But we can and do insist on good character. We think this a very important matter, for lo anyone who has resiled long in the East it must be apparent that facilities for young people to go wrong are greater in the Treaty Ports than at home. It therefore behoves us to take every provsution against. the importation of az else: t turn a school into a place where the young lasa that which is evil instead of good.
Dr. Arnold of Rugby, perils the greatest modern school-masters hed decided views fon this point. To quote from one of his letters," When I get any in this p rt of the school who are not to be influenced—sho have neither the will nor to influence others—not from being i tionally bad. but from very low wit a d extreme childishness or coarseness of character—the evil is so great, negatively hut nasitively, false views are greedily caught up by thie below them) that I do not know how to roceed. or how to hinder the school from erning x place of education for evil... except by getting rid o such persons."
We have therefore declined to receive certain buys, who, we have reason to think, would exert a pernicious intluen aniers, We have alo insisted on the removal of some after admission largely for the same reason. jonists argue that the pulsion or removal reflects solon, thin on the elf the great majority, principle—if not inp authority already quoted, wh mere particularly t Rug: a learn that the third duty of unpromising subjects, a seliel will never be wh and what it ought t" In Children sent to England, Many people living in the East think they do the best thing sending their children hone. They consider that the social, moral and physical coalitions of life out here are an elec-ual barrier to their proper education So drastic step my he nwtem ne: esity, but at the best tean only be a choice of evils. 'To quote from my own experience,—they sent. me from India when Twas eleven. I scarcely know my parents x when I saw them again, Friends, and even near relatives, cannot take the' pure father and mother is too much to) expect that natural the separation of years. Tt may sary, but itis hard necessity, whether th question be considered from the point Few of the parent, or of the child.
Takius into consideration the great tance of a school from its educational base, he would be a bold man who could state that as guid a school education can be obtained in China as in England, but I have no hesitation in stating that, in spite of certain obvious difficulties a thoroughly sound preparatory education, say, up fo the age of fourteen, can be given: and that there should be we necessity for removing a mere child from home fluence just at the period of life when a mother's love and a father's counsel are most needed.
Text read from the printed page and cleaned; old type leaves the occasional error.