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Show GIRLS* BOiiRDING SCHOOL KSPOKT LINT3ING, SHANTUNG., CHINA Feb,18- June 19,1019. On Thursday our girls scattered to their variouo homes and now the school roons are closed and silent awaiting their return next September. This gives a breathing space to the principal who has found little tine this year to write and let friends know about our progress. This tern we had twenty-one girls who finished .. tho work and two others were here for a while, ^ome new ones came in from the (IRJ school and two brand new ones from the country: one of these had GO little idea of what to expect that she had some difficulty in adjusting herself to the life of the school;but the other giris were eager tc shot' her and she scon learned. It is especially interest*:; ing to watctt the old girls "initiating" the new ores and nakcs one realise that our girls are differart from others, Here are some of the unwritten rules of the school which the now girl3 soon learn to obey,- Bo not spit on tho floor. Comb your hair every day. Clean your room every morning* Keep your face and hards and clothes neat and clean, ** ' Bo not pout. Do not scold. The last two are not so easily learned but nost of then learn in time. From the opening of the spring semester the girls were busy preparing for a gymnastic exhibition such as we had two years ago,and every night after lessens were over the girls,teachers,and myself,and very often our nurse,Miss Hunger,who came to play the organ, would all gather en the ocuriJ3,These were pleasant times and the girls. • had the benefit of a good daily drill while stimulated oath the/aoct of of performing before andocu&Awfta ,lftfc«i*r There was an unusual number of iust etcrais v^nci high winds which hindered our practice,but we finally set a day for the exhibition**When it arrived,the wind and rain were dreadful: the girls laughingly #eid,"The Old Heavenly Grandfather,- (whioh is the- nana of the (?hinesq god - which ..coys»eiipon4w, powt ihaa-rl-y- i^ Gu.r God)- must be angry with us because he sends us such weather when ao want to play out-doors and have invited ceE"p*&>ny%imt when the sun cane cut later and the wind went down,,they decided that the Old Grandfather rust be on our side after all J On Friday we had prepared the children1 s work, -drawing, sewing, ereciietingtuasic,caps, coe.?o-/ayariting, English booksf etc, ~, and put then up in the school rooms: and on Saturday i&fore the drills,we took the guests in to sec then; they had to go in in groups for tho rooms will not hold r.any people at one tine,but they all enjoyed seeing this display of what the children had done. After this,all went cut onto the.courts where seats wore arranged facing the ©ourt where the girls -were. The school song was sung at the opening of the program and then the girls did the marching figures: ail wore light garments^with red and orange scarfs on alternate girls,black shoes and •ankle-straps and white stockings and they did look pretty -as-they marched in time to the music. After this came a patriotic song and then the ward drill,all to the music of the nice little new organ sent out by friends last year. This organ has a very strong clear tone and can easily be heard all over ih^ court,which added much to the pleasure of the hours of practice as wall as on this occasion. Later the girls played a lively game with bean bags,and last of all the Haypole was wound with its .1: streamers of pink and green. This is the firot tine that a Maypole has been seen here and everyone was especially interested for it surely was a pretty sight. The little bound-footed government school girls were there and I hope that it made them realize what can be done with nice "big" feet. The day closed with thanks to the guests for their attendance ana then thanac tc tho school frcn the guests for their entertainment. 7e wish we could have i.ore occasions like this when we can invite the friends and rom- bors in but with such small school roons we have to be Content with this one out-door event during the tear. But we are hoping fe« r-ar new building soon! I an sorry not to be able to report that our much longed-for building is in the process of construction,but all I Car* say is that the plans and specifications are all ready and we are waii.t:, now for materials to start work. If we wore in a coast city, these would be e a- to get but we can get only a few here and the rest must come from ' % ant sin, which :to?aas quite a bit of tine by boat. The money in hand now is enough for only part of the onbaol .building,for the exehan rate now from gr-ld into silver is so very. unfavorable/but with this par of a building we can do so ouch better work than now,and we hope that the money for the rest of this building and for the rest of the plant. |