Page:Popular Science Monthly Volume 67.djvu/358

352 asking pointed questions are marvelous; it takes a well informed, wide-awake teacher to cope with him. He is but one of the many for whom the modern institutions of learning recently established in China are throwing open the doors of true knowledge.

When the Chinese youths have caught the student-spirit which dominates our western colleges, they become real 'digs' and not even their physical weakness can deter them. Therefore, we have reason to hope that when their constitutions shall have been strengthened by the abstemious life, the hygienic surroundings and the physical exercises which are features of the new institutions, China will have students able to sit at the banquet of learning with those of foreign nations.

The field being so great, the educators should not try to rival each other, but should rather endeavor to cooperate, in order to facilitate the enlightenment of this vast empire of the east. We can not at present expect to have real universities, where each institution shall have all the departments; therefore, the existing colleges should aim to supplement each other, each trying to establish some thoroughly equipped, special departments that the others do not have.

Colleges established in China need strong men, who are not afraid of hard work or of difficulties, and who will not worry if they attract but few students; men who will endeavor to carry on their respective institutions on a modern educational basis, and who will form plans and policies suited to the demands of the time and place. Thus manned, colleges in China will be able to send forth graduates educated in the true sense of the word and fitted to be useful in society. These college-trained men will act as a leaven which in time will change the whole social fabric of Chinese life, thus removing many of the obstacles which now confront the educator. In this way, existing colleges will advertise themselves by the quality of their graduates much more effectively than by any amount of pomp and show; will serve as models worthy of imitation; and will solve many of the present problems.