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GOVERNMENT SCHOOLS. 59regime. It soon became evident, however, to theeducational leaders that elementary schools must beestablished in every district. A glance at the Chihlireport will show that primary education has been developed rapidly and is now given special attention.It is hardly to be expected that in all of theseschools, judged by Western standards, the conditions,equipment and work done should be beyond criticism.On the contrary everything is still in the initial stagesof development. But let us keep our perspective informing all conclusions. It is a very common error forWestern people to make, in judging Chinese educationalinstitutions, to unconsciously lower the standard. It issaid modern education is new in China, therefore thegrade of work of Chinese students and their capacity arevery inferior.The whole scheme of education is a unit, modelledlargely after the Japanese system, and while at first ismore or less theoretical yet in many of the higher gradeinstitutions the real schedule work is being faithfullydone, and we should not make any discount on mentalcapacity or school experience in any subject announcedin their catalogues. The subject laid down for thesemodern schools are quite similar in general to the curricula of schools in Europe and America. The departments and courses of study in the Imperial Universityembrace all the principal fields of scientific and literarystudy.As a sample of subjects, I take the curriculumfixed by the Imperial Board of Education for HighSchools or College grade work and note the:followingEthics, Chinese classic literature, Chinese grammar,military drill and athletic exercises, English language,French or German language, history (Chinese andgeneral), political geography, psychology, politicaleconomy, mathematics (including coordinate geometry,calculus, etc.), physics, chemistry, drawing.These subjects are taught by Chinese and foreignteachers. The large part of the advanced work in this