Nov. 24
America's cultural relations with China have made great contribution to the understanding between the East and the West. The educational institutions of the United States closely preserve their contacts with their Chinese alumni.. Americans have worthily played a leading part in the provision of foreign assistance and ce-operation in the development of education, medicine and other cultural activities in China, Strengthening this bond a consistent spirit of social in~ ter course which keeps the common interests of the two peoples well in mind, The American University Club has been a valuable instrument for the attainment of that purpose, Founded thirty years ago in Shanghai it consists of more than four hundred university men and provides, to quote Dr. H. H. Kung, who has contributed a foreword to the privately circulated "American University Men in China," published by the Club, the meeting ground of both Chinese and Americans who have received their education and ideals from the same fountain head—a group of men. whose work-has been closely connected with the progress along, "various lines of modern China and whose achievements redound to the credit of their Alma Maters, To the Club's attractively designed record various specialists contribute and it throws a vividly impressive light on the reality of Sino-Ameri~ can ce-operation, Dr. F, L, Hawks Pott, for example, recalls the history of Chinese education in America, He takes 1872 as the starting point for before that date only comparatively few Chinese made the -journey, among them being Dr. Yung Wing of Macao, who, graduating at Ya {in 1854 was the first Chinese to take an American degree. He wi the originator of the plan wh from 1872 onwards, thirty Chinese Inds for four successive years were sent to the United States for educa~ tion, From that acorn the oak grew. The Government took a thand in the game until 1981 when fears of foreignizing influence intervened. For the next quarter of century "students who went to America had to bear the expense themselves and although the Government resumed patronage of the system in 1905, it was not until 1908, when the United States Government under President Theodore Roosevelt, waived' its claim to the Boxer Indemnity money so that it could be used by the Chinese Government for sending students to America, that Dr. Yung Wing's dreams found their fulfilment.
In 1918 there wore 3,000 Chinese students in American schools and colleges. Exchange and other factors eventually reduced the number which in' 1931-32 was estimated at 450, but since that year a steady rise has again taken place. At frst the majority of Chinese _betook themselves to the Enst, partly because of Dr. Yung Wing's associa tion with Yale, Later, economic considerations made the Middle West popular. The Chinese student fitted well in with American College life, Dr. Hawks Pott con~ siders, and even athletic and social achievements were not unknown to him, He excelled in association football and at Yale the varsity crew were steered to victory for two successive years by Chung Mung-yew, Dr, Wellington Koo at Columbia, and Mr. Y, 8, Tsao at Yale made their mari in oratory and Mr. ¥, C. James Yen, the founder of the Mass Education movement, was a famous Glee Singer at' Yale. Dr, Hawks Pott declares that if the list of graduates of American universities, contains comparatively few Chinese names of distinction, there are hosts of them who have returned to perform unassumingly most useful work for their country. Nevertheless,, working on a. survey of "Who's Who in China"—Itsel¢ an example of industrious American research—Dr. Hawks Pott discovers that out of a total of 1,211 biographical sketches, 248 are of returned Students from' the United States.
Text read from the printed page and cleaned; old type leaves the occasional error.