Faculty of Education - Theses
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ItemPerspectives of Asia as depicted in The School Paper (1896-1925)( 1986)The appearance of the first number of the School Paper in 1896 heralded a new era of reading for Victorian school children. It was a local reader with stories, poems and pictures from the Australian point of view. Its first editor, Charles Richard Long, saw the reader as having an important part to play in Australia's nationhood. The School Paper was to impress upon its readers that the greatness and stability of the Empire depended upon the production of a fine type of citizen, fit of body, fit of mind and fit of soul. The character of its readers was to be moulded in the Arnoldian tradition of conduct and service to King and Country. The courageous deeds of the builders of the Empire were recounted with pride especially in their encounters with Asians. The School Paper was to be the chief vehicle in inculcating imperial patriotism and beliefs in military virtue and British character. Charles Gordon, for example, is lionised as a pillar of the Empire who exemplified the spirit of British knighthood in China. However, in depicting his exploits there the School Paper presents a stereotyped account of history to create the legend. Britain's power and prestige were based on the moral conduct and character of Englishmen. British morality was seen as the backbone of civilization. Asia was viewed through ethnocentric eyes. The perspectives of Asia that are examined in detail are confined to Japan and China because of the constraints of a minor thesis. Japan was admired because she was prepared to learn from the West. Her progress was so rapid toward civilization as the word was understood by Western nations that her people were held in esteem for the virtues they displayed. Examples of Japanese courage, patriotism, obedience, politeness, stoicism were favourably depicted and praised. Japanese myths, legends, proverbs and maxims were included because they embodied precepts of wisdom, practical rules of conduct and moral norms that are universally applicable. Readers of the School Paper received a very favourable opinion of an emergent country, willing to modernise and strengthen itself along Western lines to defeat China in 1894 and Russia a decade later. China, on the other hand, was presented less favourably, especially in its relations with England. Britain's aggressive trading and military policies in China were not criticised, but blame was implicitly put on to the Chinese for their reluctance to open up the country' for trade or to ratify treaties. China was considered backward because she was reluctant to modernise herself like Japan and because of her hatred of the foreigner and everything pertaining to him. The School Paper saw the Chinese government in a negative light, unequal to the task of controlling her large population. It gives the impression of how little it knew or cared about why China was at war with the "civilized world" during the Boxer Rebellion. This ethnocentric attitude to China leads to cultural blindness and this is seen in such articles as "How They Do Things in China" where some Chinese customs and practices are viewed patronisingly, if not negatively. This extends to some aspects of Chinese education, and is especially marked in the "Soochow Incident" when Gordon's moral conduct and character are sharply contrasted with the completely unfavourable and negative traits of Li Hung-chang. Despite this, there is respect for ancient China's accomplishments in building the "Great Wall", in having the oldest newspaper in the world, in inventing paper and porcelain. There is admiration for the Chinese practice of the virtues of thrift, obedience and devotion to learning and wisdom. Long did not hesitate to use some aspects of Chinese culture and customs as a basis for his moralizing whenever he saw fit. The perspectives of Asia depicted in the School Paper impress upon its young readers those principles of morality that emphasized the virtues of patriotism, obedience, courage and truthfulness. The question arises as to why this particular kind of moral training was considered important at the turn of the century. There was a growing fear of indiscipline among children of the poorer classes in the school, some of whom were brought up in an environment of criminality and destined for an adulthood of crime. Aware that children's characters were shaped by wider social influences, Long saw the formation of character as the foremost of educational objectives. Through the School Paper Long attempted to introduce systematic non-theological Moral Instruction into all schools. As an ardent Imperialist he constantly reminded his young readers of the virtues that made a good citizen; he taught them the sacredness of the trust committed to them; he inspired them to do their duty to King and Country. What was the assumption underlying the emphasis on character development? It was the belief that success of the Briton among Asians was due to character; to the Briton's belief in himself and in the superiority to the man of the Eastern world. The existence of the Empire and all that it stood for, to its own citizens and to the world at large, was in danger of being broken up, and should the Empire fall, the interests of Australia would be at stake, as Australians security abided or vanished along with Britain's. By emulating the lives of the best British men and women, Australian children would be helping to make the Empire strong in the best kind of strength, the strength that comes of high character.