Among all the closing ceremonies and exercises, which are taking place almost daily at this time, an exceptionally interesting one occurred on Thursday at the Tien Tou Hui Anglo-Chinese Girls' School, which has present temporary quarters in Burkill Road. Very few foreigners are aware of the existence of this school, has sprung entirely from Chinese initiative, and is largely the result of the efivrts of BLE, Shea Tan-ho, Taotai, and Mrs. Shéo. "Although it is only six months old, the school has 80 pupils, all daughters of Chinese of position, and all with unbound feet, which is a qualification for admission. In this connection is was mentioned on Thursday that as the result of careful obs-rations made on the Maloo, during the hours when Chinese ladies are driving out, it has been ascertaine? that forty-five per cent now have natural size feet.
The school-room was more than filled with the guests of the Committee, among those present being a sprinkling of foreigners, rectly interest in the school. "The proceedings were mainly entirely in Chinese, except for short speech of congratulation and encouragement by the Rev. G. H, Bondfield treasurer of the school, and one or two toms in the entertainment given by the girls. One young lady, the granddaughter of the Shanghai Taotai, recited Mary had a little lamb," with great distinctness of lation but with something of a tragic air; a party of children sang in chorus "Twinkle, twinkle little star," and a Chinese " Anti-foot-binding song and there were short pianoforte solos, with others. A feature of the afternoon was a vigorous speech by Mrs, Wang, one of the greatest Indy scholars China boasts, and the head of the school. Mrs. May, another Chinese lady, who is one of the few pro-ant in the art of early Chinese music, gave an exhibition of her skill, and young native editor made "n impassioned address. "Mr. John Dartoch also spoke in Ohineve. Tea was served in an room, and afterwards an interestii ox bition of physical drill was given by the scholars.
The following translation of the opening speech by Mr. Shen Tun-ho tells the story of the school to date It gives mo great pleasure in welcoming you hero to-day, the day which closes the first successful semi-annual term of this school. You are all aware of the great good Mrs. Little accomplished in hor crusade against foot-binding amongst Chinese girls. On the eve of her leaving China for Home she expressed to me her apprehension that the enthusiasm which she had already aroused amongst the Chinese gentry might gradually cool off and the good cause might not be so were groundless and that the anti-foot-binding cause was not a flecting fancy with us Chinese, but that it had come to stay with us, Mr. Li Ping-shu and myself with the assistance of some prominent Chinese residents in Shanghai, formed a society for the propagation of the good cacse and catablished thie school, specially for the education of young girls with natural feet, and I'am sure if Mrs. Little could have been present hee to-day, and witness this fruit of her labours she would have no further z1use for apprehension. The school is attended by 80 young ladies, many of them daughters of officials of the highes: rank, and particular attention of the demise, but deficient as we arein has been paid in. teaching them Chinese, that department being. in the charge of Mrs. Wang, who is recognised as one of the very best lady scholars in the whole of China. It may be of interest to mention here that this Indy is a sister of Wen Ting-shi, a scholar who was second in the palace examination and well-known to foreigners and Chinese alike for his earnest advocacy of reform and progress. Miss Richard has also ably presided over the English branch of the course besides attending to the young ladies' physical training. Too much praise cannot be bestowed upon Mrs: Cornaby, Mrs. Bondfield, and Mrs. Ridge, who are volunteers on the teaching staff and who have spent much of their valuable time in teaching the girls English, music, drawing, and needlework. The moral influence these ladies exert on the girls in their daily intercourse is also invaluable, and it gives me much pleasure to tender to all these Jadies the sincere thanks of myself and my colleagues for their kind services, and also on behalf of Mr. Shen to thank them for their valuable ce-oper tion in conducting so successfully this school, the first of its kind, which it is my hope to soo will be followed by others all over China,
Text read from the printed page and cleaned; old type leaves the occasional error.