University of Nanking - Linguist Yearbook (Nanking, China)

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RELIGIOU EDUCATION IN THE CHOOLS OF CHI A N a sense all missionary work is religious education. But what I wish to speak of in particular is the teaching of religion in classes of all Sorts from primary school to college. One who has been in China so short fl time as the writer has scarcely a right to opinions, except from the Stondpoint of one deeply interested in religious education at home and the efforts put forth to make it more efficient. It is perhaps true, however, that a newcomer who has any insight into the problem as a whole can see the outstanding facts in the situation here more clearly just because he is Hot yet swamped by the details. There are four things I should like to say. First, the teaching of religion is the most important task on the missionary field. This is undoubtedly the era for education, and the students are to be tl1e great power in the future of China. It is desirable, of course, that the best methods of agriculture, sericulture, the treatment of leather, and all kinds of scientific investigation should be brought here. The industrial situation and the sanitary conditions call for it, the commercial and international problems of the day demand it. But underneath it all is the spiritual Condition of the country which above everything else calls for something religiously enlightening, taught in the simplest, clearest, and most forceful Way. If President Stuart of Peking University is right in saying that the alternative in China is not the Christian religion or some other religion but the Christian religion or atheism, then it behooves missionaries to gather up their teaching forces to present religion in a way that will appeal to modern students. The testimony gathered as I have visited cities and talked with sound educators of various faiths and orders is that religious education is the weakest plank in the whole educational platform. Surely this ought not so to be. Of course the question which quickly comes is why is it so? And that brings out the second point I wish to emphasize very strongly. i55l

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.54 PHYSICAL EDUCATION team-race. The others are waving arms and legs in frantic excitement when suddenly she stumbles headiirst, and rolls there in a helpless attempt to rise. At last o11e violent roll accomplishes its purpose, she struggles to her feet, and pants her way to her goal. The others only howl with glee, and most cheerfully accept their gain or loss through the mishap- These wads and wads do not seem to detract from the enjoyment, and at times they really add to the output of physical exertion. The actual drawback is, of course, that there are no other clothes into which to change, and no shower-baths to cleanse the little heated bodies. This is a fault that can be remedied only in school where a uniform and gymnasium facilities are to bc had. Many of our own day schools at home can not boast of these, so we should not reckon these as drawbacks peculiar to China. The slow hard pull in this WOI'k will come when one tries, little by little, to change the health-habits of these girls. They do not know that i' Some little germ will get them someday, if they donit watch out, That in itself- is perhaps not important, but the truth is that there is a total lack of healthy habits in their lives. I need not emphasize P, V to those wl1o live in China the need of instruction in such habits, for daily before our eyes the appalling results of its lack are paraded. One wonders where to begin. Yet, when one learns that tooth-brushing is fairly well established among school girls, and when one fears the little ones will burst in their earnest attempt to obey the command to ffgtgmd tall, one takes hope. The very fact that the task is so stupendous makes it well worth one's best efforts. The field is ready, the task is inspiring, yet the laborers-they are so few: . . ,RMT 3 w. I ii.-I in 557' ta

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56 RELIGIOUS EDUCATIOH Religious education must be lifted above the controversial level and it must be done very soon or the day will be too late. The unfortunate state of so many disagreements among missionaries themselves is like that of a patient desperately needing nourishment and the physicians quarrelling over what kind of food to give. Here he is sick and perishing and there seems to be only a makeshift plan for feeding him atall. In some eases this amounts to a policy of following the path of least resistance and getting along the best way possible without discussing the question of any better method. There is no concerted action to place the teaching of this subject upon as up-to-date and eflicient basis as any other subject taught. j This stage has been passed through in America so far as raising the teaching standards in the subject of religion in our schools and colleges. Not so long ago classes in the Bible were farmed out to anyone who came to a school to teach science or literature or history or what-not, One hour a week was considered Sufficient and no particular attention was paid to adequate library equipment, maps, and other means of good teaching. Today it is not so, except in colleges which fall far below the standard and it is beginning not to be so in preparatory schools. Whether 9, teacher is conservative or liberal he Should H017 bc allowed to teach religion until he has had some good training in how to do it, ' Third, there should bc a good plan of grading courses so that there may not be many repetitions. If the same book in the Bible is used as the text more than once in a childis training, it should be used in different ways. For example there is an age for learning the characteristics of great heroes and there is an age for Compfehending the development of great religious ideas. One of the seniors of Ginling College in speaking of her courses throughout her various schools sighed as she said She had had the book of Acts four times and hated it worse each time. Such a condition ought not to be possible. Fourth, in trying to remedy the situation too much stress should not be laid upon child psychology and 111061105 at the expense of the Biblical material itself. This has been a decided mistake in America. Sunday School teachers have had courses in teacher training who were woefully ignorant of the Bible they were Sl1PP0Sed to '009f0h- The Bible is the centre of our Christian faith. How can we teach others the essence 0fCh1'i5bia,nity unless We know it and know it well?