China and the West

Letter from John Dewey to John Jacob Coss
Care Nanking Teachers College April 22 '20
Dear Coss,
Well as you know I have decided to stay over here and teach another year. I hesitated very long time; among other things they asked Evelyn to stay and she couldnt make up her mind at once. However altho she declined, I decided for another year of it, partly because being here it seemed the easiest thing to do, especially as reports from America arent especially attractive so far as living is concerned, and partly to try to clinch whatever may have got started this year. My teaching next year will be of a more intensive character, and mainly at the University, tho enough time will be taken off in the winter to go to Canton—which is another reason for staying as we havent been south. A trip was planned for this summer but some Americans advised us agt us very strongly on grounds of health. Suh Hu [Hu Shi] and a few others are very anxious to modernize the university, and to do means not only getting teachers but material in shape. He is anxious to have me give a course in the interpretation of the history of western philosophy, which can become for a while a kind of standard basis for that subject. The largest publishing house in China has recently made arrangements by the way for extensive translations, rather specially oin philosophy. Suh Hu [Hu Shi] and Monlin Chiang, a Teachers College man, and Chancellor Tsai of the University are the board of editors. The students are on strike again as a protest agt the Government's dealings with Japan, but they have excepted my lectures. Im lecturing here on philosophy of edn, rather popular, history of Greek philosophy and logic, 8 hours a week altogether, but the interpretation has to come out of the time, so it is rather a lesson in selection, condensation and illustration.
Thanks very much for the material you sent. Im glad to be able to ging information about the tests, and the syllabus the course will be of great practical value to me. Books are scarce and hard to get hold of and that syllabus will take the place of quite a library. I have an account at the University Press Book Store and when you see a book that you think I really ought to read, philosophy or social theory, I wish you would tell them to send it to me—the old Peking address—and charge to my account. I feel Im getting rather stale. I wish by the way you would have [Bertrand] Russells Introduction to Mathematical Theory sent now, send that here, as this will be headquarters till July.
I shall miss my classes and associations very much. And it is some pleasure to know that some will miss me there. I have had to write out my lectures on Social Philosophy—not wuite finished yet—for translation into Chinese, and Im wondering whether to get them printed in English. Im afraid however they are too general as I aimed at an outline of the whole field. My book of lectures on philosophical reconstruction, given in Japan, will probably be brought out by Holt shortly, At least I got galley proofs in Jan. I tried to sum up my past in that, and get rid of it for a fresh start.
Please remember me to everybody, Woodbridge and Montague especially and Edman and the younger men who willmay be interested. With best wishes,
Sincerely yours, | John Dewey
The family is still In Peking tho Im expecting them shortly. Ive been here most three weeks. After the middle of May Im going on circuit round and about the Yangste provinces.