The local schools are split on the winter vacation dates, some observing the government order to close] for the solar new year and others} yielding to the more pressing demand of ancient custom to celebrate} the lunar festival as usual.
Teachers who hold positions in two schools may find themselves cheated out of holiday altogether, one school may be reopening about the time the other stops. It is chiefly the private schools that adhere to the old vacation period, Dut even the government" schools considerably vary in their dates.
The Ching Jen Middle School, which has been a thorn in the flesh of the Presbyterian mission. since last summer and is still in rebellion against the church, is taking advantage of the early' closing in order to save fuel, The teachers get support from the mission nor from any outside organization, - nothing in fact save the meagre fees of hhandfol of students.
This school nearly got into trouble with the military on Sunday, Dee-tember 21, the closing aay," when some modern plays were being given] to celebrate the anniversary of the changing of the name of the school A considerable number of large} firecrackers were set of in the school compound by way of demonstration, or perhaps, as some thought, for the purpose of disturbing the church service. Apparently} it was not generally known that an) order was out prohibiting the use of firecrackers, "The police arrived with the first merry' popping. and tried to stop the display, but the students only laughed at them and threw the crackers under their feet, and went defiantly on with the fi works. A. fow minutes later squad of Fengtien infantry arrived on the double and lined up inside the school compound. The order to "load" was given and twenty! rifles clicked menacing. - £uddenly the riotous students turned pale and put down their toys.
Text read from the printed page and cleaned; old type leaves the occasional error.