A hush fell. The first to stand up was Rong Hong, followed by Huang Sheng and Huang Kuan.

In January 1847, 18-year-old Rong Hong embarked on a ship to America with Reverend Brown and two classmates, Huang Kuan and Huang Sheng. This was a typical commercial sailing route. The group departed from Hong Kong, negotiated the Cape of Good Hope and entered the Atlantic, aiming at the eastern coast of America. The 98 days and nights on the billowing waves marked the advent of Rong Hong's 8 years of overseas study.

America in 1847 was a young republic of only 70 years’ history. Reverend Brown's home was in Monson, south-central Massachusetts. His wife's maiden surname was Butler. These two names, Brown and Butler, would be closely related to Rong Hong and the 120 boy students that he eventually brought to America.

The three Chinese children all entered the famous Monson Academy in New England. The aim of the school, as it was set at the time of its foundation, was to prepare young students who desired to enter university.

“In my first year at Monson Academy, I never thought of entering university. When I left for America, I only planned to stay there for 2 years, and then return China in 1849.”

After one year, Huang Sheng left America due to health problems, while Rong Hong and Huang Kuan were both determined to stay in the U.S. to further their education.

“In 1850 Huang Kuan and Rong Hong graduated from Monson Academy. They were offered opportunities in the U.K. to continue their education. London missionary societies funded Huang Kuan to go to Edinburgh for his medical studies.”

Rong Hong, however, insisted to stay in America, with the hope of entering Reverend Brown's Alma Mater, Yale University.

“I did not concede to those conditions. I thought though I was poor, I should enjoy the freedom to choose the cause that I favored. Whatever field I decided to enter, it should benefit my country. That was my only hope.”

Throughout the boy students’ stories, the name of Yale University reverberates. In 1850, Reverend Brown secured economic support for Rong Hong from the Ladies' Association which enabled him to enter Yale. Many years later, Rong Hong would return with more Chinese students.

“I still can not figure out how I was accepted by Yale University, for I had only studied Latin for 15 months, Greek for 12 months and mathematics for 10 months.”

“The more arduous his studies, the better his results, and the more miserable he felt. He said that the growth of knowledge expanded the scope of one's moral considerations. 'It pains me to think of the pain of the Chinese people under repression. Before I was educated, my existence was self-centered and ignorant. Now I am alive to the situation of the downtrodden, and I find their situation intolerable. The opportunity of education must be open to more, so I feel the urge to rescue my fellow countrymen from the predicament as soon as possible. I must serve them.' This is what distinguished Rong Hong from others and what convinced me that he is a great historical figure.”

While he was at Yale, Rong Hong had already outlined to his fellow students the grand cause he would pursue in China. He hoped that more Chinese youth would go abroad to study.

“'The rising generation of China should enjoy the same educational advantages that I have enjoyed; so that through western education China might be regenerated, and become enlightened and powerful.'”

In 1854, Rong Hong graduated from Yale University. He was the first Chinese graduate from an Ivy League school, the top U.S. universities. Yale University has preserved notes exchanged by Rong Hong and his fellow students upon graduation. Rong Hong wrote: 'a great man never loses the heart he had when a child.'