Part 2

SIR: Referring to your No. 85, on the subject of educating natives in foreign sciences, I have to report that I cannot learn of anything done in my district of any moment. At sundry times some foreigners wanting employment have opened small schools in Hankow, intending to teach people of any age to read English. The results have been inconsiderable, as the enterprise has in all cases been abandoned as soon as more lucrative pursuits have been available. Besides this, I know of no efforts made in the direction of your inquiry except some work of Dr. A. C. Bumr, of the American Episcopal mission at Wu-Chang, who, before he left, gave some instruction to a few converts in the theory and practice of medicine. In his view his results were encouraging, but not fully developed.

I am informed also that Dr. Manby, now located here in charge of the London Mission Hospital, is preparing a system of instruction, and intends soon to put it in operation, for the systematic training of native pupils in the principles and science of physiology, with surgical and medical training, in a course of some years' duration in connection with his important hospital work. Beyond these I know of nothing done in the line of your investigation.

I am, sir, &c.,

ISAAC F. SHEPARD.

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_Mr. Bandinel to Mr. Seward._

No. 42-625.] NEW CHWANG, _March 30, 1880._

SIR: In response to your excellency's dispatch No. 66, I have the honor to state that, as far as I can learn, there is not within the three Mantchoorian provinces any school founded or supported by native official or private enterprise in which foreign knowledge is imparted to Chinese students. From inquiries among the missionaries I learn that--

The _Roman Catholics_ have a college under foreign supervision, wherein 26 pupils are instructed in Latin, philosophy, theology, and the elements of geography, mathematics, &c., and whence 4 pupils have been ordained as priests.

The _Irish Presbyterian Mission_ has a boys' school under the supervision of a clerical missionary, wherein 20 scholars, from 9 to 13 years of age, are instructed in geography, penmanship, and the course of (4) reading books used in the government schools at Hong Kong. They will learn, when more advanced, arithmetic and other subjects. There is also the nucleus of a girls' school, only two pupils, supervised by the missionary's wife, who teaches them plain sewing in addition to the above branches of knowledge.

Mr. Carson also contemplates starting a day school in the heart of the city, in connection with the above mentioned which are held in his compound.

The medical missionary of the Irish Presbyterian Mission has in his own compound a boys' school with 15 scholars, and in an adjacent building a girls' school with 9 scholars. Many of these are too young to learn much, but the elder ones learn geography (Wade's book), and three boys and three girls are taught to read and write English.

The _Scotch United Presbyterians_ have a mission here, but apparently neither in their boys' school, recently discontinued, nor in their girls' school, which numbers 14 scholars, has any foreign secular education been, except indirectly, imparted. The girls, however, are learning foreign needlework.

I have the honor, &c.,

J. J. F. BANDINEL.

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MY DEAR MR. BANDINEL: In our boys' school, which we have now discontinued, our object was to give the children of our church members a Chinese classical education, such as they would receive in a first class native school. Our principle was that of the grammar schools at home. Outside of the regular lessons, there was daily the "religious hour," or morning and evening class, where I instructed them in religious truth. I only bound myself to spend one hour per day with the scholars, and therefore never formally laid myself out to train them in foreign knowledge. But I have, of course, introduced all manner of subjects in my illustrations, making it a point incidentally to introduce whatever knowledge of historical and scientific subjects I myself possessed. The school room has always been well supplied with books. I think we have had almost every foreign work which has been translated, and we take in for the school, 1st, the Globe Magazine; 2d, the Scientific Magazine; 3d, the Child's Paper. I have several times had teachers who took a great interest in these periodicals, and who did what they could to make the subjects intelligible to their pupils. We still continue a flourishing girls' school. We also teach the Chinese classics there, and with great success; though the classics are, as it were, taught incidentally, and scripture history, &c., forms the bulk of the teaching. The girls are being taught foreign needlework, but have not made any very great attainments. But in most cases the direct teaching has borne mostly on Chinese subjects, and we have trusted to the personal influence of the foreigners to communicate foreign knowledge.

Yours, sincerely,

J. MACINTYRE.

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MY DEAR MR. BANDINEL: In reply to your letter of the 18th instant, I beg to state that the secular subjects taught in the school are geography, penmanship, and the course of reading books taught in the government school at Hong Kong.

These reading books, four in number, in a graduated series, treat of a great variety of subjects, both foreign and native. As soon as the children are far enough advanced, they will be taught arithmetic and other subjects.

The school is a free boarding school, supported by the mission, and our object is to train for ourselves a staff of native helpers.

Believe me, &c.,

JAMES CARSON.

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MY DEAR MR. BANDINEL: The only secular instruction given in my school is in geography. I have given half a dozen children, three girls and three boys, lessons in English. The lessons are merely in reading and writing.

This is all I have to say in reply to your communication of the 11th instant.

I am yours, very truly.

J. M. HUNTER.

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[Translation.]

MOST ILLUSTRIOUS SIR: I make a brief answer to your excellency concerning the inquiry of the most noble minister in charge of the legation for the consulate of America in Peking.

In our region, Mantchooria--that is, in the three provinces of Mukden, Kirin, and Saghalien--there has existed, so far as I know, no school or institution founded by the Chinese government or established by private citizens in which pupils may study European sciences and acquire some knowledge of the arts of foreign nations.

As regards the Catholic mission, which has been intrusted to my care, we have founded one college, with Drs. Boyer and Hinard as rectors, in which twenty-six pupils study Latin language, philosophy, and theology, as well as geography, mathematics, &c. Four graduates from this college have been ordained priests already, and are offering themselves with most pleasing readiness for the service of preaching and directing the Christians of the region.

Nor, indeed, am I able to give your excellency any information upon the subject of your question of yesterday. Meanwhile I pray God that He may bestow all blessings upon your excellency, whom I desire to make certain of my respect.

Most devotedly, yours in Christ,

C. DUBRAIL, _Bishop of Bolina, Vicar Apostolic of Mantchooria._

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_Mr. Lord to Mr. Seward._

No. 119.] NINGPO, _April 20, 1880._

SIR: I am sorry that I have not been able to reply earlier to your dispatch No. 57, requesting such information as I might have in regard to the education of Chinese in foreign knowledge within this consular district.

Nothing, I believe, has been done in this respect by the Chinese government or by Chinese officials in this province, either to found or sustain schools in which foreign knowledge has been taught. Nor has anything worth speaking of been accomplished by private enterprise, outside of missionaries. There was a small attempt made here a few years ago to get up an English school for natives, but it came to nothing, very likely through the incapacity of the person who undertook it.

Missionaries from the beginning of their work here have had schools of various kinds. The object of these schools has, of course, been religious. Yet, as in religious schools at home, secular knowledge has been taught in them to some extent.

Missionaries in this part of China have not, as a general thing, encouraged their pupils to learn English, but they have tried to teach them history, geography, mathematics, philosophy, astronomy, physiology, medicine, &c., and their efforts have, no doubt, been attended with some success. The number thus instructed may not have been very large, and bearing in mind the great difficulties under which the instruction must have been given, we can hardly suppose that the results have been very great; still, something has been done. A beginning, at least, has been made in the work of a higher and better education among this people. Though aside from these mission schools there have been in this place no organized efforts for the education of Chinese in foreign knowledge, one will yet often meet with Chinese who have acquired more or less of this knowledge. Some of these have been taught in schools elsewhere, either at other ports or in foreign countries, and others have, in one way or another, been so related that this knowledge has in various degrees come to them. And these instances are continually increasing. The number of Chinese who speak English, and who have more or less English education, is less here than at some of the other ports. They naturally go to places where there is a demand for these qualifications. There has, so far, been very little demand for them here.

This reminds me of a matter to which I have long been wishing to call your attention. It is the inconvenience and disadvantage under which consular officers are placed in being required to write their dispatches in Chinese to Chinese officials. I wish to say something on this subject, but perhaps I had better do it in another letter, and when I have more leisure.

I have the honor, &c.,

EDWARD C. LORD.

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II. SIAM.

_Mr. Evarts to Mr. Schurz._

DEPARTMENT OF STATE, _Washington, May 17, 1880._

SIR: I have the honor to transmit herewith, for the information of your Department, a copy of dispatch No. 150, dated March 18, 1880, from the consul at Bangkok, Siam, in relation to the system of education lately introduced into Siam.

I have the honor to be, sir, your obedient servant,

WM. M. EVARTS.

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_Mr. Sickels to Mr. Payson._

No. 150.] CONSULATE OF THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA, _Bangkok, Siam, March 18, 1880._

SIR: I have the honor to acknowledge the receipt of Department dispatches Nos. 57, 58, and 59, dated respectively December 1 and 6, 1879, and January 6, 1880, all at hand by the same mail.

In regard to the information required by the Department of the Interior, referred to in No. 57, I have the honor to inclose a private letter on the subject from Rev. Dr. McFarland, the principal of the King's College and the originator and founder of the new system of education lately introduced into the kingdom. This letter contains all the information procurable on the subject. Dr. McFarland was for many years in charge of the American Presbyterian mission schools in Petchaburi, and is well qualified for the position to which he has been transferred.

Although too modest to claim any merit for himself in this new work, I am satisfied from my own observation and the reports of the committees who have the matter in charge, that our countryman's success in the conduct of this new school has been fully up to the expectations formed, has met with His Majesty's approval and given him full satisfaction. I do not, however, think that this success, or indeed any, if much greater, will induce the government to extend the area of operation and establish at present any general school system throughout the kingdom, or even at the prominent points.

The Siamese are vast projectors and their ideas in the beginning are large, but their plans taper very much and very abruptly as the charm of novelty passes away and demands on the purse increase. There is, besides, a strong party of the old régime who do not approve of education in any form, particularly in foreign languages and studies, who believe implicitly in the wisdom of their ancestors, and obstinately oppose themselves to any attempt at removing the ancient landmarks wherever posted.

The party of progress, "Young Siam," appreciate the value of the old adage, "The more haste the less speed," and their policy is to move slowly and gradually, temporizing rather than raising bitter issues, abiding their time, until its efflux shall have removed the more acrid and influential members of the old conservative party and left the field clear for the introduction of more modern and more enlightened ideas.

The King is young; the contemporaries and counsellors of his father are old. He has all the advantage on his side and can afford to wait. In the mean time the influence of this school is extending itself by means of the younger branches through the principal families of the kingdom, and can scarcely fail to produce in the new good time favorable results.

I am, sir, your obedient servant,

DAVID B. SICKELS, United States Consul.

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MY DEAR MR. TORRY: In compliance with your request, I will now give you some items of information in reference to the educational work recently commenced in Siam. So far as I know, the desire for the education of Siamese youth originated with His Majesty the King.

Being in Bangkok in November, 1877, His Excellency Phya Bhaskarawongse, the King's private secretary, sought a private interview with me, and informed me that His Majesty desired to have a school started in Bangkok, and asked me what I thought of taking charge of it. I asked time to consider the subject. His excellency then requested me to write out a plan for a school. In a few months after this, I replied favorably to the proposition to take charge of a school and also presented a plan. His excellency then secured for me an audience with the King, at which time His Majesty informed me that he had fully determined to have schools.

About a year after this, or in October, 1878, I entered into an engagement in an article with the committee appointed by the King to take charge of a school for five years. That school was opened in Bangkok on the 1st of January, 1879, with 50 scholars, mostly sons of noblemen and a few princes. These 50 scholars were selected by the committee, placed in the school under my care and control, and they are taught and boarded at government expense. Day scholars receive their tuition and books free, but are required to pay their boarding. Some board at the school; others board at home. The whole number in attendance during the first year was 104. The object of this school was to furnish an education in the English and Siamese languages to as many as can be accommodated.

The King has not afforded educational advantages to the people throughout the country, as has been stated. I think His Majesty wishes to open other schools, but they must make an experiment with this one first and see how it succeeds. This is the only government school in the country where English is taught.

There is a school numbering about 60 pupils and supported by the King where the Siamese language only is taught.

Besides these government schools there are several private schools, besides those managed by the missionary societies.

Yours,

L. G. McFARLAND.