Abstract:London Missionary Society, which sent the first Protestant missionary to China in the modern times, was a pioneer in introducing the Western education system into China.From late 19th Century to the early 20th Century, London Missionary Society founded a certain number of Anglo-Chinese colleges which constituted an important part of English Christian secondary schools in China during that period, notably Griffith John College in Hankou, AngloChinese College in Tiangin and Medhurst College in Shanghai.Most early missionaries who came to China, like R.Morrison and W.Milne, were not welleducated or had only received shortterm training at some theological colleges, but they endeavoured to enhance their understanding of the Chinese language and culture in their translation, schoolrunning and publishing activities.From the late 19th Century, some professionals were called 'educational missionaries'as they had received higher education and got involved in overseas missionary activities, among whom were A.J.Macfarlane , the first headmaster of Griffith John College, S.L.Hart, the first headmaster of Tientien AngloChinese College, W.Bevan, the second headmaster of Medhurst College in Shanghai.These welleducated professional missionaries participation contributed to the enhancement of the academic level as well as the quality of the AngloChinese colleges.In general, these Christian secondary schools not only followed the pattern of the AngloChinese College set up by R.Morrison and W.Milne in Malacca, but also acquired the English tradition of Public School system.Furthermore, some later leaders took reform measures to indigenize the schools to adapt them to the Chinese conditions.Under the impact of 'Eastward Transmission of Western Learning', AngloChinese colleges established by the London Missionary Society developed their distinctive features and exerted great influences on the progress of the modern Chinese secondary education.
|