William Vander Meer (The Amoy Mission)

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(All Photos from Nurse J. Nieuhuis Albums, provided by Wendell Renske)

William Vander Meer

William and Alma served with the Amoy Mission from 1920-23, and 1926-1943, when William died; Alma stayed on until 1951. Their sons are Canute and Paul. I have been able to find very little about him, except for a few photos, his article below (provided by Wendell Renske) and a tribute written by his Chinese colleague, who was his student at Talmage College and later joined the faculty of Fukien Christian University. If anyone can provide more details or photos, please e-mail them to me! (As with all other material, I will label photos to protect them from being copied, and give you credit for all materials).

Changing Christian Schools in South Fukien
By the late WILLIAM VANDER MEER, China
The Church Herald, June 1, 1945

It is perhaps trite to observe that Christian education in China is changing. All education in China is changing. Up to a point it must change if Chinese youth must learn to live and work in a new China. But, fortunately, with this change much remains the same. Whatever adjustments must be made to meet effectively the new situation, many Chinese Christians know that the Master can and does give what it takes to meet life's worst triumphantly. They know.
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But just what changes are taking place among Cristian schools in China? In article 133 of Part VII of the Constitution of China we read, "All public and private educational institutions in the country shall be subject to State supervision and amenable to the duty of carrying out the educational policies formulated by the State."

In comparison with the total mobilization of many countries for war, with its extensive limitation of freedom, this is moderate. In practice it has meant, however, that school boards, principals, teachers, courses of study, textbooks, laboratory apparatus and library books must be approved by the State, which give a comprehensive examination before students graduate from high school.

Within this framework the school principal and his staff are indirectly responsible to government officials, and do they know it. As a result the following changes, for the most part wholesome, have been made. No longer do primary schools teach only girls or only boys. All must be open to both boys and girls. The entire school staff must now combine its efforts to make good citizens. Teachers who are not members of the Kuomintang Party are looked on with suspicion. Schools must co-operate whole-heartedly in the government program to encourage patriotism and separation for government service. All schools must take an active share in the education of the entire community, adults as well as children. Membership in the Three Principles Youth Association must be encouraged.
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To the Christian members of school boards in China these changes are confusing, for they mean that a new type of school principal and staff must be developed. The former principal, well versed in the Chinese scriptures and the classics, faithful to the church, the pupils and the missionary, living on a meager salary but always secure, recognized by the Chinese community because of his character and understanding of the people around him, this man with all his virtues and former effectiveness, can no longer meet his responsibilities or make full use of emerging opportunities.

For the modern principal must be able to move confidently among officials. He must know government regulations, yes, and the changing purposes of local officials. He must know both the strength and weakness of his community. He must know the church and its critics, for they will often make mutually conflicting demands of him. He must be an economic wizard, for fees have been frozen and expenses have soared. He must be long-suffering for he may be violently and unjustly criticized. He must understand young people. If he does not there will he no end of trouble, for officials and students will combine against him. He must be able to discern the real patriot from the jingo, whether he be an official, pupil or teacher. In addition he needs all that the principal of a Christian school needs here.

All this seems not only natural but necessary to the war-conscious American, but it is decidedly new in China. For it is not so long ago that girls' schools, were surrounded by high walls and their verandas were protected by heavy lattice work. It is not long ago that Chinese school principals knew and cared little about the welfare of their communities, and government officials cared as little about them and their work.

That there was for a time mutual suspicion between private educators and government officials was natural and hardly avoidable, for as late as the early thirties students were an effective check on quisling officials. Except in rare cases there are now good relationships between private schools and officials.
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Because of the rapidly increasing number of government primary schools the number of boarders in Christian primary schools has dropped almost to the vanishing point. This gives less free time with the pupils and therefore means a new approach to meeting the needs of these pupils. This is further intensified by the full program of patriotic activities which occupies most of their free time.

Students are no longer trained in Christian Normal Schools so the problem of securing a staff of Christian teachers is becoming increasingly acute. The training of all teachers is now in the hands of government schools.

To those whose thought is directed to the past, the outlook is dark. But to those others equally realistic who are looking to the future with real insight and faith, shot through with a bit of devout imagination, the road ahead with all its rough and dark spots is best characterized by its wealth of opportunity.

Never before in the history of China has there been such an urgent demand for so many trained men of character as there will be immediately following the war. The number of officials of various grades for all of what is now occupied China, for Formosa and Manchuria is staggering in itself.
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A TRIBUTE TO WILLIAM VANDER MEER
Dear Dr. Shafer:

It was very kind of you to let me know the tragic news of our good friend, Mr. William Vander Meer.

I was deeply shocked to see such thing could have happened to this young man. It is a great loss to our common cause. I was his student while studying in Tal-mage. We became very close friends, when I joined the faculty of Fukien Christian University, where we kept intimate-contact with each other. He helped us to get good students from Amoy and South Fukien to our college and I helped our boys from Talmage to get adjusted and active in the University. We always have good representation from Talmage, and how they all praised the personality and high ideals of Mr. Vander Meer. Now he is gone. Who could take his place?

While he was in Teachers' College we saw each other occasionally. I was planning to visit him and his family in the near future so that we could exchange our ideas regarding the future programs which we may carry out in Fukien. Now I shall miss his wisdom and cooperation. I went to attend his funeral service, with a deep regret that I did not plan to visit him earlier.

Please accept my sympathy for the loss of this young, promising leader of our Church. We need more men like Mr. Vander Meer to work with us in the post-war China.

Very sincerely yours,
(Signed) YANG, HSIN-PAO
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Dr. Bill   Xiamen University MBA Center
E-mail: amoybill@gmail.com
Snail Mail: Dr. William Brown
Box 1288 Xiamen University, Xiamen, Fujian PRC   361005

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