503
Yaumati Anglo-Chinese School.
25. The new school buildings, which have proved most satisfactory, were designed to accommodate 200 pupils. That number has been surpassed by the maximum monthly enol- ment of 6 out of 9 working months in which the buildings have been occupied. The ques- tion therefore of building an additional storey becomes imminent. Meanwhile, room for another 40 or 50 pupils can be found without very serions overcrowding. A second English master was engaged early in the year, Mr. PARKIN.
26. Excursions are conducted as at Saiyingpun. The Headmaster reports that the boys correspond regularly with a large London school, namely, the Virginia Road Council School, and great interest is shown by the correspondents.'
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27. His Excellency the Governor offered a prize for English composition, to be competed for by the Senior Classes of the 3 District Schools. This was somewhat easily won by Yaumati, the winner being Yeung King-Chau.
Wantsal Anglo-Chinese School.
The school is however
28. The average attendance shews only a very slight increase. overcrowded from a pedagogic, though not from a hygienic standpoint. It has been decided to house the Tanglungelau School in the Wantsai building, as soon as certain additions to the latter, already sanctioned, caú be completed. This will probably be towards the end of
1907.
29. The Normal Class continued to be held at Wantsai School on Saturday mornings. The junior Chinese masters gain considerable advantage from these lessons in teaching.
Hygiene was the subject to which most attention was given. Proper methods of teach- ing Geography and English are now well understood. I have suggestel to the Headmasters that the next course might be ou the teaching of Arithmetic, which has hitherto followed rather old-fashioned and cumbrous lines.
THE DISTRICT SCHOOLS, LOWER GRADE.
Anglo-Indian School,
30. The school has continued to develop though not very rapidly, not so rapidly as it did when there was an English teacher. After the summer holidays it was moved to Praya
last.
Anglo-Chinese School, Lower Grade.
31. Except the school at Tanglungchau, which is closely connected with Wantsai School, the Lower Grade Anglo-Chinese schools are in outlying parts of the Colony and the New Territories, at Aberdeen, Pingshan, Uenlong and Taipo. They are each under a sole Chinese master, and they attempt to give a 3 years' course of study. It can not be said that they are very popular; the average attendance at them is only 17. Whether this is because the country folk and fisher people do not see any great advantage to be gained from a study of English, or whether because without the stimulus of an English master the teachers in these inaccessible places refrain from exerting themselves to the uttermost, is hard to say.
VERNACULAR SCHOOLS.
Belilios Public School, Chinese Side.
32. In spite of the fact that a small fee has for the first time been charged, the attend- ance shews no falling off The headmaster is evinced that the fee might be doubled, without seriously affecting the attendance: but in my opinion, no increase had better be made for at least a year.
he school gives a sonal clucation, and a fair proportion of the girls are in the 3 highest Standards.