May 2.
A correspondent wants construetive suggestions for the better education of the Shanghai tor-eigner after school years are past. Shanghai's population of 3,000,000, makes it a world city. In respect of the educational requirements of its foreign residents it has to be regarded as a moderately-sized town. The British community is Jestimated to comprise about 10,000, men, women and children, It is obviously impossible to contemplate the provision of a technical stitute or commercial college for that community alone. Yet, in. considering the differences' of Janguage, outlook and standards, it /seems probable that this problem lof "after school" education can be best dealt with on a communal basis. At all events, in proceeding to make constructive suggestions—with all the diffidence proper to a lay journal—it is convenient to }soncentrate attention on the British /community, leaving it open to other Jcommunities, according to their respective requirements, to formulate their own judgments thereon. Certain British institutions and certain organizations in which British effort plays a definite part, Jalready render some kind of "after school" educational service here, [Professional and other learned societies, such as the Institute of Chartered Accountants, the Institution of Civil Engineers and the Institution of Electrical Engineers fare believed to have interested themselves in this matter. The British Commercial Counsellor has shown considerable sympathy with: this policy. Then there is the British Chamber of Commerce with its examinations and its Chinese Tanguage classes. Finally, the Henry Lester Technical Institute provides notable experience and mow ledge which would, no doubt, be available on request, The first step toward tackling che problem appears, then, to in" quire whether these' bodies—and others, such as the Foreign Y.M.C.A. which has definite tradition of recognised value—could not confer for a preliminary examination of the community's educational needs. It would be eminently desirable to invite the opinions and advice of the headmasters and headmistresses of the foreign schools for they would be able best to throw light jon the material on which the "after school" treatment would be expected to operate, Tt would be necessary for such a conference to obtain special light on the economic conditions prevailing and likely to prevail in future. Here, it is likely that official cooperation can be confidently invoked with effect. The Shanghai Municipal Council, for the purposes of some of its departmental administration, has already been con~ fronted by the need for sclentife information on the social and economic life of the Settlement, It is believed to be taking steps, within the limits of its resources, for that hiatus in its bureaucratic knowledge to be filled. It should not be difficult for it to extend that endeavour toward an appreciation of the employment problem in terms Jot nationality and actual economic prospects. The schools naturally have positive data regarding the after-school careers of their pupils but those data paradoxically assume a negative significance when they are applied to the years lying ahead. Considered opinion, based fon general observation of' trends and tendencies, incline to the view that the pupils of the foreign school, in seeking a livelihood in Shanghai will not be able in future to count on forms of employment which in the past have been almost automatically placed at their disposal, They must, therefore, acquire other and better qualifications, if they do not wish to be squeezed out of Shanghai's economy. For con sideration of this problem and th best method of tackling it, a con ference on the lines indicated seems to be most suitable.
Although the Shanghai Muntcipal Council is unable to overlook political difficulties in devoting its attention to the foreign educational problem, it has an admitted responsibility in the matter. At present financial considerations prevent the adoption of expansive ideas, yet the Council has a clear duty to Gischarge in respect of the foreign community's education, if only on the broad ground of economic policy. Its solicitude must be stimulated by public opinion. There lies the opportunity for the various organizations which have this educational problem at heart, Of they show themselves ready to study their community's need and to do what they can to help its fulfilment, they immediately acquire a prescriptive right to insist on practical assistance from the Council. London has long experience in' the development of "after school" education. It has a fine organization of evening continuation schools, trade schools, commercial centres, science and art schools and technical institutes, fitted specially to the needs of an urban population. It should be possible for Shanghai to obtain from the London County Council the services of a senior expert who could come out for a few months, study the situation on the spot, and report on the best means of dealing with its peculiarities and providing the young foreign Shanghailander with @ reasonable livelihood in the difficult times ahead. This modest deputation would cost little. It would save much dissipation of time and energy in groping for solutions. The expert might invited to get into touch wi Hongkong for sufficient attention
Text read from the printed page and cleaned; old type leaves the occasional error.