A few years ago the city of Pingyangfu, the garrison city of southern Shansi, was as desolate a place as could be found in China. Brickbats abounded everywhere and ruins and rubbish heaps were the features of the erstwhile capital of Yao. 4 The other day the writer had an opportunity of strolling around places which for some few years he had not visited and noticed the astonishing improvements accomplished. The change has been brought about since the discovery that a soldier at work is an asset to the country while a soldier gambling and smoking opium is a curse.
From carrying water to begin with, the Shansi soldier has been led in the path of energy until now the garrison appear to be a live of industry, Levelling up waste spaces, road making, building and repairing are being constantly carried on, so that given a plentiful rainfall this place might easily become a "Garden City."
On the spacious drill grounds, aircraft would have ample room to manoeuvre, should fliers pass this way. One of the special stunts on hand at present is practising bomb-throwing, WONDERFUL WORK OF BOys, The educationalists are not behind the military in pressing on ahead.
In the Middle School the boys were preparing for a field day and tennis and basket ball were being played vigorously.
We noticed that the tennis rackets which seemed quite useful were of Chinese make. The handicraft products of a Shansi school in these days are a wonderful sight.
A fully equipped Boy Scout adorned with the whole regulation outfit stands at the door of the exhibit roof here as the master piece of the modeller's craft. there are teapots, and pottery, carpentry and paper work in great variety. In fact there is little that the boys don't learn to make. One very interesting object is a replica in burnt clay, made for a table ornament, of the famous stone seen 1n every city denouncing dishonest officials, oppressive gentry and unscrupulous underlings.
Then there is the shop where the boys take their turns as bookkeepers, salesmen, etc., and learn business methods while supplying their schoolmates with socks, garters, pencils, ete.
We were tempted to linger, but courtesy prevailed—and we the black list of China's grievances. The days were carefully tabulated in which objectional treaties were signed or concessions granted or demands made by foreign powers. This formidable list adorns the
Text read from the printed page and cleaned; old type leaves the occasional error.