18.
Without a doubt, the most important point in the history of education in Hongkong is to be found during the administration of Sir Hercules Robinson. Denominational education had suffered a severe set-back in Sir John Bowring's time, but an extraordinary revival of energy is noted from the arrival of Sir Hercules in 1859.
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On the Protestant side, Bishop Smith started, in 1859, the Diocesan Native Training school, which had a prosperous career. St. Paul's College also received a new lease of life under Mr. (subsequently Dr.) J. Fryer and prospered as long as he remained in charge. Quite a new branch of educational work was started in 1861 by Miss Baxter, who commenced to labour for the education of the Eurasian children in the Colony. For this purpose, Miss Baxter established in Mosque Terrace and in Staunton Street, schools which were subsequently amalgamated and located in Baxter House on Bonham Road.
At the same time, Miss Magrath laboured in a similar direction, while Miss Legge and the ladies of the Berlin Foundling House were engaged in the education of Chinese girls.
Taking a more prominent position, and striking out a new path, Dr. Legge came forward as an educational reformer. During the administration of Sir John Bowring, he had closed his Anglo-Chinese education. He now set to work, with the support of Governor Robinson to convert all the Government schools, which had hitherto been conducted in the interests of religious education, into professedly secular institutions.
On January 21, 1860, the Government Gazette announced the formation of a new Board of Education for the management of Government Schools. Though Bishop Smith retained the nominal chairmanship, Dr. Legge was actually the presiding spirit and he ruled it with the ease and grace of a born bishop.
After obtaining the resignation of the Missionary Inspector of Schools, the new Board of Education took up Dr. Legge's plan of merging the Inspectorate of Schools in the headmastership of a grand Central School, which was to become the centre of secular education. It was essentially a nonconformist liberation scheme, which preferred secularism to episcopalianism.
The Governor approved Dr. Legge's plan, and, on March 25, 1861, the Legislative Council sanctioned the purchase and enlargement of premises in Gough Street for the new school. This was forthwith filled with some 200 Chinese boys by the amalgamation of three existing Government schools. Dr. F. Stewart became the first headmaster and for 16 years he laboured, as the faithful disciple of Dr. Legge, to maintain the reign of secularism in the sphere of local education.
Under his disciplinarian regime, the Government Central School gradually became a highly popular institution and retained its hold upon public favour as long as it bore the impress of Dr. Stewart's own personality.
The establishment of this Central School was, however, the ruin of the once equally popular St. Andrew's school. St. Andrew's was closed in 1861, and on this site, Dr. Legge erected his new Union Church, which was formerly situated in Hollywood Road.