"If Mr. Sheng had only accomplished such results in official and commercial life as I have mentioned, he would have established the right to a place in the memory of his countrymen," said Dr. Ferguson, "but greater and more enduring than anything else which he did was the founding of this college. He had had a share with his patron, Li Hung-chang, in the founding of Tientsin University, but was not wholly satisfied with the results achieved on account of the lack of a sound preparation in their own language and literature on the part of many pupils. He desired to do something for the sons of the literary classes of Wu, his native place, most of whom were unable to pay for a modern education.' He decided to fix a high standard for admission, to secure eminent teachers of Chinese literature and thus to build this college into the structure of the new educational system of China. Everything which the. pupils learned from text-books in foreign languages they should be able to express clearly and elegantly in their own language. Such was the high ideal of the founder of this College. He believed in modern education but he loved also the literary tradition of his own country. It was his conviction that the only way in which modern education could win for itself a permanent.place in China was by expression in dignified correct literary form. He feared the lowering of educational standards which would result from the acquisition of nrodern learning to the neglect of a sound education in Chinese literature' and literary expression, KINDNESS AND PHILANTHROPHY, "He was diligent; he never wasted time. Often he worked into the late hours of the morning preparing drafts for memorials: to the Throne, examining documents prepared for him by his secretaries or looking over accounts. He had a kindly disposition. Never once did 1 hear him say an unkind word about anyone. In most trying circumstances he spoke in his usual tone of voice to servants and subordinates. Ha never abused those who differed fron him nor spoke reproachfully of those who had got the better of him in bitter contests. He was charitable. For many years he planned to give at least one-tenth of his income for philan-tropic purposes byt his contributions were usually in excess of this limit. As-an instance of his charitable work, he continued every year until his death to send at least 10,000 wadded garments to poor people in Shantung in whom he had become interested while he was Taotai at Chefoo.
"This is Mr. Sheng as I knew him. His brilliant eyes, his keen face, his quick perception, noone of these can be wrought into plastic bronze, but they remain inscribed on the tablets of my memory and I consider it a high privilege to place them on record together with this appreciation of his life work at the unveiling of this bronze statue erected in his Dorine the past year, the Kuling Bulletin states, Kuling has experienced the most phenomenal growth in its history. From April 1, 1922, to April'l, 1928, 53 new houses have been built. The development of West Valley has gone forward rapidly. Many new roads have been opened to accommodate new '.2uses and Mr. Lipporte of the Outdoor Department has planted a large number of shade trees along the Honan Road.
Text read from the printed page and cleaned; old type leaves the occasional error.