University of Nanking - Linguist Yearbook (Nanking, China)

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A DAY AT LANGUAGE SCHOOL 87 A DAY AT LANGUAGE SCHOGL A typical day begins at half past eight with chapel. Sounds like college, but instead of faculty members, the students lead in turn. Or it may be that a veteran missionary speaks to us. This is a period. of particular inspiration. Then follows the study of Chinese. VVe ieel the years drop off,. for we are as children beginning with one phrase and then another and. another, progressing in as halting a manner. Without text books and with at least three of our senses functioning we go through the day. The lirst period is taken up with learning new words which are demonstrated to us or explained in the Chinese that we have formerly learned. Chia Sain Sen, our Principal, a splendid pedagogue, re- commended by the American Educator, John Dewey, with inimitable acting and humor makes us see the meaning of the new and weird sounds that he pronounces. Many are the visitors who come to watch and hear this celebrated Chinese teacher go through the performances of the new word class. For the second period the class dividesg one A half remains for review of the new words which by another teacher are linked up with the known words in simple sentences: the other half goes to private teachers. Each student is assigned a number correspondingto a smallf Entrance to the Compound

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THE LINGUIST 3. Thou, Lord of Hosts, art God of all Creation, And we thy servants humbly bow to Thee, Giving our all in perfect Consecration We ask for nought but what Thou dost decree. 4. In Thee our work shall lincl its consummationg Help us to toil in perfect harmony, Strengthen our faithg give ns this consolation That through thy Name we gain the Victory. Louis C. Bvsrlsn. p '.c,3..' their day our night. v i . U ' . 2. Ours represents the new hemisphere and civiliza- tion, theirs represents the old. 3. We look forward to a better or golden age, Chinese' look back to the golden age. We say the compass points to north, Chinese compass points to south. Our designation of cardinal directions are, N.E. S.E. NAV. S.W. and the Chinese say E.N. ILS. W'.N. W.S. Dates, we write day, month, year, the Chinese write year, month' and day. VVe shake each others handsin greeting, the Chinese shake their own hands. Our given name is first and surname last. The Chinese just reverse. Our books begin at the left. Theirs begin at the right. Our printing runs across. Theirs up and down. Our pupils face teacher to recite, Chinese recite with back tot teacher. We study our classics. They memorize theirs. We say we put our knowledge in our heads. The Chinese say they put it in their 'ldu dz or stomach. In America the school teachers are mostly women while in China. they are mostly men. V Address. XVe write City, County, State. They write State, County, City. We place stamp on the right side of envelope. The Chinese on' the back side. In America the women wear gowns and the men wear trousers- but in China this custom is just reversed. In America, the women's dresses are elaborate and the men's plain. In China the men's have always been more elaborate than. women's. In America, the men only wear hats out of doors. The Chinese wear hats in doors. In U.S. women use parasols, fans and jewelry. In China the men. all do. ,'i'Q'f2. Posrres on THE EAST AND WEST. lr 1. Opposite sides of the world, our night their day, Q in

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88 THE LINGUIST 1 table on one side of which sits a Chinese teacher. And at this time he goes to his individual teacher, who receives him in that inimitable courtesy of the Chinese gentleman. Here the student has an opportunity to try out his knowledge of,Chinese. Who will record the mistakes in to11e and sound perpetrated upon our long suHering teachers? Year in and year out they listen to the gropings of babes i11 the language for utterance,-and never with the discourtesy of a smile, unless we both see the humor of the mistake. Language School Groundsg Meigs Hall to right, Language Sel1ool to the left. Then comes recess. Restless we are to get at the various sportsg the girls to volley ball, or indoor baseball and the boys to volley ball, Youngsters again. happy for the relaxation from sustained attention. These pictures give an idea of what we do at recess. Dignity isleft indoors. For Ph D.s and M,D.s and B.D.,s and all jump into the spirit of play. -A game of volleyball at recess. . At the sound of the bell all return to the class rooms and reverse the order ofthe classes preceding recess. Then for the fourth class of the morning we gather into groups of ten or twelveand under the guidance of a. Chinese teacher, again try to reply in complete Chinese sentences to his questions to us. Not a worrl of English is used.