Hankow, China,
July 1918.

To the FRIENDS IN AMERICA,
My dear

Since my return from furlough, I have
been so busy that I have written very few
letters. Now I am having this circular
letter printed to send to you that you
may know that my silence has not meant
that I have forgotten you. Iam embody-
ing my annual report to Bishop Roots for
it tells in detail] the kind of work that I
have done, and the problems connected
with it. Remembering your interest in
what I was able to tell you of our work

here, and of my share in it, I have thought
that you might like to read this report.

No doubt much of your time is given up
to active Red Cross work. We, too, in
Hankow are fully organized with our share
of knitting and sewing, and also give our
monthly subscriptions to the American
Red Cross.

 
   

So many pleasant memories of my fur-
lough come to my mind as I read the
accounts in the Church papers of the
various happenings in the various dioceses.
I can often picture the places and the
people quite distinctly, and feel that they
are my friends.

You might be interested in some per-
sonal news. My ‘ Plum-Blossom Glori-
ous’ is growing to be a big girl. She is
nine years old now. She does well at
school and is as happy as canbe. Two
weeks ago I adopted my third daughter.
She is four and a half years old. Her
family are very poor and when she was
born they wished to give her away. I
persuaded thein to keep her and promised
to help her when she was older. I have
always clothed her, and now she has come
to live withme. She is a real bright and
attractive child, aud is now getting happy
in her new surroundings, The oldest girl
has been my daughter for eleven years,

 
     
  
  
    
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
  
   
      
[ 3 ]

She is now grown up and is a graduate of
St. Hilda’s School. She is a a teacher
and I am very pleased with her progress.

Bishop Roots has just told me that he
wishes me to move to Changsha in Septem-
ber. The opportunity for evangelistic
work there is very wonderful and in many
ways Iam glad to go, although in other
ways I am sorry to give up the Day
School. It has been interesting to organ-
ize our schools and get them graded and
enrolled in the Central China Christian
Educational Association. I will no doubt
have a close point of contact with our
schools in Changsha, but the Bishop’s idea
is to appoint me primarily for the parish
work for women. I will be glad to have
a chance to concentrate on one parish,
because for several years my work has
been so widely spread that I have felt that
it necessarily lacked depth. May I ask
your prayers for me in the new work that
I am to undertake, and also for this work

 
  

eq

which I am leaving, and in which I cannot

    
   
  
   
   
 
 
 
   
   
  

fail to keep interested. The Bishop has
not yet appointed my successor.

With all good wishes for your parish
and also diocesan work, I am most sin-
cerely yours.

GERTRUDE STEWART.

AMERICAN CHURCH MISSION,
Hankow, China,
July 20th 1918.

My dear BisHop Roots,

I herewith submit to you my report for
the year June 1917 to June 1918.

I reached Hankow from America on
August 24. I was glad to have a few free
days before school opened, to see my
Chinese friends and to find out what new
duties awaited me, This has been the
busiest year that I have spent in China,
Trying to do two people’s work is always

  
Een

difficult, and I have found the double
duties that belong to Deaconess Hart and
myself especially heavy. I am indeed
grateful for God’s care and guidance dur
ing these months. Now as the time for
Deaconess Hart’s return gets nearer, it is
a wonderful relief to think of relinquish-

ing some of many cares. gd. Pert treat
pe

1. St. Phoebe’s Training School for
Deaconesses and Other Church Workers.
This institution is divided, as you know,
into three cistinct departments—/4) The
Deaconess Training Class, (B) The Bible
Women’s Class (C) The Women’s School.

(A) The Deaconess Training Class.
The four regular students in this class

have been Mrs. Tsen of the Shanghai
District, Miss Lieo, Miss Han, and Miss
Pao. Miss Pao has had to give up her
work due to tuberculosis The doctors
think there is no chance for her recovery.
She has gone home to the country
and seems very brave in her Christian

 
  

[ 6 ]

faith as she waits for her release. We
have arranged through a group of friends
to give her a monthly allowance, which is
sufficient to supply extra things for her
comfort. A new student has been added
this year. She is the wife of one of the
men in All Saint’s Divinity School, one
from Bishop Banister’s Diocese. She hag
lived outside because she has a young
baby. (Her mother-in-law has been very
useful in caring for their home.) She
had her preliminary education in a Hunan
Mission School, and gives the promise of
being a very fine wife for a clergyman.
The Instructors in St. Phoebe’s have been
the Rev. S. H. Littell in Church History ;
the Rev. F. H. Lieo in the Minor Pro.
phets, the Book of Revelations, and
Comparative Religions; Mr. Tseo in Chin-
ese Classics and Composition; Miss Couch
in English; Miss Elizabeth Lieo in Music ;
and myself in Methods of Teaching the

Catechism. The students have helped in

   
 
 
 
   
   
   
  
  
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
  
    
ei

parish work in All Saint’s and the Chapel
of the Heavenly Way. They are a group
of earnest Christian women and we can
look forward to their work in the Church

with sure confidence.

(B) The Bible Women’s Class There
are six women taking this course. They
are Mrs. Wu, of Anking, Mrs. Hsu the
wife of a student Catechist (she had a
primary schoo! education in the Scotch
Mission School in Ichang) Mrs. Li, Mrs.
Tsang, Miss Ts’en Pi Hsieo and Miss Yin
Tsao Seo. They are also an earnest group
ot women, Their Instructors have been
the Rev. Stephen Tsang in «An Introduce.
tion to the Scriptures” and “The Pre.
paration for the Kingdom”; Mr. Tseo in
Chinese writing and Composition; Mrs.
Ts’en, the matron, in Hygiene; and my-
self in Dr. Jackson’s “Life of Gur Lord.”
The students have had practical work of
various kinds—the care of the chapel, as
well as duties in the services, making the

 
  
    
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
  
 
 
 
    

[ 8 ]

communion wafers, helping with the
church laundry, etc. This is their first
year they have had no outside parish
duties. This is the first class to enter
the school under the new requirement,
namely a general primary school education
as a foundation. There is a vast differ-
ence between this class and the Classes of
former years. Instead of just struggling
to read the lesson material, they can take
good assignments avd written examina-
tions. Does this not show that it was
wise to have raised the standard? I hope
that we may continue to raise it every
few years, until the old type of a parish
Bible Woman is indeed a thing of the

past.

‘ (C) The Women’s School. This depart-
ment furnishes the great part of the
registration in the whole school. It also
furnishes practically all cases of discipline,
of which we have had several trying ones
to settle. There have been forty-six board-
ing and thirteen day pupils this last term.
There have been six classes doing the
regular work of the curriculum of the
Educativnal Association, and being regis-
tered for the annual union examinations.
We tried the experiment this year of com-
bining the sixth year class with St. Lois’ {
sixth class. Now due to Miss Clark’s
furlough, St. Lois School is to be in my
charge. Deaconess Hart and I are plan- ¥§.
ning to join all upper primary classes as_
well as English and Music. We hope thus

to save on the teaching staff and to have
better results in other ways also. At
Easter five women were baptized. The ¢
course of study in Scripture and the daily
chapel services help to teach the Christian
truth to all i: the school. I have tried tos.
come into personalandsocial touch withthe %
women, although my many outside duties
have allowed ‘me very little time for this.

By having taught three regular classes,

and by having substituted for others at

 
  

[ 10 ]

times, I haye known some of the women
in class work. We have entertained all
the women in our home once each term,
sometimes in larger groups, having music
and serving refreshments to them. They
have seemed to appreciate these evenings:
You may not realize the different types of
women in this school. A good many are
the wives of prosperous business men.
They form the stylish part of the school,
and it is a real effort to try to tone this
down. There are a good many big girls
(over sixteen years old) who have just
begun to study. There are also several
Christian widows, who are hoping later to
take the training as Bible Women. Were
it not that the Women’s School can give
this preliminary work, we would have
found it almost impossible to have made
the requirement for entrance into the
Bible Women’s class as high as it is now.

There are several extra things con-
nected with this school. One is the

 

     

 

 
     
   
 
    
  
  
   
 
    
  
    
[11]

Church Laundry and another is the
Keclesiastical Embroidery Dey artment.
The latter has done good work and we
have filled rather large orders for friends
in America this year as well as local
orders for various things for church use.
The accounts for these different things as
well as the school accounts, fees, board,
etc. take some time to do. Both Mr.
Hollander and Miss Kay have been most
kind to me in helping me to do this
correctly. At the end of the first term
when I had balanced accounts with Mr.
Hollander, he made me most happy by
saying [ had been a good book-keeper.

We have had several emergencies dur-
ing the year. The housing and boarding
of the thirty left-over St. Hilda’s girls,
who had to refugee here for two months
was the chief one. This meant almost
doubling the kitchen work. The matron
of our school, Mrs. Ts’en has done her
part well. Without the help of the Chin-

 
 

ese teachers it would have been impossible
to have carried on the work of the school,
All of this is Deacouess Hart’s work,
hence it will be indeed a great relief to
me to shift it back to her at the end of
the summer

2. The Work of the Superintendent of
Primary Day Schools. This is counted as
my Own main work. It has suffered
greatly from lack of attention, but the
important things connected with it have
had to be done. The office work has
become very important. There are often
circular letters to be sent out giving some
notice or criticism or advice. A_ fine
Copying machine for Chinese writing that

2 has

I bought in Japan with “ specials,’
been of the greatest help to Mr. Yang in
his share of the work. My father’s gift of
a typewriter to me has also been invaluable
to me. I could never have accomplished
the work that has been necessary without

it. During the autumn term I visited all
[ 13 ]

the Wu-Han day schools with Mr. Yang.
He also visited the schools in Changsha
and in Changteh and in the Hsint’i group.
Many of our schools were broken up
during January and February, due to
political unrest, so that several were
unable to take the midyear examinations.
The Eduetional Association only issues
annual examinations so that the midyear
exams, are all dependent on us—that is we
issue questions and correct papers, make
the report cards, etc. During most of the
Chinese New Year vacation my study was
occupied by a group of busy teachers all
helping me do this extra work. During
the spring term Mr. Yang has visited the
local schools and also the Hanch’uan
group. This is the first year that we have
failed to visit all the schools in the
District, but it has been impossible to do
so. I had the great pleasure of a two
weeks’ visit in Peking. I was able to see
a number of Mission schools and also

 
 

[ 14 ]

some very good government schools in
session. Mr. Yang was a delegate to the
General Synod in Shanghai and was away
for two weeks or more. We have regis-
tered for the Annual Examinations 1269
pupils representing 53 schools. That
means that there are still a few country
schools not yet graded. When we con-
sider that it is only three and a half years
since we began to have any general charge
of the day schools, it does show real result
of progress. The objections made at
first are no longer mentioned. Even the
clergy act as if they appreciate our work
at times. It has been a delicate question
about authority—to do as one chooses in
ones Own parish, We have meta little
ditliculty in enforcing the rule concerning
holidays. Last autumn I offered a bitter
complaint when I found five day schools

in Wuchang closed and the teachers, men
_—

and women, attending the meeting of the

Baby’s Branch of the Auxiliary. Some
had taken their own children to be sure,
but hundreds of children were having a
holiday not on the list allowed by our
Board of Education.

There are a good many difficulties con
nected with this work on its financial side.
The single item of registration for the
exams, was $70.30, which I had to advance
personally. Then I had to send out many
bills and collect the money in sums from
$1.00 to $5.60, etc. loosing of course on
all the odd change given to me, and wait-
ing some weeks for some payments. The
general expenses for paper, Stamps exam
envelopes (for answers -to be returned for
Correction) etc. has been over $50.00,
This has been met by me personally, and
has been met thus each year. Is this a
right way to carry on general work? [
know that you have asked the Board for
an appropriation for this work, but it has
not been granted yet and I think is not
Sufficient even if we do get it next year.

 
     
  
  
    
  
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
    

[ 16 ]

There should be funds in the hands of the
Supt. of Schools to allow the meeting of
bigger things, the travel expense to
teachers sent to examine schools, accord-
ing to the requirements of the Educational
Association. This year one school could
not take the examinations because we
could not arrange to send a qualified
person there to conduct the exams. When
I speak or write to those in direct charge
of the s:hools concerned they reply: ‘ Well
I have no funds for that.” I would like
to suggest a plan and to ask your help in
carrying it out if you approve of it.
Would it not be possible to have every
day school appropriation for the whole Dis-
trict—bovs’ and girls’ schools considered
separately, although they are in the same
parish—assessed a certain sum, say $3.00,
to be deducted by the Treasurer in the
Office, at first of September each year, to

be drawn on for the general needs. The

registration fees could be met then anda
[17 ]

great saving in time and letter writing
would result, Please let me hear from
you in regard to this.

I have been very much interested in
the plans for the Union Normal School
and I feel that Mr. Chapman is wise in all
his requirements for entrance. I hope
that we can comply with the new rules
and that our day schools will soon be
freed from the old fashioned type of
untrained or half trained teachers.

This year I have tried to have a little
social intercourse with the teachers and
their families. Last autumn I entertained
the men teachers and their wives and
children, at an afternoon party. About
seventy came. It was a great success.
Some one remarked that it looked like a
county fair. I think that all this helps us
to do our work better. It gave me the
chance to meet some of the wives for the
first time. I entertained the women
teachers separately. Of course I always

 
 

   
    
 
 
 
 
 
    
    
 
 
  
  
  
     

[ 18 ]

kuow the women teachers more intimately,
as they have often been our school girls.

Mr. Yang, my assistant, plans to enter
the Divinity School this autumn. He is
a very devout and capable man. I am
truly sorry to have him give up this
work, but I would not hinder him in
answering the call he feels to higher work.
The big question now is who can take his
place?’ Iam rather dreading all the work
of training a new man next term,

3. Miscellaneous Work. (4) Language
Study, As an examiner I have given
several examinations to some of our people
in the subjects for which I am responsible
—that is Mateer and tho National Readers.’
1 was glad to have the privilege of visiting
the Peking Lauguage School, and was most
delighted with the progress that the
students had made. I think it is wise to
send our new people to the school for they
have good teachers and the incentive to
[19°]
hard work that study in a class is sure to
give.

(B.) The Hospital Committee. I have
been a useless member of this committee
as I have been unable to attend all the
meetings or to do any outside work in the
interest of the hospital. I hope that you
will consider appointing another person in
my place, one who can do more for the
work there.

(C.) The Friendly Committee on Fam-
ilies of Workers We have had several
meetings and are expecting to send you in
almost at once a report of our investigation
and some suggestions of work for the
training of the wives. There are many
family difficulties, but I think that the
chief difficulty will be a financial one. I
thiuk that perhaps the best result of these
investigations will be a more careful con-
sideration of candidates for training by
those who have the power of recommend-
ing men for the training of various kinds,

 
[ 20 ]

and that if the conditions cannot be met,
then the man will not be trained. It will
be a great step forward in all our work
when we know that the wife of a new
worker will bea help and not a hindrance,
to the work to which her husband is ap-
pointed.

With many thanks to you, dear Bishop,
for the sympathy which you always show
in the problems that confront me in my
work, and for your willingness to try and

help me to solve them, and with a real

sense of my own unworthiness to be here
“doing my bit’ in this field, I am

Sincerely yours,

GERTRUDE STEWART.