Modern Shaanxi Missionary School Research (1891-1952)

In 1839 American missionary Samual Robbins Brown opened China's first mission schools-Morrison school in Macao. After the two Opium wars, the missionary spread mission schools to the mainland, as the existence of Chinese history, mission school affected China's social change's process and result. Shaanxi had flourished as China's economic and cultural center, the cultural education made desolate picture, Chinese history background about regional different environment and the particularity of mission schools regional development, constituted the influence to social changes in China.From 1891 the British Baptist Mission set up the Chongzhen college and Meili college in Sanyuan gospel village, until 1952 mission schools were take over by Shaanxi government, mission schools'development in Shaanxi had experienced more than a half century. By combing the mission schools in Shaanxi province, I try to understand mission schools'status, and analysis the association between mission schools and social change. Rely on the particularity of mission schools in regional development, supplement and perfect mission schools'impact on China's social development. Based on the above research thought, this paper is divided into four chapters.Chapter one:introduction. I am going to narrate research origin and significance, analyze research status, define the core concepts, organize research ideas and methods, induce innovation and deficiency.Chapter two:the produce and development process of modern mission schools in Shaanxi. I am going to analyze the background and conditions of mission schools. In order to open missionary situation, Christian churches actively run schools and improve the missionary environment. In addition to the subjective purpose, the generation of mission schools in Shaanxi province has its objective conditions, include, the backward cultural education development status of concessions and the guarantee of a variety of sources of funds. Next, I am going to clear up the development process of the modern mission schools in Shaanxi from the vertical perspective. By doing this, the development of mission schools in Shaanxi province is divided into four stages based on objective historical facts and special effects of the development of the historical event on mission schools, which are as following, preliminary developing stage (1891-1925) which highlights the promotion of the Boxer Movement for mission schools; self adjustment and continued development period (1925-1937) which emphasizes the Christian movement's influence on the development of mission schools; "boom" period (1937-1949) which reveals the special environment and geographical advantages of Shaanxi during the Anti-Japanese War and promotes the development of mission schools; comprehensive reform period (1949-1952) which presents the final destination of mission schools with the background of taking over and transformation of old schools after the founding of new China.Chapter three:modern Shaanxi mission schools' educational management. From horizontal view, taking Tsun Tei Girl's Middle school, Rose Girl's Middle school and Ren senior nurses vocational school as the analyzing target, I make a research on the development of modern Shaanxi mission schools. On the one hand, in terms of the teaching management in mission schools, I analyze the following aspects:the structure and quality of faculty, the setting of courses and the use of textbooks, and the students' grade and examination of behaviors. On the other hand, in terms of the administrative management in mission schools, I analyze their internal administrative organization and duties, their source and maintenance of finance, and their annual regulation of school. Based on the analysis, I find the features of the modern mission schools in Shaanxi: they especially focus on the strictness of the teaching regulation, and the cultivation of their students' virtue and personality. They advocate equality of education and set places to accept students for free or accept students supported by public funds.Chapter four:mission schools and modern Shaanxi social change. By clearing up the development process and studying the development status of modern mission schools in Shaanxi, I'd like to analyze the association between mission schools and social changes. Focus on the positive influence of mission schools. Adopting western education mode, mission schools are the pioneer in modern Shaanxi education. They also directly impel the revolution of modern Shaanxi education. At that time, mission schools cultivate a group of talents who equipped modern scientific knowledge, motivating the social and economic reform in Shaanxi. Christian church founded women school, which pioneered the women education and improved social climate. In addition, missionary founded professional nurse schools in Shaanxi in order to expand medical and hygiene institution and improve people's health condition. From regional view, mission schools are closely related to the social change of modern Shaanxi. By doing research on them, we can get a comprehensive understanding how significant a role that mission schools play in modern Chinese society.