BOXER EDUCATION

China's reputation of having the oldest civilization in the world became a doubtful honor when western nations began to thrust their hungry faces over the wall and look about. To meet these irresistible intruders on anything like even terms, China found herself obliged to jump over a good many centuries into the current of modern ways. Out of pure generosity the United States decided not to take advantage of the naivete of her rebirth and therefore remitted ten of the twenty-five millions due to her as Boxer indemnity. This has proved to be profitable altruism, for since then America and American people have stood highest in the esteem of the Chinaman. And now the foresighted British, taking a lead out of our book, have announced the gift of their remaining Boxer money to the cause of Chinese education.

The act of making over the money is an easy matter. The work of translating the money into education calls for careful planning and far-sightedness. By the terms of the gift England has reserved this to herself. The British nature would seem to suggest trade schools. But the Chinese do not desire trade schools. And England, of course, wants British stock to be on a par with American in China. The Manchester Guardian has suggested that the money be devoted to establishing schools in China taught by Chinese teachers, rather than to transplanting batches of Chinese students to English universities, on the ground that such transplanted Chinamen become denationalized.

As long as England has taken example from our results, she might well consider what was done with our gift. When the windfall came to China in 1908, the Chinese government took the direction of it into its own hands and has used it never since to send fifty Chinese youths yearly to study in America. It is possible that these favored few have become to some degree denationalized, to some degree out of sympathy with the masses. World-weary travelers, who expected to refresh their jaded spirits in a Confucian atmosphere, have reported that China is already too Westernized. But Westernized Chinamen have not brought this about. It is due to the western commerce which has broken down the Great Wall and invaded the musty civilization sealed within. For better or for worse, the deed is done and China no longer cares to remain in isolation. Her rejuvenation must make its way along modern or quasi-modern lines, and China has steadfastly looked to her foreign-trained youth to furnish both the motive force and the guiding hand.