109
This
10. I cannot refrain from here taking the opportunity to defend the Local Examinations against two serious imputations, cramming and competition, that have been laid to their charge. Cramming is the process by which a man of experience reduces, for the sake of his pupils, the wide area of any given subject, by judiciously selecting those portions, on which questions are likely to be set. method is open to the obvious objection that first principles and sound basis are sacrificed to show results in answer to Catch Questions. Now when year after year, bodies of examiners, like the Oxford Delegates and Cambridge Syndicate set forth varied questions, testing the knowledge of rudiments in each subject, as well as embracing the highest achievements, and at the same time distinctly state that each candidate must satisfy the examiners in Rudimentary knowledge in each subject-to talk of cram- ming in connexion with these examinations merely argues want of information in those who hazard the statement. As regards the Central School, this charge is simply ludicrous; the local candidates study their subjects in a class of 60 boys; only one hour a week, in the afternoon, is allowed for in- structions in each of the special subjects (as Shakespeare and the Epoch of History) and for instruction in Higher Euclid and Algebra.
11. The idea of Competition is foreign to the purpose of local examinations, which is to provide one standard for boys educated in different schools on widely varying principles. Each boy does his best to pass well, and if possible to obtain distinction; but there is no personal emulation to urge him to outstrip any particular boy, which is the necessary element of competition as applied to school-boy life. Unfortunately, however, the attempt has been made, to raise the spirit of competition, not among scholars but schools. Such a feeling should not be admitted for a moment; not only is there no con- test, but there is actually no uniformity of conditions. One school may send in all the boys in certain classes, another may offer only selected candidates. One school may have a large staff of masters, another may be without this advantage. It is not the custom in England, as far as my personal know- ledge reaches, for comparison to be made between the results in different schools in the same town. Whatever wholesome emulation may be personally stirred among the masters, no comparisons are drawn between the results (say) of a Grammar School and of a Board School, nor between the latter and those of a Denominational School; nor in fact would it be possible as the basis of comparison is wanting.
OLD SCHOLARS.
12. In the past year we were gratified by the news of Mr. WALTER BOSMAN'S (Government Scholar) final success at the Engineering College at the Chrystal Palace. He was presented with the Society's Bronze Medal for sustained distinction, in no less than 9 terminal examinations. His future successes will not come within the scope of School Reports, but he will continue to carry with him the good wishes of his old school-fellows and schoolmasters.
13. It is also worthy of note that Mr. TAI TIN-PUI, who left the Second Class of this school at midsummer after showing marked aptitude for English Studies, graduated last November as Sau Tsoi at Canton. I am informed that this is the first time this success has been achieved by a Central School boy. It must, however, be clearly understood that the credit of this success does not belong to this school, for as a rule we can do but little more than preserve the knowledge of Chinese a boy brings with him; still Mr. TAI has shown conclusively that application to English studies need not cause a boy to abandon the pursuit of native literature.
HEALTH.
14. The health of the school suffered from the fever and small-pox prevalent in the town, at the close of the year. The Sick List in December is the largest I remember.
CONCLUSION.
15. I will conclude with a few general remarks. The new school is hasting to its completion, and I sincerely trust, that we are not doomed to pass another summer in these overcrowded class- rooms, from which air is effectually blocked out by the houses that hem us in, on every side. It may be that in another year Chinese dwellings may stand on the site of this old School, but its memory will endure; a dozen Morrison scholars, and one Government scholar, hundreds of clerks in English and Chinese Government Service, and a countless number of mercantile clerks scattered over the Far East will have these old walls photographed on their memory of happy youthful days, as long as life shall last. The standard of education at the Central School may be said this year to have attained its High Water mark, it only remains for the Victoria College to take this tide at the flood and so be led on to Fame and Fortune.
I have the honour to be,
Sir,
Your most obedient Servant,
GEO. H. BATESON WRIGHT, M.A.,
Head Master.
The Hon. FREDERICK STEWART, LL.D.,
Colonial Secretary,
&c.,
&C.