The change of the name of the school which Dr. Mateer had founded and nurtured for nearly two decades was made at the formal request of the members of the Shantung Presbyterian Mission, sent to the Board under date of February 14, 1881. It was accompanied by a “plan,” and that part of the paper was as follows:
I. That the Tengchow Boys’ High School be organized into and constituted a college, to be called “The College of Shantung.”
II. That it be carried on and governed by a board of six trustees nominated by the Shantung Mission, and confirmed by the Board of Foreign Missions.
III. That the college embrace a six years’ course of study in Chinese classics, general science, and Christian ethics; including particularly “The Four Books” and “Five Classics,” Chinese history, with Biblical and general history, mathematics, physical, mental and moral sciences, evidences of Christianity, and so forth.
IV. That the aim of the college be to educate thoroughly both in Chinese and western learning; and to do this from the standpoint and under the influence of Christianity.
V. That the Chinese language be the medium of instruction throughout the course, English being taught only as an extra in special cases.
VI. That there be connected with the college a department to prepare pupils to enter it.
VII. That it be the ultimate design to make the students attending the college self-supporting; and that in order to do this the style of living be strictly on the Chinese plane; and that natives be trained as fast as possible to man the college with efficient professors.
VIII. That the college be located for the present at Tengchow, leaving open the question of its removal to a more central position at some future time.
For this request the main reasons were added in extenso. They are too long to be given here; but they can be, in the main, compressed into two general statements. One of these was the need of a high-grade institution of this sort in northern China, and especially in the great province of Shantung. It was conceded that Tengchow was not as central a location as the college might ultimately require; but, being a literary city and a treaty port, and as yet free from the special temptations and corrupting influences of a mixed foreign population, it at least temporarily had marked advantages. The other general statement is that the institution was already in fact a college by reason of its curriculum, and was equipped with buildings and outfit suitable for the advanced work which a college ought to do. In order that it might retain the position it had won, and in order to secure endowment and reputation, the new name was very desirable.