Bulletin of Catholic University of Peking

CATHOLIC UNIVERSITY OF PEKING 17

School; 6) The Philosophy of the “ LuWang” School; 7) Pedagogy; 8) Bio_ logy; 9) ASecond Foreign Language.”’ (Extract from Chapter Vof the Plan of Studies.)

The day on which the closing exercises of the MacManus Preparatory - School were held, the Rector received

information from the Ministry of Education that an official inspection of the University would take place on _the following day. On July 2, 1927, - accordingly, the Institution was visited _by the two inspectors appointed by His Excellency Liu Chéh, who had just » taken office as Minister of Education under the Generalissimo, Chang Tsolin. The inspectors were Yang Chinyiian, a Councilor of the Ministry of Education, and Wu Chia-chen, head - of the Department charged with the = supervision of institutions of higher learning. Both of these gentlemen expressed themselves as delighted with what they had been able to inspect. Inasmuch, however, as the classes were no longer in session at the time of their visit, it was not possible for them to make a report concerning the quality of the instruction given in the School. Hence, although the Ministry of Education took favorable action regarding the University’s Petition for Recognition on July 29, 1927, His Excellency, the Minister, deferred the signing of the Decree of Recognition until a second inspection should take place, with the classes in actual session.

Meanwhile, the work of preparation for the Fall opening of the University went on without interruption. Buildings were repaired and renovated, new classrooms and dormitories were made ready, and new school furniture was installed. The text-books, too, were selected and ordered, a Foreign

Library was collected, and the Chinese Library enlarged. Publicity was given the new institution by means of posters and placards in all the main streets of Peking, as also through the medium of advertisements in the leading newspapers of North China. A Latin circular, finally, was sent by the Rector, under date of July 15, 1927, to the Vicars Apostolic and Catholic Clergy of China. We translate the following extracts:

“Rt. Rev. Prelates and Rev. Fathers.

“Previous letters have informed you of the inception of the Preparatory School of the Catholic University of Peking. The times in which this enterprise was launched can hardly be described as calm or peaceful. And yet, notwithstanding political disturbances, the paralysis of railway transportation, and sundry other difficulties, we have now, thanks to a kind disposition of Divine Providence, successfully completed two years of the Preparatory Course. Having thus reached the threshold, as it were, of the University Course proper, we desire to bear testimony to the fact that this unlooked-for prosperity has been due, not so much to any efforts of our own, as rather to the generosity of our benefactors and the co-operation of the Catholic Missionaries both Native and Foreign.

“To you, more than to any other class of men, is it given to realize the profundity of that undeniable transformation which, for better or worse, has come over the social and intellectual life of the Chinese people within the brief interval of the last few years. Nor let it be said that the interests of the Catholic religion are in no way affected by this transformation. For the social leaders of the day imbued, as they now are, with the principles of materialism and communism, animated by nationalistic sentiments of extreme intensity, and filled with rancour against the Foreigner, are far more formidable adversaries of the Church than were their predecessors, the arrogant and benighted Mandarins of bygone days, whose hostility to Christianity was rooted in mere obscurantism and pride.