Unique Social Experiment in South China

At the beginning of the 20th Century, in an area larger and more populous than Great Britain began a social experiment than started a new tradition in South China that captured the imagination of women across the U.S.   These women, thousands of them, donated nickels and dimes on Sunday so than Hwa Nan Women’s College might offer women of all persuasions a quality education grounded in the principles of science.

Advances in the microscope led to the creation of germ theory and cell theory in the latter half of the 19th century. Doctors began to emphasize cleanliness to decrease the spread of diseases and infection.  Science was slowly replacing superstition as a fundamental guiding principle for how to structure one’s life.  No where was this more important than for the education of women.  The accomplishments of Madame Marie Curry at the start of the 20th century inspired women all over the world that they no longer should be denied the opportunity to contribute to science and society.

The history of Hwa Nan Women's College evokes images of the phoenix, drawing inspiration from the Chinese symbol of women and its myth of rising whole from the ashes of destruction.  Indeed, its fabled history has two distinct periods  –  Old Hwa Nan, which took its first faltering breaths in 1908 as a noble experiment that slowly grew, more interested in being remembered for the quality of its graduates than the number of people that received certificates and diplomas.

The original school relied heavily on teachers that were educated internationally.  Funding to support the faculty and scholarships also came from abroad.   When the United States restricted the flow of money to China, Hwa Nan and other missionary supported schools were merged with local schools so that the educational process in Fujian would continue.   The surviving entity eventually became known as Fujian Normal University.  Thus the name—Hwa Nan Women’s College—came to an abrupt conclusion in 1951.  After a hiatus of 33 years the school was reborn in1984 with a new name:  Fujian Hwa Nan Women’s College.  It thus became the oldest women’s college in modern China.  In both cases Hwa Nan has served as a unique resource for Chinese women, nurturing generations of skilled and empowered individuals.  New Hwa Nan has gradually grown fulfilling changing societal needs in a rapidly evolving society.

Old Hwa Nan College of Letters and Sciences

A college for women does not suddenly magically appear.  It is the top of an educational structure that relies on quality middle schools which in turn rely on quality elementary schools.  This process began much earlier following the first Opium War and the Treaty of Wangxia, when the Ladies China Missionary Society in Baltimore, Maryland sent two women missionaries who established the “Foochow Girls’ Boarding School” in 1859.  By 1880, the school's leaders envisioned a college for women to provide further educational opportunities equal to those available to men.  Many dreamed, a few articulated but what was needed was action.

The role of missionaries adapted to changing times as advancements in medicine and science attracted a new breed of dedicated volunteers.   Lydia Trimble, Hwa Nan’s first president, was a contemporary of Madame Marie Curie.  Lydia’s nephew, Dr Charles Garnet Trimble who ran an 80-bed hospital in Yenping, was a contemporary of Albert Schweitzer.   Lydia Trimble’s older brother Dr. J. B. Trimble was head trustee for Morningside University in Iowa where the first three presidents of Hwa Nan graduated.  Another of her nephews, Fredrick Trimble was a noted construction foreman who was directly involved with the construction of the original Hwa Nan buildings.  Another niece, Ethel Wallace who wrote the book that details much of the history of Hwa Nan was Dean of the college proprietary school essential for supplying Hwa Nan with qualified applicants.  For the Trimbles Hwa Nan was a family endeavor

Lydia Trimble arrived in Fuzhou in 1989 with a teaching certificate from Iowa.  Today, she is remembered for starting schools for girls in Lungtien and Pingtan.  She went back to Iowa for further education at Morningside University and actively advocated the creation of a women’s college in Fuzhou.  The Women's Foreign Missionary Society of the Methodist Episcopal Mission in 1904 gave her a donation to begin this process.

News of Madame Curie sharing the Nobel Prize in Physics in 1903 and eight years later the Nobel Prize in Chemistry, while receiving little acclaim and attention from men provided her with all the impetus she needed for making Hwa Nan her life’s quest.  

To ensure an adequate supply of qualified applicants the first task was to create a preparatory school where science plays a significant part of the education of girls.  Ethel Wallace, niece of Lydia and cousin of Dr. Charles Garnet Trimble fulfilled the critical role.   She detailed the history of the original Hwa Nan in her book, Hwa Nan:  Women's College of South China.    

In 1908, Lydia’s hard work and dreams became a reality with the establishment of The Hwa Nan College of Letters and Sciences. The first college class was admitted for a two-year curriculum, which in 1917 expanded to a four-year program. From the beginning, the college's motto "Receive to Serve" reflected its commitment to spread the blessing of education to women and families throughout the land.  Other women chose to translate the Chinese characters to mean:  “Saved to Serve”.
As Hwa Nan College grew, it also expanded its physical footprint. Payne Hall and Cranston Hall, the first buildings in the region to combine Chinese and Western architectural styles, were built between 1911 and 1917.   Dr. J. B. Trimble mortgaged the farm in Iowa and donated $4,000 so that Cranston Hall could be finished.  Remarkably, these buildings proudly stand today to serve as a testament to the college's rich history.   By 1921, the college's rapid growth necessitated the construction of Lydia Trimble Hall, a dormitory to accommodate the increasing number of students. 

When Ida Belle Lewis and later Dr. Lucy Wong were named the second and third president of Hwa Nan, Lydia Trimble remained in Fuzhou to lend her boundless energy, her talents and her unwavering support to seeing the school through its most formative years.  This was a testament of her life’s work at Hwa Nan helping young women gain the most current scientific knowledge so that they could share this knowledge in helping families in more rural areas of Fujian.  

Dr. Lucy Wang with a PhD in education from Columbia University was inaugurated president in 1930.  It was a very difficult time financially because of the worldwide impacts of the Great Depression.  She moved the school to Nanping in 1938 during the War of Aggression.  Faculty and students, in addition to their schoolwork, provided countless hours tending to the sick and supporting the war effort.  The students are fondly remembered today for their service during the Battle of Dahu.  Throughout its existence, Hwa Nan College faced its share of challenges.  However, the college persisted, producing numerous graduates who became educators and leaders in the community.

In 1951, when financial support from outside China was restricted Hwa Nan College was merged with other schools including Fukien Christian University to keep them from closing and this new entity eventually evolved into Fujian Normal University.

Fujian Hwa Nan Women's College

The rebirth of Hwa Nan Women's College began in 1984 when elderly alumnae heard about a reunion of another former missionary women's college. Encouraged by this event, they convened a group of over a hundred alumnae in the old Hwa Nan buildings. Reinvigorated by their spirit of outreach and service, they envisioned the rebirth of Hwa Nan.

Led by Dr. Yu Bao Sheng, the alumnae obtained the land, funds, and credentials necessary to establish the new college on a hill overlooking the Min River, not far from the old Hwa Nan site. These incredible women reopened Hwa Nan in 1984, formally called Fujian Hwa Nan Women’s college, the first privately-run women’s college in China. In a remarkable feat, all the preparations were completed in time to enroll the first class of 160 students in October 1985. 

Because Government stipulations called for a three-year diploma college and the founders aimed to provide professional training in fields beneficial to Chinese society, the new Hwa Nan offered four majors: English, Early Childhood Education, Food and Nutrition, and Clothing and Design. Alumnae and their families played an instrumental role in supporting the new college, leading to the growth of additional classroom buildings and the establishment of new departments.

Under Dr. Yu Bao Sheng's leadership, the new Hwa Nan Women's College embraced a mission of educating women for significant careers in various sectors, including education, business, government, and health. The college also adapted its curriculum to meet the changing needs of Chinese society, developing new programs in fields like International Tourism Administration and Community Services Management.

Throughout the years, Hwa Nan Women's College has received strong support from the governments of the city of Fuzhou and Fujian Province, with national and provincial leaders personally supporting and guiding the college's work.  After visiting, President Xi wrote an inscription for the college, “Women are not inferior to men, and Hwa Nan women of distinction appear one after another.”  The college has also expanded its international exchanges, bringing in teachers from around the world and establishing academic exchanges with universities in the United States, the Philippines, and Thailand.  Each year, top graduates of Hwa Nan are granted scholarships to pursue bachelor’s degrees at Centenary College and Morningside University in the United States. The college also secures strong support from the United Board for Christian Higher Education in Asia as well as the Alumni Associations of Canton, Hong Kong, and Macao.

Grounded in the ideals of fostering self-reliance, exploration, diligence, and dedication in its students, Hwa Nan Women's College has continued to thrive in its new form, embracing its role as a unique asset in China's higher education landscape. The college's leadership has worked towards developing larger campuses and more modern facilities to meet the growing demand for higher education among young women in China. Simultaneously, they recognize the importance of nurturing quality faculty and administrative personnel to ensure sustainable development.

Hwa Nan is listed as the Best of the Republic, a historic event and iconic achievement, after the founding of the People’s Republic of China. In 2008 and 2015, the college passed two rounds of talent training evaluations. It received various honors, including: Contribution to the Innovation and Development of Private Education in China, Advanced NGO of China, China May 4th Red Flag Communist Youth League Branch, Provincial Civilized Campus for four consecutive years, and Advanced Community-level Party Organization of Fujian Province. Additionally, former Council Chair Chen Zhongying and College Teaching Supervisor Ma Xiufa were awarded Outstanding Teachers of Fujian Province.  Foreign teacher Dr. Betts Rivet was also honored with the National Friendship Award alongside five other foreign teachers who were granted Fujian Friendship Awards.

The involvement of the Trimble Family in both Old Hwa Nan and New Hwa Nan is highlighted in Robert Trimble’s picture book entitled: The Trimble Boys.  He talks about what it was like growing up in northern Fujian where his mother was a nurse and his father a surgeon who managed an 80-bed hospital.  On page 18, he recounts his childhood experiences in Guling (Kuliang).  He relieved these experiences when he returned to Kuliang in 2012.  His two boys often travel in China.  In Toto five generations of Trimbles have come to China helping Hwa Nan improve the educational landscape for women’s education in South China.   

What started as a unique social experiment in South China has established a new tradition.  This tradition has surpassed its proponents' wildest expectations.  Hwa Nan continues to be a beacon of hope and empowerment for young Chinese women. The dedication of its leaders, faculty, and alumnae continues to shape its legacy, ensuring that Hwa Nan will never lose its identity. Today, Hwa Nan Women's College stands as a symbol of strength and progress, just like the phoenix of ancient mythology – rising from the ashes to soar to new heights.