Frou On Own Changsha, Sept. 29 forward etep tu education has been taken by educa tionlats in Hunan. Up to the present, public institutions supported wholly government funds have not been few; but among those of a grade above middle school, only three Dave been conspicuous, the Polytechnic College, the Law College and the College of Commerce. For several years the Governor has been seeking to bring these together into one unity which he proposed to call the Hunan University. Were there dependable funds for such a move mint, it might call out loyal provin-ind would certainly draw students, However, Mr. Li Kien-nung, provincial commisner of education from 1922 to 4924, felt that the possibility of aceens was likely to be greater in a private institution than in a government university and he ha: therefore been in touch with many of the promoters of education seeking to aid development on private lines. During the past, therefore, it wi the announcements were mad lic that in September the Ch'en Kuang (Morning Light) College would be opened. A dozen of the lending gentry and educational thinkers of Changsha are among the trustees of the new college, the ¢hairman being Mr. Chung Ts'ai-hung, ex-commissioner of finance in Hunan; and other prominent memders being Mr. K, N. Li himself and Mr. Peng Thu, formerly principal of the first provincial normal school im this city. The plan is to build up a college of arts which may, ater, become affiliated to the provineial government university or to private university tf this comes into being. In any case, provision has been made for the first time in Hunan for an Arts college, conducted on modern lines and controlled entirely by Chinese educators.
The College Aims The opening ceremony of the Gh'en Kuang College took place on September 26, the Governor having net aside for the institution the old
goodly company of the leaders of Sil, Mi in the north eaburh. A thought in Changsha and the addresses were noteworthy. - The president of the college is Mr. Peng Ishu and his inaugural address dwelt on the need that China ahoukl have colleges where something more than intellectual emphasis might be provided. The aim of this institution, he announced, was two-fold; to provide college Sate training in Chinese culture so that teachers might become increasingly available to undertake the Posts now poorly filled throughout the province. It was desirable that Chinese pupils should have every opportunity to study history and sociology, but no one should go out into life poorly trained in the culture and literature of his own Jand, In addition, middle school ourses were to be provided to equip teachers for work in rural agricultural schools, Besides providing curriculum work, Mr. Peng said, the college aimed to turn out men of character, of capacity for Yeadership and with a spirit of service.
Governor Chao Hong-ti spoke at Jength on the need that students in these dangerous times, when agitators abounded, should pay increasing "attention to their studies; not failing to become familiar with the dams no much discussed, but stu ing rather to understand thorough-than to associate themselves with movements for their introduction nto society. He also spoke of the continued financial stringency Human which made it impossible allocate as much of the public money. to educational purposes as he desired. "Listen to your teachers", he Urged and remember that their wisdom is something you must fol-Jow during your student days", Among the other speakers "the most noteworthy was Mr. Peng 'Tsing-jen, at one time acting Minister of Education' in Peking. Mr. Peng dwelt on the great line of scholars produced in Hunan, going back for well over 2,000' years. In the Sung dynasty there was, for example, as far back as 1,000 years ago, the philosopher Chou Lien-hsi; and down through the years a goodly number of contribu-[ting geniuses. Coming down to the present he urged that students learn to understand the insidious perils of Bolshevism. Ha ing lived in Harbin himself having known a great deal about the results of the Soviet government in Russia, he was prepared to warn Chinese students not to fall a prey to the agitators everywhere, but to understand the evil results likely to follow in Chinese society if those pernicious doctrines became universally adopted.
On the opening day some 80 students were enrolled, 20 or more in the college class, frst year; and the others in the middle school grades. 'The noteworthy element in the whole plan is the initiative that has led to attempting to meet a need commonly present, namely, that of trained teachers who are' familiar with the riches of Chinese literature and who are familiar with modern Pedagogic methods. Greetings were read at the gathering from several of the Changsha schools as well as a letter of congratulation addressed to the new college by Dr. Dayton, visiting Changsha on be. half of the trustees in America who have established the College of Yale-in-China at Changsha,
Text read from the printed page and cleaned; old type leaves the occasional error.