Emerald City Echoes

From 889 The Bridge, this is a story about Mercer Island’s Betty Tonglao who served as principal of the Seattle Chinese School from 1981-1985 when it was located on the island. The school's new direction under Betty’s leadership focuses on oral language, immersing individuals through cultural activities, and engaging students to further their Chinese language skills.

This is the untold story of how 120 young scholars were sent to the United States to help modernize the Qing Dynasty (now modern day China). One of these boys, Tang Shaoyi, was sent to New England and assimilated to daily American life to fulfill the government's educational mission, ultimately helping with the transformation from dynasty to republic. For historical context, the group of 120 boys sent to America to study, called the "Chinese Educational Mission" (CEM), was completely funded by the Qing Government and dated from 1872 to 1881. Author Dori Jones Yang was fascinated by the lives of these well-adjusted boys while living with their host families and attending school in New England, so out came the novel, "The Forbidden Temptation of Baseball." 

Names mentioned:

Zhan Tianyou (a CEM student) - went on to study civil engineering at Yale, wildly known as "the father of Chinese railroad"
Tang Shaoyi (a CEM student) - the chief negotiator for the Qing Emperor and later served as the first Prime Minister of the Republic of China 1911 

Dr. Sun Yet-Sen - led the revolution to overthrown Qing Emperor, and the founder of the Republic of China

Peter Tonglao - (related to Tang Shaoyi) was a Mercer Island resident from 1972 to 2012. After retiring as a Boeing EE engineer, he was an active volunteer and bus driver for the Senior Program at the community center, and the first recipient of Flash Family Inspirational Award in 2009.

Joined by Mercer Island Historical Society's Lola Deane, the history and significance of the island's parks is unpacked throughout this interview. The foresight and dedication of Deane has impacted generations of Islanders, as many of the parks available today continue to provide a connection of space for the community.

Seattle local, Judy Kusakabe, shares the stories of friends and family during the Japanese-American incarceration during WWII in response to the bombing of Pearl Harbor in 1941.

Land acknowledgement: The city of Mercer Island resides on the ancestral territory and land of the Duwamish Tribe. We appreciate and honor the land of our community.

Ms. Susan Blake of Mercer Island High School’s graduating class of 1960 shares the true impact of community whilst growing up on Mercer Island. Her many leadership positions and involvement within the city is foundational to the philosophy she lives by today—community is more than just a group of people, it’s an extension of family.

A man's mission to create opportunities through accessible education. Adanu is an NGO that focuses on transforming the Ghanaian education system throughout underserved communities. Brick by brick, community members and volunteers collaborate to create a sustainable solution for the education disparity faced in the outskirt villages of Ghana.

New York Times Podcast Competition Honorable Mention.