41 



the outset. This school should be of as high grade as will reach 

 youth who become working farmers. An effort should be made 

 to have it cover the beginning year or years of the new junior 

 middle school grades. 



4. Each mission should, as an experiment or demonstration, 

 in at least one primary school in a distinctively farming village, 

 aim to provide definite vocational work, to begin at whatever 

 grade or age seems necessary in order to keep the boys in 

 school for at least one year of training for life-work. 



5. Agricultural material should be introduced as a regular 

 part of the course into all Christian schools, elementary and 

 middle schools, as rapidly as teachers can qualify for the work. 



It is necessary to discuss briefly each of these items in the 

 suggested plan. 



The Agricultural Colleges. It is assumed that the agricul- 

 tural work in the Canton Christian College and in the Univer- 

 sity of Nanking will continue and enlarge. Peking University 

 is making only a beginning in agriculture, but is justified in 

 this step because it can serve a vast territory lying at a great 

 distance from Nanking, an area wholly distinct in its physical 

 features and agricultural character from that of any other part 

 of China. If, however, the larger part of the financial support 

 for this work in Peking, including salaries of foreign staff, 

 could be contributed by Chinese, very great advantages, too- 

 obvious to detail would ensue. The province of Szechuen is^ 

 in itself an empire, the bulk of its population farmers. It 

 would seem inevitable that this dominant interest of the people- 

 would be recognized; but it might be wise to build a first- 

 class middle school of agriculture before attempting work of 

 college grade. Central China presents a problem to be reserved 

 for discussion in a subsequent paragraph. One school of forestry 

 will suffice for all China so far as the Christian forces are 

 concerned; though forestry as a subject will probably be offered 

 in a number of places. 



The purpose of the agricultural college should be specific. 

 It is to train prospective leaders, thoroughly Christian in spirit 

 and outlook, who will become rural problem solvers. The 

 particular occupations for which training will be offered must 

 depend upon the opportunities for service actually existing or in 

 early prospect. But specialists in various branches of agri- 

 culture are now needed in government service, as teachers, 

 investigators, extension workers and administrators. The col- 



