密歇根大学、巴伯奖学金与亚洲近代女子高等教育

University of Michigan,the Barbour Scholarship,and the Women’s Higher Education in Modern Asia

从19世纪末起就有中国女孩出国留学,但多与教会有关,或由家庭出资;1914年创立于美国密歇根大学的巴伯奖学金则为女学生提供了一条全新的留学途径。作为一项专门资助亚洲女孩赴美留学的奖学金,巴伯奖迅速在亚洲各国赢得赞誉,截至1950年,巴伯奖学金前后资助了284人次亚洲女生进入密大学习,其中中国学生占45.8%,日本学生占17.6%,菲律宾学生占13.4%。虽然同是亚洲女生,但不同国家的巴伯奖得主在修读人数、专业兴趣、是否继续深造、毕业后去向等方面都表现出了很大的国别差异。最引人注目的是,中国的巴伯奖得主中诞生了一批在中外学界赫赫有名的女物理学家。而这些优秀的女学生们在毕业后,更是以"巴伯奖学金获得者"为荣,并建立了巴伯奖得主的社会网络,通过教育、政治、医疗等途径服务国家与社会,实践着巴伯奖设立的初衷。

Chinese girls had gone abroad to study since the end of the 19 th century supported by the church or their family.The Barbour Scholarship initiated in 1914 in the University of Michigan,provided a new way for girl students to study abroad.As a scholarship to specially fund Asian girls studying in the United States,the Barbour Scholarship earned high reputation quickly in Asian countries.Up to 1950,the Barbour Scholarship funded 284(person-times)Asian girl students to study in the University of Michigan,of which 45.8%from China,17.6%from Japan and 13.4%from Philippine.The Barbour Scholars from different Asian countries had shown great national differences in terms of number of applications,subject interests,continuing education,career developments.What is most striking is that there grew up a group of Chinese female physicists distinguished in the world academic circles.After graduation,these outstanding girl students were proud of the Barbour Scholarship winners and established a social network under the identity of"Barbour Scholars"to serve their countries and societies through education,politics,and medical care.