[excerpts] ...

[...]

There were a considerable number of school-age children in camp.

For most of these, provision was made in two school groups.

Peking had a large and well organized “Peking American School.” There were in camp a few teachers and perhaps 20 or 30 pupils from that school. Places in the church or church yard for classes were found, school desks were assembled from corners of the compound and before many days the relocated but attenuated “P.A.S.” was again in operation.

Studies were carried on so successfully that the committee in charge felt justified in authorizing a “commencement” with official graduation of 3 or 4 members of the senior class. This graduation ceremony, prepared for and conducted in the approved and conventional American style, was a highly interesting event in the camp, with an audience which entirely filled the church. In the British tradition there was the Tientsin Grammar School.

In the camp were a few of the teachers and some of the pupils from that institution. They also were organized into a school and in quite a regular way were able to carry on their studies. In addition to these schools, there was a large and well conducted kindergarten and also some educational classes for young children conducted by Catholic sisters.

Besides these formal schools there were organized many classes, lectures and discussion groups in the field of adult education. The curriculum subjects probably numbered as many as 20 or 30, studies in the various languages predominating, and among the languages Chinese most in demand.

Besides the lectures offered in series to select groups there were general lectures, usually one each week, on themes of common or popular interest.

[excerpt] ...

After the departure of the Catholics the vacant space was soon filled by large groups of adults and of school children from the coast city of Chefoo.

The pupils were from the C.I.M. (China Inland Mission) school and the others were from an internment camp.

For reasons of convenience and economy the Japanese authorities thought it best to concentrate all of these in the Weihsien camp.

[further reading] ...
http://www.weihsien-paintings.org/DonMenzi/ScrapBook/1943-Galt_Weihsien-1.pdf

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