THE HONGKONG GOVERNMENT GAZETTE, 2ND MARCH, 1895.
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8. DISTINGUISHED VISITORS.Dr. GUSTAV OPPERT, Professor at Madras University, and Dr. DENNYS, Protector of Chinese in British North Borneo, both paid a visit and expressed great interest in the education given here. The latter paid us the highest compliment, by selecting after competitive examination, a First Class boy to accompany him back to Borneo, as clerk and interpreter in his own Department.
9. CHANGE IN THE CONSTITUTION OF THE COLLEGE.-On the 3rd September I received notice "that the Secretary of State had decided that all connection with the Education Department and Queen's College should cease, and that the College should be placed under the management of a Governing Body." This was supplemented on the 6th December, by an explanation conveyed in an extract from the Secretary of State's Despatch, viz: "The change which is now being initiated has been devised in Dr. WRIGHT's own interests, as well as those of the school. It is an alternative to the existing system, which has been found to be unsatisfactory."
10. NON-CHINESE CLASSES.-It was a pleasure to me to observe that the Retrenchment Committee (par. 136) share my opinion, that it is the duty of the College to make special provision for the education of such English and other non-Chinese boys as wish to enter. Two classes have been specially formed for their benefit, under the charge of English masters; but it will be only possible to maintain these, if the number of pupils does not fall below a minimum of 60 for the two classes combined. It rests therefore entirely with the parents to show their appreciation of the advantages specially devised for them. One well-known Government Official, by sending his two sons here, has broken through the prejudice, with which we have always had to contend viz: that the preponderance of Chinese scholars renders this place unsuitable for boys of other nationalities. In this connexion however it is not to be forgotten, that there is hardly a school in the Colony but has at length admitted Chinese, after starting with exclusively non-Chinese pupils. The two classes, above spoken of, are for convenience called from the position of their class-rooms, Class Ic. and IIc, but this gives an inaccurate impression of the standard of work. Each of these classes is divided into two sections. In Class Ic, only one boy took the papers of Class IA, the remainder of the Senior Section taking those of IB; while the Junior Section found Class II papers sufficiently difficult. Class IIc, took History, Geography and Composition with Class III, and the Seniors also worked Euclid and Algebra papers prepared for the same class; but in Arithmetic and Grammar, the Senior Section sat with Class IV, and the Junior with Class V. As a compensation for the time spent in Chinese by other classes, these two take Latin. To remove any misconception, and as an act of justice to the masters concerned, I have, this year, kept the four sections of the non-Chinese classes separate, distinguishing them as N1, N2, N3, N4. I must not omit to mention, that His Excellency the Governor has shown his sympathy with this movement, by relieving the Master in charge of the Senior Non-Chinese Class, Mr. MACHELL, of further study of Chinese, that he may devote himself more completely to developing this branch of the College, and continue without overstrain to himself to superintend the athletics of these boys.
11. Oxford LOCAL EXAMINATIONS.-We paid 18 fees, but only 15 boys presented themselves, of whom eight obtained certificates, viz: three Seniors under 19 years of age, and five Juniors over 16 years of age. Of Special Subjects, 1 boy passed in Bookkeeping, 2 in Drawing, 2 in Physiography and 1 in Trigonometry. U HANG-KAM, who headed the Senior List in this place, was marked Good in Arithmetic, Shakespeare and Algebra; and FOK CHI-YAN, who took the same position amongst the Juniors, obtained the same mark in Arithmetic and Shakespeare. Of the eight boys who obtained Certificates, 4 were marked Good in Arithmetic, 4 in Shakespeare, 2 in Geography and 1 in Algebra. Taken as a whole the result is very satisfactory, the percentage of passes as compared with last year being 53: 58. There is a marked improvement in the work of the non-Chinese boys, though the Chinese still lead.
12. ANGLO-CHINESE CLASS.-The number of boys examined in these divisions dwindled from 58 in 1889 to 12 in 1893. When then in March last I found only two boys presenting themselves to form a class, I first enquired of the parents the cause of their sons' absence, and then reported to the Government the extinction of the Anglo-Chinese Class. The reasons alleged by the parents appeared to be valid, and may be classified in the following manner, (1) several boys are under ten years of age, and it is objected that the study of Chinese, in addition to English is too severe a strain; (2) others profess to attend classes for improvement in their own languages, Portuguese, Arabic &c; (3) others- live out at East Point, and find it impossible or unhealthy to remain from 8 A.M. till 5 P.M. without a solid meal. Of the 103 non-Chinese boys on the Roll, 71 are in the Upper School and therefore exempted by Government Order, there remain then 32 to form the Anglo-Chinese Class, but 20 of these are about 8 or 9 years of age.
13. THE STAFF.-I am happy to report an exceptionally good Bill of Health. Mr. MAY, the Second Master, went on leave in April, after the completion of six years' service, and Mr. DEALY is acting for him, proving a very energetic and satisfactory substitute. Mr. BARLOW also went on leave, on a plea of urgent private affairs. Mr. JONES was temporarily transferred to the Magistracy, as Acting First Clerk. We were therefore, for eight months, short of the services of three masters. consequent necessary changes put the First Chinese Assistant in charge of the Preparatory School, Mr. WAN of Class IIB, the highest Upper School Class yet entrusted to a Chinese Assistant, and deprived one of the Lower School Classes of the advantage of an English Master, a luxury we can
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