The Legacy Of Chinese Students At The Gunnery

WASHINGTON DEPOT — Washington Senior Center has begun hosting a series of coffee hour programs, “Readings From The Archives of The Gunn Historical Museum,” on the first Monday of the month starting at 10 am.

Staff from the Gunn Museum reads research papers from the museum’s archives, sharing photos and stories and reminiscing about Washington’s history.

The March 1 reading will be an paper called “Following in the Footsteps of a Legacy: Chinese Students at the Gunnery” by Michelle Wong. The Chinese Educational Mission was a government program that initially sent 120 students to the United States to be educated in 1872. China believed that by sending outstanding young boys to receive an education in America, Chinese power would be strengthened militarily, technologically, and economically.

Two of these Chinese students were sent to Frederick Gunn’s school in Washington and became much loved and respected by the town. One student was named Lok Wing Chuan and lived his caretaker, Julia Leavitt Richards, of Washington Green, while attending the Gunnery.

This event is free and open to the public. Heavy snow will cancel the presentation.

Washington Senior Center is at 6 Bryan Hall Plaza, on Route 47 in the center of Washington Depot. Call the museum at 860-868-7756 or visit GunnLibrary.org for more information.