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Discipline on the whole is very good. Work sent up at examination should be done neatly on foolscap paper. The school has made good progress in the year.
Sanitation.-Satisfactory. The buildings are not well adapted to accommodate the present large numbers. But there is no danger of insufficient ventilation.
Apparatus. Very satisfactory, except as regards local maps in the lower Classes. English.-Colloquial.—A considerable improvement has been made in the lower Classes as compared with last year. But the result is not yet all that can be desired.
The boys in the two top Classes speak very well. Reading.-The readers used are suitable. Reading is well taught. Writing.-Class IA & B did compositions which, taking the Class as a whole, were very good. Two of them were excellent. The pupils might however do even better if they would give more attention to the matter: some of them erred on the side of brevity. The composition in Class II was "fair to poor." This is not surprising, remem- bering how badly these boys spoke English last year, (see last Annual Report). Their case is a good instance to shew how difficult it is to learn to write a language without ability to speak it. Composition is on the whole well taught in the lower Classes.
Geography. An easy paper on Asia set to the top Classes was well done on the whole, though in a somewhat slovenly and untidy fashion. The art of illustrating answers by sketch maps should be practised. Fuller answers are expected from Classes I & II.- Local geography is now taught in the lower Classes. The Chinese masters require assistance in selecting the facts to be taught. For example, in Class VI boys who knew the names of every little promontory around the Island were yet ignorant of the position and uses of Taitam Reservoir.
History.--The course laid down by the Committee on History and Geography is being followed. The subject is being taught thoroughly; but unfortunately the text books have been in the hands of the scholars for a month or two only, not sufficiently long to enable me to form a definite opinion as to the rate of progress.
Hygiene. The hygiene manual has been begun, and is being well studied as a reader. The Headmaster has not found it practicable to illustrate the lessons by practical experi- ments; which is a pity.
Chinese. Is very good throughout the school. A difficult piece of translation from English into Chinese was well done in the top Class.
Arithmetic. In the top Class very good work was done at examination. The second Class on the other hand did not do well. Arithmetic may however be considered to be a strong subject throughout the school. The following two points should be borne in mind (a) answers to money probleins should be given up in pounds, shillings and pence, or in dollars and cents, and not in fractions of a pound or dollar; (b) the unitary methods should be more frequently used in the solution of problems.
* No. 12.-Fairlea.
Staff-Miss HAZELAND and 2 Chinese Assistants.
Discipline and Organization.—Good:
Sanitation.-Very satisfactory.
Floor Space.-Sufficient for 44 pupils.
board.
Apparatus. Improved, but still requires supplementing. There is only one black-
English.-Colloquial.-Considerably improved; but still not all that could be desired in the lower Standards. Reading.-Very good. Writing.-Great pains are taken with this subject, and the girls write copiously and very correctly, considering the short time they have been studying. Dictation is very good.
Geography. Very well taught to the higher Standards. More attention should be paid to local geography in the lower Standards, as I said last year.