18. REMARKS ON INDIVIDUAL SUBJECTS.
Reading Maintains its high standard. It is to be noted that more attention has been paid in the Upper School to phrasing and punctuation.
Colloquial.-A much severer standard was exacted; but masters and boys had fully prepared themselves. The result was most encouraging. What pleased me most was the evident desire of each boy to exhibit himself to the best advantage; there was absolutely none of the sulky indifference with which the new subject was too often treated last year.
Dictation. Slightly lower percentage, chiefly owing to the failure in I.A.B. to write a rather difficult passage. Otherwise the work was fully up to the average.
Composition.-Very satisfactory, not inferior to the excellent standard of the preceding year. Grammar.--Considerable improvement, especially in the Upper School; with the exception of V.B. the work in the Lower School is accountable for the depression of total percentages in this subject. History-Generally worthy of high praise; the poor work in I.B.C. mars the general effect.
Arithmetic. Though the percentage figure is only slightly larger, the work is of a much higher order; I.A., II.B., III.B., V.A., VIII.A., being most successful.
Algebra.--Very good indeed in Classes II., III., but the papers of the three sections of the First Class were most disheartening.
Euclid.-Generally very good, with the exception of I.c. where out of 21 boys, 14 failed to write a single proposition correctly.
Geography. Here again, if it had not been for the work in the First Class, I should have been able to report considerable advance.
Shakespeare. The percentage 74 against 57 in 1892 is in itself gratifying, but it is more so to note the marked increase in intelligence in coping with the questions.
Translation from Chinese.-The creditable and successful attempt in the Upper School by the boys to make independent translations, instead of reproducing the master's translation, word for word, deserves to be chronicled.
Translation into Chinese.-Very good. Here we have the best test as to whether the boys have grasped the meaning of their Reading Lessons; and as usual there is good evidence that such is the
case.
Latin. I regret that I can observe but little difference from the poor standard reported a year ago. There was a slight improvement in III.c., but the boys in I.c. on the completion of a second year's course betrayed, with two or three bright exceptions, the grossest ignorance of the most elementary knowledge, even of the use of case.
Book-keeping.-Steady improvement; though the percentage is not so high, the tone of work is
better.
General Intelligence.-Manifest improvement.
Chemistry.-Messrs. JAMESON and MACHELL report considerable advance in Practical Work, and two very good papers on stiff Theoretical.
Drawing.-Freehand, Excellent. Model, Fair.
Trigonometry-One boy did a very good second year's paper, another a creditable first year's paper, the third knew nothing about it.
19. Non-Chinese CLASSES.-The experience of the past year still impresses me with the great need of the separation of the senior non-Chinese boys, if any real education is to be imparted to them in this College. I fully sympathise with the English masters, whose lot it is to be in charge of these two classes; as it cannot be doubted that with less exertion their labours would be attended with more brilliant results were they in charge of Chinese classes. The results in I.c. are of a most disappointing character; about half of the papers might have been burnt unread, with little injustice to the writers. A firmer hand, and more organised Home-work, should secure better results in the next twelve months.
20. CHINESE SCHOOL.-The five native teachers who, as usual, held this examination report a steady improvement, especially in the answers to the questions on Literature; but at the same time they have drawn my attention to the absolute want of knowledge of the Chinese language among several of the newly admitted boys, whom they propose to relegate to the Anglo-Chinese Classes.
21. PUPIL TEACHERS AND MONITORS.Of the seven reported under this head last January, only two remain, and they have acquitted themselves very well both in the Practical and Theoretical Tests. The new Monitors have only had time to learn their duties before the class.
22. CONCLUSION.-Had I been told in January 1882, that in eleven years' time, two Chinese Assistants would be qualified to take independent charge of two sections of the Upper School, I should have thought the prophet very sanguine. However, the fact remains that in 1893 Messrs. LUK and WAN taught Classes III. A and B, in their entire course, including English Grammar, History, Composition, Geography, Algebra, and Euclid; and the total percentage obtained respectively is 93