115
Health.
During the earlier months of the year the school was visited by epidemics. of measles, whooping-cough and chicken-pox, which, owing to the precautions that had to be adopte against infection, sadly reduced the attendance. In all matters appertaining to the health aud sanitation of the school, I have been guided by the kind advice of Dr. SWAN.
Holidays.
Our original holiday scheme provided for two months at midsummer, and one week between the summer and winter terms-the idea being to devote the maximum of cold-weather time to work. The late Governor Sir H. A. BLAKE decided however that for the future the holidays should consist of six weeks in the summer, three weeks at Christmas, and two weeks at Easter.
Games.
Organized school games I regret to say we have none, owing to the fact that we have no playground worthy of the name. A piece of ground smaller than an ordinary class-room permits of neither cricket nor football-games which at home are so largely respon- sible for that healthy tone called the public school spirit. Last winter I got up some paper-chases, but soon discontinued them owing to the disapproval of the parents.
New Features.
The following new features were introduced in the course of the year:
(a.) Towards the close of the year a Committee was appointed by the late Governor to consider the question of religious instruction. This Committee recommended that Biblical instruction should form part of the school curriculum. Scripture history will therefore forin part of next year's syllabus.
(b.) The celebration of Empire Day. The school met at the usual time, and after listening to an address from the Head- master, sang the national anthem and was then given a whole holiday.
(c.) The national anthem is regularly sung by the whole school
before dismissal on the last day of each week.
(d.) The school is drilled by a military Drill Instructor once a
week.
(e.) A dancing-class is held on Saturdays.
(f) The infants have been taught paper-folding, which will be followed by clay-modelling, as soon as the necessary ma- terials arrive from England.
(9.) Practical chemistry and brush-work are being taught in the
Fourth Forn.
(h.) The addition to the Staff of a pupil-teacher."
THE BELILIOS PUBLIC SCHOOL
I drew attention last year to a falling off in the number of attendances, which I attributed partly to the doubling of the fees charged in the latter half of 1901 and partly to the competition of other schools. This falling off is best shewn by the following table which eliminates the violent fluctuations of the suminer months when attendances are mainly regulated by the severity or mildness of the plague.
Average Number of Scholars enrolled.
1900,
Jan -April,..
.169
Sept.-Dec.,
173
1901,
Jan-April,...
163
Sept.-Dec.
120*
1902,
Jan-April,.
..119
Sept.-Dec.,
..1014
1903,
Jan-April, Sept.-Dec
..117 .107
}
Fecs doubled.
† Kowlonu School open,