The Republic of China reaped its first harvest from the nine-year education program which was started in 1968 and President Chiang Kai-shek urged more junior high graduates to move into vocational schools.
Graduates numbered 245,173 from 533 public junior high schools throughout . Ceremonies were held in and July 27.
President Chiang's message urged youth not to take the "old road of promotionism," which could bring them bitter experience and invisible loss to the nation.
"It is my sincere hope that parents, teachers and elders of the society will understand the importance of giving the right education to the right person and making youths into capable adults in accordance with their gifts.
"We must try to understand a young person's natural disposition, potential and interests and give him well-considered guidance and support to show that we truly love him and our country and want to help both.
"The old way of sending young people to academic high schools in preparation for still higher education without a careful weighing of their capacities and our nation's needs must not be resumed."
The presidential message was read at the and commencements, attended by representatives of each graduating class.
More than 80 per cent of graduates hope to enter senior high schools. However, about half will go to vocational schools because of limited space at academic high schools.
In 1970, the ratio of students attending senior high and vocational schools was balanced. By 1972 the ratio is expected to be 4: favor of vocational schools.
Mayor Henry Kao officiated at ceremonies and Vice President-Premier C. K. Yen addressed the 2,000 graduates. One hundred and twenty-one graduates received honors.
Governor Chen Ta-ching presided at ceremonies. More than 7,000 representatives from counties, cities and townships attended.
The Taiwan Provincial Government spent US$105,108,000 for implementation of the nine-year education program. A report said 488 public junior high schools with 8,432 classrooms had been established. There were 656,214 junior high students during the 1970-1971 academic year which ended in July. Figures are exclusive of .
Third of population in school
School enrollment in is around 536,000, or 31 per cent of the population.
According to the Municipal Education Department, has 225 schools not including provincial and national institutions.
has three municipal institutions of higher learning: for Girls, and . These have 3,650 students and 340 faculty members. Two more institutions of higher learning now under the Taiwan Provincial Government may be transfer red to the Taipei City Government.
Seven municipal high schools have enrollment of 6,731; 22 private senior high schools, 12,690; 45 municipal junior high schools, 103,187; and 17 private junior high schools and junior vocational schools, 7,273.
Of junior high school graduates 84 per cent continued their studies in 1970 and 96 per cent will do so this year.
More classrooms win be built and teachers trained for the nine-year education program.
Since the implementation of the nine-year education program in 1968, more primary school graduates have been entering junior high schools. The city figure was 76.3 per cent in 1967, 87.6 per cent in 1968, 92.7 per cent in 1969 and 94, 65 per cent in 1970.
Those who drop out after graduation from primary schools are given vocational training.
has 100 primary schools, of which 89 are public. Enrollment is 262,663.
Classrooms are still in short supply because of population growth. This has led to morning and afternoon split sessions. All-day schooling is in sight for 1974.
For , junior high attendance was 71.05 per cent in 1968, up 17 per cent from 1967. The rate rose to 73.71 per cent in 1969 and 76.94 per cent in 1970.
Of the 488 public junior high schools in the province, 144 were built in 1968, 1969 and 1970. Enrollment was 1968, 1969 and 1970.
A total of 8,432 classrooms was built in the last three years: 1968, 1969 and 1970.
Students protest Tiaoyutai aggression
More than 650 students of the picketed the and Japanese Embassies June 17 to protest against "aggression on the Republic of China's territory-the Tiaoyutai islets."
Waving national flags, chanting slogans and singing, demonstrators marched through downtown and distributed leaflets calling on the Chinese people to defend their father land. The demonstration was peaceful and orderly.
Led by Chang Tai-hsiung, the students came from six colleges of the university.
They arrived at the Embassy 9:.m. in 15 buses. Students sang and shouted slogans while three representatives delivered a letter of protest against the inclusion of the Tiaoyutais in return of the Ryukyu Islands to .
The letter accused the of selling out and warned that the territorial integrity of the Republic of China is inviolable.
"The transfer of 's territory, Tiaoyutais, to has seriously impaired 's sovereignty," it said. We regard this as another directed by imperialism in ."
The student representatives were received by William N. Morell, the economic counselor. Ambassador Walter P. McConaughy was in the for consultations.
From the U.S. Embassy, students marched along Chunghsiao (formerly 8hung Cheng) Road, passing in front of the Taipei Railway Station and proceeding to the Japanese Embassy on .
A large crowd cheered the demonstration and many joined in.
Demonstrators distributed a "Letter to the People" on their way to the Japanese Embassy. "The monster's hand of aggression has stretched again into our territory," the letter said. "It is time that all Chinese people rise up to defend our fatherland."
They arrived at the Japanese Embassy at 10:.m. and delivered a letter of protest to Japanese Ambassador Osamu Itagaki.
"'s attempt to seize 's Tiaoyutai islets seems to be an indication that militarism is being revived in and that the trick of the 'East Asia Co-Prosperity Sphere' is being renewed," the letter said.
Demonstrators then returned to their campus by bus.
will seek Little League title
The Republic of China will be represented by the Giants of Tainan in the Far East Little League Baseball playoffs in July 29-31.
The Giants defeated the Taichung Golden Dragons, 6 to 5, in the finals of the National Little League Baseball Tournament at and June 10-21.
Eight teams from , , , Taitung and Kinmen Quemoy) participated.
The June 21 game was the second between the Giants and Dragons, who played to a scoreless tie in their first game.
More than 5,000 fans, including 1,700 from watched the contest as the rest of the island sat glued to TV sets. All tournament games were televised island wide by TTV and CTV. Many people missed trains as they watched in station waiting rooms.
The Giants are described as 's best team ever. A month of training was started June 28 at in Hsinchu, northern .
Junior baseball fever in was set off by the Taichung Golden Dragons, who won the world championship in 1969 at .
won the Pacific championship at in 1969 and 1970. will be hosting the Asian playoffs for the first time.
Teams from , Guam, the and the Republic of China will vie for the right to go to in August. The Taipei Baseball Stadium is being reconstructed for the competition.
Progress reported in science research
Remarkable progress has been achieved in the research and development of basic, engineering and applied sciences, the National Science Council reported June 13.
The Science Council said:
- In physics, the NSC research center has directed efforts to studies in nuclear physics, stasis, temperature and theoretical, crystallization and biological physics.
- In mathematics, NSC research center efforts have been centered on logic, geometry, algebra and statistics.
- The at has made studies of physical chemistry, organic and inorganic chemistry, and biological and radioactive chemistry.
- In biology, studies are being conducted on how to improve the quality of paddy rice and raise its protein content, and how to increase rice production through gross breeding. Impressive achievements have been made.
- In engineering and applied science, research has centered on petro-chemistry, high molecular chemistry, shipbuilding and aviation surveys.
- In electronics, both and have been conducting a wide range of research in conductors, computers, exchange system microwaves, electromagnetics and related fields.
In oceanology, the research center at has been working on inshore, geological and meteorological research as well as exploitation of tuna fish resources.
The government is taking steps to recruit more scientists and technicians.
The first step will be the gathering of information on projects at academic institutions, conditions at public and private enterprises, personnel needed, compensation, etc.
The data will be compiled in a pamphlet for distribution among Chinese scientists and engineers in the . Those who can offer only short-term services in will be invited as advisers or consultants.
Academic institutions may invite overseas Chinese scientists for brief visits to enhance their understanding of the needs of the fatherland.
These are other highlights of the recruitment program:
- University faculties will be enlarged to include more highly trained specialists and professionals. The quota of visiting professorships will be reduced.
- The government will help less developed universities acquire reo search facilities so they can attract more research-minded professors.
- Public research institutions will be allowed to invite more specialists for research assignments, especially if industry and technology.
- Public enterprises will engage the services of specialists with special emphasis on production.
- Older faculty members will be encouraged to retire to make room for younger scholars.
Sun Yat-sen hall opened in
A Dr. Sun Yat-sen Memorial Hall was dedicated June , the capital of .
U.S. Senator Hiram L. Fong of spoke. He said the modernization accomplished by the Republic of China on reflected the goals of Dr. Sun Yat-sen, Founding Father of the .
Fong noted that was the first place Dr. Sun visited outside . Sun Yat-sen studied in in the 18808 while a teenager and was exposed to Western ideas of liberty and justice.
Years later, Fong said, Sun, with the support of countrymen in , and elsewhere, led the revolutionary movement against the Manchus.
The Senator said Sun's "inspiration is reflected in the accomplishments of the Republic of China in its remarkable progress toward modernization."
"It is most appropriate that, just as overseas Chinese were instrumental in helping Dr. Sun overthrow the Manchu imperial government in 1911, so they are now playing an important role in the development of ."
He said the dedication of the Sun Yat-sen Memorial Hall served as "a timely reminder of 's association with and of the rich interrelationship it has developed."
Fong said that although Sun's principles were espoused primarily for the Chinese people, they could be applied to the needs of people everywhere.
"For," Fong said, "where there is political oppression of the people, wherever there is economic backwardness which can be alleviated through modernization, Dr. Sun's message brings hope and light and inspiration."
Sino-Greek cultural agreement ratified
The Legislative Yuan has ratified the cultural agreement between the Republic of China and the .
The 11-article agreement was sent to President Chiang Kai-shek for endorsement and will go into effect upon exchange of ratifications in .
The main points of the agreement:
- The two parties should open special courses or hold lectures at each other's universities to introduce the language, history, philosophy and other cultural attributes of the other.
- Both sides should promote regular exchange of professors and personnel of science organizations and provide scholarships or subsidies for each other's professors, associate professors and students in studying or engaging in research.
- Both sides should recognize, according to their own laws and regulations, the scholastic degrees, diplomas and academic certificates issued by each other's educational institutions.
- Both sides should facilitate, within the scope of their own laws, the exchange of books, magazines, newspapers, motion pictures, radio and television programs, and other educational facilities.
- Both sides should encourage and facilitate the exchange of visits of professors, teachers, scientists, technicians, news reporters and cultural workers for travel and research purposes.
Rare books donated to Palace Museum
The has a new collection of 2,075 rare books, most of them published between 100 and 500 years ago in the Ch'ing and Ming dynasties.
The collection was donated by Lt. Gen. Hsu Ting-yao, former commander of the Chinese Armored Corps.
Gen. Hsu said the books were brought to from his private library in province. At one time there were more than 100,000 books in the library.
Of the 199 categories, some 20 are from Ming and most of the rest from Ch'ing. They are exceedingly valuable, according to the curator.