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1/6/1965 - Visits to Chinese Schools by C. H. G. Oldham

NOT FOR PUBLICATION INSTITUTE OF CURRENT WORLD AFFAIRS ClqO Lugard Road Visits Chinese Schools The Peak Hong Kong Ja nuary Mr R H Nolte Institute Current World Affairs Madison Avenue New York N Y U S A Dear Mr Nolte The Chinese Communists worried younger generation school lacking revolutionary fervour They unless youth thoroughly indoctrinated politically capitalism dually Chinese society They place regard education purely pragmatic benefits accrue The result burgeoning program education which provide universal primary education growing percentage students secondary higher education In letter I describe visits number primary secondary schools subsequent letter follow description Chinese universities In order convey tmosphere visits I describe detail summary accounts others The introductory speeches repetitive sometimes appear naive I reproduce because indicative mentality which permeates Chinese education So0ch_ow_Experimental Pr_i School I Soochow school accompanied guides Soochow branch China International Travel Service We Miss Parn Director school Miss Wei Vice Director Miss Parn extremely herself precise She I dedicated Communist Whenever spoke Party shone references Mao tones adulatlon those ardent evangelist speak Christ We committee Kindergarten class So Experimental Primar School TABLE I STATISTI CS ON SOME CHINESE SCHOOLS Soochow Shian6 Min6 Pekin Sooch0w Seni0r Primary Middle School Mun icipal Middle School School Shanghai Mi_ddle Date founded No Students girls No Teachers No Classes Approx children Time labor I month I month Leng school weeks months School hours 15pro Subjects taught Chinese Chinese Chinese Chinese Foreign Foreign Foreign Figures Arithmetic Mathematics Mathematics Mathematics parenthesis HistoryHistory History History Geography Geography Geography periods Nat science Physics Physics Physics Chemistry Chemistry Chemistry Biology Biology Biology Agriculture Agriculture Politics Politics Politics Jnr Music Music Paintin6 Painting Physical Physical Physical No lessons Length lessons Homework Mostly llOmins night study Some classes Can school First figure relates Ist Middle Last Junior middle school innumerable introduction Her speech translated ample opportunity verbatim notes She began This school founded We history years Formerly school served capitalist exploitation Liberation marks turning point After school began serve workers peasants We carry policy Communist Party educate students morslly physically intellectually We socialist country workers peasants construct country Our socialist revolu carried incessantly educate children social consciousness The students educated ternationalism taught people world The children listen words Chairman Mao learn inter nationalism Canadian Dr Bethune The students taught strive liberation people world In school children attention international affairs They enemies United States imperial They people peace united Our children their country Mao Communist Party All students listen Chairman Mao words study Last Friday children heard about happy cheered Next morning assembly shouted Long Chairman Mao world peace They safeguard world peace The students studying better construction country Most students The teachers educate children listen saying The students selves mutual whereby students backward students They their group achievements manual labog The students things themselves their parents At school plant vegetables school cleaning The school teaches habit manual labor The teachers their Jobs seriously This because their construct country final victory international communism The teachers themselves study politics This studying Ninth Comment Revisionism Previously learnt educational principles Communist Party Also evening teachers discuss teaching methods They since responsibility teaching generation raise teaching standards The teachers taught before Liberation really difference Some teachers CGO THE KINDERGARTEN AT SOOCHOW EXPERIMENTAL PRIMRY SCHOOL Right Playin6 Barber Shops CHGO members Peoples Political Consultative Conference Province Peoples delegates City Council delegates Women Federation elected advanced workers Peking attend meeting teachers China Chairman Mao Since Liberation wages readjusted times In school wages month U S month If teachers health torium recover Eleven teachers benefitted program If teachers become given medicsl treatment their salary usual If teacher holiday In their spare chers enjoy recreational activities visiting cinemas operas Joining listening choirs At point I asked I questions I began puttin genersl fctual questions about number students hours students The answers these questions compiled Table I Last 8raduating students school Junior middle schools Soochow children primary school school The remaining either crippled mental diseases There however school oochow In district children school I asked about romanized script I I there controversy China about extent which Han characters shoul replsced Latin script asked Miss Parn opinion I found Chinese reluctant their opinions almost subject Miss Parn excepti She happily facts about school We teach romanized script first years after considerable prodding thought Hart characters would completely replaced I asked about number characters taught primary school children I first years learn first expected By primary school should I enquired about teaching politics Miss Parn there special classes politics primary school Chinese language classes political content Also every morning there school assembly children current affairs Wheever visitors explain something about their country example today children about Canada Cansdian Since arrane trave agency often assumed I Canadian At morning meetings about American aggression We about people Vietnam suPrssed United States imperialists children should hated But teach spirit internationalism exemplified Bethune I asked details children taught about Bethune Miss Wei fetch second students Chinese language textbook showed passage Bethune I translsted notes It Bethune Bethune member Progressive Labor Party Canada He famous doctor In Anti Japanese War broke Bethune medical brigade through mountains rivers order Chinese people resist Japan He China worked Shensi Herbei Provinces front against Japan He wounded He afraid diffi culties sometimes walked When Herbei middle front bullets before He still calmly carried operations wounded He considered cheap Sometimes blood wounded He frequently The wounded relatives brothers because comrades In giving treatment wounded himself poisoned village Wan County Herbei Province In order remember great international friend I translate Military District Public Hygiene School changed Bethune School Questions Why Bethune great international friend Listen write following words Write separate sentences using words asterisks international survivors famous Learn essay heart When toured school I taken several kinder arten classes through windows others I asked enter senior classes listen lesson After consultation between themselves I taken second class There eight class occupied I entered teacher teaching character separate She wrote character series strokes romanized above The children unison chanted order stroke stroke Chinese character stroke horizontal stroke traced character their fingers The sentence which children learning morning They required repeat sentence first romanized script still board erased Finally teacher called volunteer sentence A Note Dr Norman Bethune D Bethune enigmatic Canadian chest surgeon medical Spain Civil War against Fascists He returned Canada could settle In Yenan China Communists their fight against Japanese Fascism He large supply medicines machine surgical instru ments carried operations wounded close front He infection incurred while carrying operation November Since international China Mao Tse essay written memory Bethune shortly after death incorporated Volume II Selected Works Mao Tse As required viruily Mailand Chinese One corner Museum Revolution Peking devoted Bethune Early Dr Elliott neuro surgeon McGill University lectures Peking capacity first Norman Bethune Exchange Professor Main entrance ShianE Ming Middle School Slogans extol students their efforts Immediately dozen hands A chosen stood sentence clear I found particu larly interestin8 children spoke excellent Mandarin dialect which Communists makin iinua franca China At children would speak Soochow dialect school lessons Mandarin Afterwards returned committee another I thanked Miss Wei Miss Parn I hoped their politics would stress positive features internationalism shown Bethune rather negative teaching children nerican imperialism Shian6 Mi _Middl School_ The visit Shiang Ming Middle School Shanghai organized after I complained China International Travel Service about program arranged I asked universities research institutes after I these instead taken museums children palaces industrial exhibitions I I allowed universities research institutes perhaps I could something schools If possible I I intended short proposed Shanghai The following I taken Shiang Ming Middle School Fu Tan University Students Hong Kong University originally Shang Shian8 Ming middle schools second string schools I visit accompanied Mr Wang secretary China International Travel Service Shanghai dedicated young Communist politics better other person I argued China Mr Yu interpreter command English excellent We entrance Wang Tze Principal school Shah Ping Dean secretaries We committee seven settled around table Tea served Mr Wang began welcome brief introduction There classes Shiang Ming students teachers staff members Before Liberation school attached Zen Jann University French Catholic Mission It classes students When Shanghai liberated school histor years During students graduated After Liberation under leadership Party Government carried great reforms In years students graduated But A middle school Chinese equivalent school range children twelve eighteen years CHGO outstanding change ality character BeTore Liberation school center imperialist cultural education It slave education Landlord children bureaucrat children studied school They become tools reactionaries imperialists lackeys China Now after Liberation students school daughters peasant families After graduate students Join agricultural volunteer military service Join Sinkiang construction universities become advanced workers For example students Chang Ken Anhwei Join agricultural representative Provincial Peoples Congress This senior students wanted Sinkiang already This become socialist school We carry Party policy Mao iustructions school Education serve proletariat class combin labor Students develop morally intellectually physically We educate class consciousness teach succesors Revolution First emphasize political education We teach students revolutionaries labor They study Mao writings learn great revolutionaries We invite cadres workers sants students about their sufferings We invite representatives Peoples Liberation Army visit students revolution tradition The students exhibitions comparing present Their class consciousness rapidly increased raise standards backward country They taught thirds human beings liberated We education current affairs For example children about Vietnam Tonkin Gulf incident Secondly emphasize labor education We children viewpoint habit labor laborer feelings their hearts The students spend school workshops Join workers summer autumn harvests country We educate children housework labor honourable Last classes Joined labor countryside classes Judged advanced classes students Judged model workers Thirdly emphasize science We emphasize combination practice theory We stress quality rather quantity encourage students study their In sciences emphasis placed laboratory student individual experiments There clubs Sinkian therwestern Province China The Chinese attemptln develop encourage young people settle there where students models transistor radios their spare I The political economic condition country technical education improving However there still problems For example students influenced society They think study manual labor would prefer Shanghal rather others countryside Another problem teachers experience combine practice theory They stick theory Thirdly nearly quarter children hiher cl9sses sighted tryin6 remedy Mao writlns provin I thanked Mr Wang introduction raised questions adition there other questions which I prepared before I I requested permission questions Mr Shah Dean presumably Party asked questions This annoying because I preferred informal forth discussions However I complied asked I You children school daughters peasants Does children other types parents excluded Would Ive percentage students graduate manusl Join hiher education You thirds human beings require liberation Would please explain Do consider peoples Europe America liberating Would elaborate comment students still influenced society How students category I understand studyin8 Mao works helped solution problem sightedness Could which passage Mao I these questions arising I wanted others enquired these could until first answered At point Mr Shan suggested around school first afterwards would answer questions I shown physics chemistry laboratories library auditorium sports grounds classrooms equipped shops I photographs reproduced adjoining pages We returned committee settled again As other institutes secretaries notes Chemistry teachers laboratory Shian Ming Middle School The characters clock Quiet Instructions right board behaviour chemistry laboratory presumably written students having their first chemistry lessons Mr Shan replied questions Mr Wang given introduction He Let questions I Yes there still children landlords bureaucrats school But State takes special those laboring class provided subsidies things spectacles Also provide school evenings those working conditions So students laboring class grateful State study The percentage varies school school depending needs State Last school students Junior middle school children years senior middle school children years Eighty percent gradua class senior middle school higher education It people Asia Africa Latin nerica still oppressed others liberating The students taught support peoples liberation movements those countries There students influenced society still labor Most students For example winner mathematics competition wanted Sinkiang construction Mao helped teachers after children eyesight because children round attention In enough attention children round health Now improving conditions We educate children bright light Mr Wang Principal Mr interpreter library Shiang Ming Middle School Basketball Shiang Ming Middle School We after every We teach train situation improving Mr Shan asked other questions I wanted about courses children He replied In Junior years children politics Chinese language foreign language mathematics music physical training painting physics chemistry biology history geography In senior years subjects exception music I asked about which spent labor politics In answer question I month spent labor adition students turns clean their classrooms after school The Junior students three periods politics seniors study politics periods For seniors accounts class I asked about homework classes homework those limited In question about university entry Job assignment Mr Shah admitted students political views counted however student complained about Job assign wanted change However talented student particularl wanted Join labor could would receive special attention I asked about school enforced discipline Mr Shan replied We teach children reason school rules If anyone breaks there reason It reason resolve We establish students advanced students follow their example But lttle trouble discipline In society there things distractin students thins better By almost I school almost hours I thanked Mr Wang Mr Shan their hospitality But before I Mr Wang spoken since official introductions I really where asked questions We Shown school wwould impressions opinions criticisms There nothin unusual asked criticisms I never before asked sincerity I something pleasantries required choosing words carefully I replied With I particular doubt enlihtenin visit impressed three things First alert attitude students secondly advanced level science laboratories thirdly facilities sports Education important features society frankly I expect China developed regard On short visit would presumptuous specific suggestions If I several weeks Left Specific gravity experiments physics laboratory ShianE MinE Middle School Shanghai Right Physics teachers Principal secretary physics laboratory Shiang Ming Left Physics teacher demonstrates electronic warning device construc senior students Shian Ming Middle School months I would basis giving opinions At there approval But thing struck visits schools universities China extent which students exposed official Communist Party There least sides questions I often thought politics discussed schools West should possible sides including communist present their different views In I think education China would healthier person sympathetic Western views could explain viewpoint The world black white important children sides realize You always right wrong always right wrong There comments after little speech I pleased secretary recorded I A minutes It lunch three hundred children applauding 6oodbyes Mr Wang Director clasped harder farewell On arrival There seemed emotion Please convey warmest wishes colleagues England Perhaps wishfully I would think I Just wanted front Dean obviously Party Number Municipal Middle School I roughly story Peking school I Shanghai middle school A story improved quantity quality importance politics productive labor A things different First admitted rapid expansion students staff students staff meant problems quality teachers discipline children However Mr Chan Director problems Many teachers District Red Banner Spare Time School teachers reached level university trained staff With improvement teachers problem discipline decreased The subjects studied Shiang Ming addition ariculture Junior middle school Mathematics included analytic 8eometry trigonometry solid geometry calculus The students could either Russian English foreign language majority students elected study English I mistake asking whether corporal punishment Both Mr Chan assistant clearly shocked suggestion The answer emphatic No there still schools West which punishment I admit occasions children schools still Neither physics chemistry laboratories equipped those Shanghai school supply Botany experiment Number Municipal Middle School Peking Writing blackboard _Experiment Texture lants urpose To recognize several structural characteristics plant texture Further become skilful cutting slices manually Further become skilful making slides powered microscope Material Equipment igrgscope cover glass glass slide blade forcep evaporating scissors Vegetables fruits stems squash leaves cabbage leaves sawdust potassium hydroxide solution hydrochloric distilled water Method Procedure Make slides using veins cabbage leaves Observe different kinds tubes drawing tubes Make slides manually using stems squash cutting longitudinally Draw sketch Cut slides manually using celery leaves Observe certain texture plants sketch Right diagram labelled Form sketches Number Municipal Middle School Peking basic apparatus In physics laboratory example there plent balances ammeters voltmeters rheostats China There fairly supply demonstration models Judging amount variety apparatus emphasis placed electricity The chemistry store supply chemicals The experiments I progress biology laboratory There students using microscopes study cellular structure plants There students divided pairs microscope They textbooks which I looke which clear instructions procedure significance experiments I stopped couple asked their They microscope study their report It extremely sound students Later I current affairs heard daily political broadcast which I commented earlier letter CHGO Soochow Senior Middle School The dmistress Soochow Senior Middle School another precise erect woman extremely confident Much introduction similar given other schools passages worth quoting For example The method educstion heuristic We truth student convinced We coarse rough simple methods Also since students Join construction country sound basic knowledge If building cannot eucation Later None students wander street gamble smoke In their spare students write essays radios build model aeroplanes However socialist period country society there still proletariat bourgeois Bourgeois thought still influences students causes difficulties teachers After introduction I asked elaborate point There saying China study highest thing society It studied marks could official court This still remains minds generation minds their parents Because ideas manual labor Join agricultural production This different Government wants If student thoughts separate manual labor carrying revolution The teachers educate students manual labor finest characteristic proletariat class throush manual labor socialism constructed Later looked around school There students study working school vegetable plots The school dining converted temple I Shown science laboratories which quite Middle school students productive labor gounds Nankln Agricultural Research Institute those Peking school In laboratory I twenty basic Ohms Law experiment The headmistress there other laboratories upstairs being enlarged I shown there building materials entrance Oo I middle primary schools several communes these brief visits compsred described above In cases schools science laboratories cases physics equipment laboratories better chemistry Even poorest commune school supply demonstration models equipment simple appara students could perform experiments individually Oo Conclusion It would wrong eneral conclusions about schools China useful summarize common elements schools which I visited First Communist approach education combination Sound basic education thorough political indoctrination probably reverse order priority Communist leaders concerned Informal instruction middle school level primary emphasis placed Chinese language foreign language mathematics Well students devoted these subjects Secondly comes emphasis science roughly study devoted physics chemistry lesser extent biology History geography music relatively neglected The amount formal political study periods schools periods Shanshai school measure influence politics school however In previous letters I mentioned vicious imperialist propaganda constant reminders emphasis correct leadership Communist Party Almost every action seems political motive I never failed leave school without queasy feelin stomach It Would right however revulsion which averase Westerner feels encounters political indoc trination detract Communist achievement providin seems solid education students basic subjects Granted presumably I visit those cities schools records nevertheless remarkable children Soochow should primary school It remarkable students schools I visited eucation Fifty raduating students Peking Soochow middle schools higher ucation Shanghai It course argued these figures false I knowing I think Yours sincerely C H G Oldham ankin middle school students foreigner productive labor October Commune Nanking JReceived New York January 1965o