On a spot of land in the city of Taichung sits a small campus which is roughly the size of a high school. This is Providence College. Known among Taiwan's academicians as a "mini-college", it has seven departments and two graduate schools, which provide instruction for 2700 students.

Providence is a women's college. All of the students and over 98% of the faculty and staff are female. As male outsiders are not allowed on the campus, instances of young male teachers or errand boys being required to show identification are not unknown. When classes let out, boyfriends predictably line up outside the school gate.

The girls themselves take responsibility for the appearance of their small but immaculate campus. A visitor will be greeted by a courtyard of banyan trees and lawns, which provide a green backdrop for bright red poinsettias and yellow acacias. Daisies fill gardens next to the classrooms, while bluish-green bonzais and bright flower arrangements grace office desks, classroom podiums, and even the sundecks of the dormitory. In keeping with their surroundings, the girls place an emphasis on their appearance, and dress attractively for their classes.

The name Providence indicates the religious base of the college. Its founders refer to the providence which made possible the establishment of the school. The college's Chinese name, Ching I, refers to the virtues which the girls will learn, enabling them to become useful members of society, and loving mothers and wives.

The school was first established by Mother Marie Gration, a Christian missionary from the U.S. Mother Gration, referred to lovingly by her students as Mother Kai Hsia, originally went to mainland China in 1920 for missionary work. There she saw how very few women were allowed educational opportunities. Mother Kai Hsia was convinced that even if they did not plan to work outside the home, an education would help women to become better mothers, homemakers, and supportive wives. With these goals in mind, she proceeded to establish three high schools for young Chinese women.

Mother Kai Hsia left the mainland during the communist takeover. She came to Taiwan in 1948 and set up a supplementary English school, which she ran for the next six years. In 1954 she established the Providence Technical College, and taught English there for five years. In 1963 the Department of Education granted Providence full college status. By then the college had grown to encompass four departments (English, Chinese literature, business and mathematics), as well as a night school.

Mother Kai Hsia was well-known for her kindness and loving concern for the students at Providence. It was not unusual for her to glance into the dormitory rooms on a chilly night to make sure that all of the girls were covered warmly in their blankets. In her late years, when the church suggested that Mother Kai Hsia return to America to rest and retire, she insisted upon staying, and donated her entire pension to the college.

Providence College has been plagued with financial problems since its establishment. The nuns who teach at the college work without pay. But the low tuition asked of students is not adequate to cover the cost of facilities. For this reason, funds are often sought from Christian donators in the U.S.

When Kuo Fan became president of the college in 1971, the financial situation improved. His two basic plans have included moving the college to a larger land site, and purchasing better equipment and facilities. In terms of fund allocation, President Kuo is vey responsive to student needs, and is most generous in allotting money for the specific equipment and facilities which they request. Less emphasis is placed on large, impressive architecture and outward appearances.

President Kuo, also a Christian Father, believes that inner beauty is far more significant than outward attractiveness. This is seen not only in his budgeting principles, but in his personal life as well. Father Kuo dresses simply and leads a very frugal existence. He lives in a small, sparsely furnished room above his office, and donates all of his wages to the college. Father Kuo has done much to inspire the instructors at Providence, who teach with enthusiasm and concern for the students, and do their best to live up to his example.

The students at Providence College tend to have tested low in Taiwan's universal college entrance exam. The goal of the college however is not to create top scholars, but to teach the girls useful, practical knowledge, and basic skills which will help them find jobs after graduation. Providence thus offers courses in ethics, library science, computers, English, typing and shorthand.

The college's three most outstanding departments are the chemistry, food and nutrition, and foreign language departments. The chemistry department is among Taiwan's top three in terms of equipment and facilities. Students are taught how to discern and judge the chemical contents of various consumer products. In the laboratory they learn how to make their own shampoos, creams and cosmetics. Such courses are interesting to the students, and useful in teaching them how to be discerning consumers.

The food and nutrition department is more strictly academic. Its chairman, Kao Yi-ting did former work at Academia Sinica. His 1980 research on nutrition in Taiwan, carried out in cooperation with the Department of Health and Sanitation, raised the school's academic standing and provided a reminder to the public of what types of high vitamin content foods should be included in the diet.

The foreign language department is particularly active. Its chairman, Eleanor Buckley and predominantly foreign teaching staff emphasize useful conversation skills rather than abstruse literature in their teaching. Students listen to lectures on a variety of subjects, visit outside exhibitions and attend concerts, after which they discuss the content in English. Such courses are always popular.

How does a small college with limited funds located at a distance from Taipei find capable teachers? To allow students the opportunity to hear a variety of lectures by well-reputed scholars, and save the school the high cost of their salaries, Providence College often invites lecturers from neighboring universities to come and lecture on a temporary basis. Students are also encouraged to attend outside lectures.

Outside of the classroom, the students at Providence organize a number of group activities, often with students from neighboring colleges. Many of these activities, such as paper-cutting, flower arranging and folk dancing are geared to female students. One of the most popular group activities is doing counseling during the summer vacation at a reform school in Hsinchu, something which the girls find challenging and rewarding.

Last June, building began at Providence's new location near Taichung Harbor. The new campus will be seven times as large as the current one, and the school's departments will expand in size and number, qualifying it as a full university.

The college is now 30 years old. Although small in scale and low on finances, Providence College has never strayed from its original goal-to enthusiastically pursue a practical education for the sake of enabling young women to become skilled, virtuous members of society.

(Jill Ardourel)

[Picture Caption]

1. Students face the morning sun on their way to class. 2. An image of Christ next to the convent is a symbol of the spirit behind the school's establishment.

1. White walls and red doors, green leaves in silhouette, and students dressed in bright colors make for a cheerful scene. 2. The girls attend a computer course, a general requirement for all students at Providence College. 3. Father Kuo Fan, president of Providence College, surveys the school's new site, and smiles at the thought of its future.

1. School's out. Don't rush. Stay in the courtyard and chat awhile! 2. Bundles of fresh flowers against the mist and rain outside the window reflect the warmth and refinement of the classroom. The girls' careful decorating may be seen throughout the campus. 3. The Rhythm Club is a popular extracurricular club which organizes a variety of activities. Melodious tunes are often heard outside their rehearsal room.

1. Aside from studying theory in the classroom, students in the food and nutrition department learn food preparation. 2. Two students in the chemistry department concentrate on a lab experiment.

2. An image of Christ next to the convent is a symbol of the spirit behind the school's establishment.

1. White walls and red doors, green leaves in silhouette, and students dressed in bright colors make for a cheerful scene.

2. The girls attend a computer course, a general requirement for all students at Providence College.

3. Father Kuo Fan, president of Providence College, surveys the school's new site, and smiles at the thought of its future.

1. School's out. Don't rush. Stay in the courtyard and chat awhile!

2. Bundles of fresh flowers against the mist and rain outside the window reflect the warmth and refinement of the classroom. The girls' careful decorating may be seen throughout the campus.

3. The Rhythm Club is a popular extracurricular club which organizes a variety of activities. Melodious tunes are often heard outside their rehearsal room.

1. Aside from studying theory in the classroom, students in the food and nutrition department learn food preparation.

2. Two students in the chemistry department concentrate on a lab experiment.