Page:Siam and Laos, as seen by our American missionaries (1884).pdf/228

This page needs to be proofread.

at the king's request was placed in charge of one of the American missionaries.

As yet, this school is only an infant in years, and no prophet has been found wise enough to foretell what its future may be. It has passed through all the diseases incident to childhood and youth, and some of them have been of a most malignant nature. But, what was worst of all, its doctors could never agree as to where the trouble was or what remedies should be used. At length, however, it began to improve, and now, at four years of age, it begins to breathe freely and develop in strength and manly beauty. May Heaven's richest blessing rest upon it, and may God grant that the strength of its manhood may be consecrated to his service!

Difficulties are to be expected in the prosecution of every new enterprise, and the most hopeful friends of the King's School have not been much disappointed with its various trials. The committee to whose care His Majesty committed this school were entirely unused to educational affairs, and for want of experience many and serious blunders were made. But experience has taught useful lessons for future use, and the time seems to be near when steps will be taken to provide something better to take the place of the wat-school.

The native mind is being directed to this subject as never before. A striking proof of this