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THE HONGKONG GOVERNMENT GAZETTE, ɔ̃TTMи FEBRUARY, 1870.
· 47
Through the liberality of His Excellency The Governor, The Honourable C. C. Smith, Dr. array, Mr. Gerrard, and Mr. Wai A-kwong, in addition to the sum placed on the Estimates for the
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prizes of the value of two hundred and five dollars were awarded to the most deserving, at at Public Examination. The encouragement thus given to the school should not pass unno- and the promises made for the coming year give good hope that the school has at last obtained ition to which it is not unfairly entitled. It is now time that when a stranger enquires, at Laces in Queen's Road and elsewhere, for the way to the Central School that he should not
tev in vain.
*The presence of a number of the parents and friends of the scholars at the late Examination esen greater encouragement than the liberality just alluded to. Hitherto, for reasons which it de diflicult to assign, the Chinese residents in the Colony have kept aloof from the school,---par- , even when living here, seldom taking the trouble to come and ask admission for their sons. What- ploure it may have given the boys to see this new feature in the day's proceedings, the pleasure by the teachers was of the most unqualified description. Nothing that has happened since the of was established has augured so well for its future prosperity.
*It may not be out of place in this Report to allude to the admission into the school of boys. than Chinese. When the school was first made open to all, of whatever nationality, a few availed elves of the privilege. They remained but a short time. They were evidently disappointed. expectations and objections will be referred to presently. I am aware that many are anxious
tion, but they hold back until the terms they dictate be acceded to.
10. By opening the school to all-comers, it was apparently expected that a special class would be sed for such as do not wish to learn Chinese. Others, who do not object to learning Chinese, object the school-hours. They say that eight hours a-day is too hard a task on the energies of the boys. rs, again, are exclusive, and wish their children to be kept entirely separate from the Chinese." 11. For a boy to come to the school and not to learn Chinese, it is simply a waste of time. There be some common language as a medium of intercommunication between the teacher and his class. Nane-tenths of the class are, and will be, Chinese. Translation from. English into Chinese and from se into English must therefore be the ground-work of the instruction, and, in the lower classes ally, the principal part of it. The mere reading of an English book will not, without a great te of time, give the reader a knowledge of the language. The sooner he understands what he reads better for his progress. For this reason, it is indispensable that every boy at the Central School old Learn Chinese. Even an English boy, who understands what he reads, loses a great deal of
When translation is the work of the class he must sit idle unless he knows Chinese.
12. The school-hours are confessedly long, and if it were possible to curtail them it would be Practically this is impossible. Two languages have to be learnt, one at least of which is very ult of acquirement by those to whom it is their mother-tongue. After eight years' experience, 4 after listening to many objections, I am only the more convinced that shorter hours are not con- tent with the efficiency of the school.
13. To those who wish a separate class and class-room, only one thing can be said. The Central dis no place for them. This is not said from any want of sympathy with those who prefer the tal to the mental training of their children. Their objections are well known and felt to be powerful. , the practical conduct of the school is the problem to be solved and, with that, exclusiveness is asistent. At the same time, if it were my province to say so, I should not hesitate to say, that wet with the Chinese boys at this school would not be productive of half the harm to which children stantly exposed by being left, as they are, so much in the hands of Chinese servants. This is abject, however, which cannot be discussed further herc.
14. There are now six Indian boys, principally Parsees, in the school. These make no objections learning Chinese, and some of them acquire it rapidly. One of them carried off the first prize in urth class, which numbers thirty-four, although two of the subjects of examination,-subjects, with the highest marks, were translation. How such boys could advance at all for a few years, at a knowledge of Chinese, it is not possible to imagine.
15. The conclusion to be derived from a consideration of the whole question is this, that unless school is to be re-organized, to be, in a measure, diverted from the original and important purpose which it was founded, and to be conducted at many times its present cost, it is impossible to make
ceptable to those who will not take it as it is.
The state of the Village Schools needs, this year, no special consideration. What they are, ow they are conducted, how they advance, and how they fall-off, with the reasons for this, as far em be assigned, are points which have been too frequently mentioned to require repetition. tem of Grants-in-aid, instead of complete support, is slowly advancing. Three such schools added during the year, the one at Ap-li Chau receiving a free site, and those at Hung-hom and wa Wan the usual allowance of five dollars a month. For all other information I refer you to- llowing Tables.
4. Honourable J. GARDINER AUSTIN,
I have the honour to be,
Sir,
Your most obedient Servant,
FREDERICK STEWART, Inspector of Government Schoels.
Colonial Secretory,
Se.
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