Zhonghua Chinese Ethnic School

Abstract

Zhonghua Chinese Ethnic School (grades K–9) is physically a tiny school. Although it houses more than 300 students, it has only one dilapidated five-story building with a small additional center for kindergarten. Both the classrooms and hallways are packed with students. On the floors with the younger graders, in particular, you need considerable physical dexterity to dodge kids who come shooting your way. They bump into each other with alarming force — both boys and girls — but as far as they are concerned, observers like me who look relatively young and are eminently lacking an air of authority are also fair game. Their uncomplicated affection was hard to resist, but it did result in a bruise or two. The school yard is equally small: If you stand in front of the building, you have a view of the entire yard — plus a view of the Japanese elementary school next door. It is customary at this school for students to go outside and participate in a group exercise during the morning recess, but the school yard is so small that elementary and junior high school students have to exercise on alternate days.