Ups And Downs Of Wayland Academy In Hangchow

At the end of 19^th century and early 20^th century, a large number of missionary schools were established in various parts of China. These missionary schools promoted the development of modern education in China. The Christian movement had a great compact in challenging China's traditional educational system, ideas, curriculum, and teaching methodology. As an important means of western missionaries in their efforts to spread gospels in China, the missionary schools served as a model of enlightening China's modern education.Hangzhou No.2 High School enjoys a high reputation in Eastern China. As one of the first-rate high schools of modern educational style, it grew out of an combination between the private missionary school of Wayland Academy and the National Chekiang University's Affiliated High School. Wayland Academy was first established by an American missionary W. S. Sweet in 1899, under official auspices of the missionary board of American Northern Baptist Convention. The National Chekiang University's Affiliated High School was created in 1940 by Zhu Ke-zhen (竺可桢), a famous educator and scientist who was then president of the university. Hangzhou No.2 High School is well-known for its twofold traditions of patriotism and Olympic spirits, inherited from Wayland Academy and National Chekiang University's Affiliated High School respectively.Nevertheless, little research has been done concerning the history and development of these missionary schools in the city of Hangchow or in Chekiang Province. Such is the case with the history of Wayland Academy in Hangchow before 1950. A re-examination of the history of Christian education and an analysis of the past experiences of these Christian schools could well provide some valuable insights and inspirations for China's current educational reform. It is the purpose of this thesis to make a retrospection of the models and lessons offered by this missionary school of Wayland Academy in China's recent past.