320
English Schools (Non-Chinese.)
42. There are 10 schools in this class with a total average attendance of 1.059. The three largest schools are the Diocesan School for Boys, the Italian Convent and St. Joseph's College. Since the closing of the Cathedral School the latter now contains also a Chinese division. The numbers at St. Joseph's have increased considerably during the year chiefly owing to the formation of the Chinese Division. All these schools were returned as thoroughly efficient, St. Joseph's for the 2nd time in succession; it thus carns the full grant, for the first time.
Anglo-Chinese Schools.
43. The Ellis Kadoorie School is still the most important of the Upper Grade Schools which number 3 in all. It has increased in numbers and the average attendance now stands at 397 as compared with 319 in 1906. The Government contribution of $7,000 towards the extension of the school building was paid in June. Of the two remaining schools of this class Fairlea School which was not a great success has now been voluntarily closed by the management.
44. The Lower Grade Schools are now reduced to 2. One of the original 3, ¿e., No. 15 has been closed as it has been inefficient for two years in succession.
Vernacular Schools.
45. The Training Home for Girls and the Berlin Foundling House are again Upper Grade Schools as European's are now in charge of them as in 1905.
46. The number of these schools has decreased during the year as stated in paragraph 6 but the total number of attendances has increased from 1,947 to 2,118.
The
47. The "A" Class Vernacular Schools, ie, those carning a grant of at least $7.00 and with 25% in the case of boys schools and 20% in the case of girls schools in Standard III and above is smaller than it was in 1906. 4 Boys Schools and 3 Girls Schools are in the "A" Class as compared with 6 Boys Schools and 3 Girls Schools in 1906. general standard of work in nearly all schools is however rapidly improving and there now remain only very few inefficient "C" Class Schools, on the Grant list. The progress is. greatly due to the increased interest taken by managers in the schools under their charge and the formation of School Committees whose duties consist in improving the standard of work in the schools over which they have control.
48. A building grant of $1,500 was paid to the Roman Catholie Mission as the Government share of the cost of rebuilding Grant School No. 28 at Aberdeen.
49. Free scholarships to Government Schools for 4 years if satisfactory progress is shewn year by year have again been offered to the Grant Schools in the "A" Class. The work of the 6 pupils selected for these scholarships from Boys Schools in 1906 has been very satisfactory and all have been continued. In the case of the Girls Schools one has been continued and one has been discontinued as the pupil has left school. (Three were offered in 1906 to Grant Girls School but 2 only were accepted.)
GENERAL.
Scholarships.
50. Table VIII contains a list of all the Government free scholars at present at the Government Schools. The table also shews the date at which the various scholarships were granted and the position of the scholars in the case of those who have held scholarships for one or more years already at the Annual Examination. The final column shews whether the scholarship is to be continued or not. New scholars appear at the end of each list.
51. The Government now offers annually not more the 6 free scholarships to Boys Vernacular Grant Schools and 3 to Girls Schools to be held for 4 years at the District Schools in the case of boys and at the Belilios Public School in the case of girls. Free scholarships 5 in all are also offered annually by the Government, one to each of the two top boys at Tanglungchau and Aberdeen Lower Grade Government Schools (at the latter school only one if the average attendance is less than 40 for the year) and one to the top boy of the three New Territory Lower Grade Schools in competition, to be held at the Upper Grade