Oct. 10.
THE rowdyish exploits in the name of patriotism and democracy by Chinese boy students have not tended to dispose us favourably to the ways of the Republic; we think more highly of students as they were me former times. But sympathy goes out freely to the Chinese women and girls who are quietly, courageously, and in womanly fashion winning their emancipation. Already much has been accomplished. Footbinding with all its pain and disability is disappearing fast. It is a pleasure. now to see Chinese girls walking as they should, naturally and gracefully, and taking part in feminine games and physical. exercises. Schools axe now open to them, and their enthusiasm for education is most commendable; they cannot and will not be satisfied with the stunted. intellectual life which custom imposed on their n mothers and* grandmothers. For in the old days the social status of Chinese women was not enviable. In the Sacred Edict they were told to ''weave hemp, spin thread, work embroidery, ply the needle, weave damask gauze and satin cloth. What need fo long. for pearls, gems, gold, and silver of others? Make a few shoes, stockings and garments—they too will exchange for money and grain. Only give yourself wholly to your proper business, and then you will not give way to foolish fancies.'' Advice of patriarchal, masculine simplicity which may have suppressed, but we may be sure: never eradicated, the feminine longing for gems and gold, and for other objects of their fancies, foolish or otherwise. The wisdom of men in matters relating to the other sex has its limitations in every age and in every country.
But times are changing. In the recent report issued by the Peking Society for the Study of International Education, which was commented on a few days ago, there is an interesting chapter written by Chinese ladies upon the ''Eiducation of Women in China." Until the closing days of the Manchu dynasty there were no schools for girls, except those of Christian missions to which the report refers in terms of grateful appreciation. Such as it was, the education given in the home, generally on the lines laid down in the Sacred Edict, was considered quite sufficient. Tu 1909 a beginning was made. The progress since has been steady. There are now in the government educational system 3,363 elementary schools with 164,719 pupils; 10 middle schools with 1,138 pupils; 61 normal schools with 6,873 students in training to be teachers in elementary schools and Kindergartens; a Teacher's College for the training of teachers for middle and normal schools; 21 vocational schools in which 1,757 girls are being taught embroidery, sewing, dress-making, plaiting, silkworm culture, the making of flowers, lace, hair-nets and others things to enable them to earn their own living. There are co-educational institutions in which women may obtain a university education and it is hoped eventually to establish a University for Women. In addition, there are very many Christian schools,
Text read from the printed page and cleaned; old type leaves the occasional error.