92
THE HONGKONG WEEKLY PRESS AND
and that they might be the means of eventually relieving the men of Ishigakki. But fortunately the weather was clear and calm, and the little party reached Kelung in safety. The Dogo Maru was at once sent to the scene of the wreck and will return with the passengers and, cargo to Formosa. The government were in no way interested in the doomed vessel, the sole loss falling on a Mr. Hushigumne who had char- tered her.
JAS. W. DAVIDSON.
(SPECIAL TELEGRAM TO THE “DAILY PRESS.")
TAIPERFU, 23rd January. Battles took place with the retreating rebels near Zelan on the 17th and 18th inst. The rebel loss on the first day was three hundred killed and on the second day sixty, The Japanese loss in the two engagements wis fifteen.
DIOCESAN SCHOOL AND ORPILANAGE.
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satisfactory for a school whose average atten- dance has just risen to 100.
At the Government examination on the 13th and 14th instant 82 boys were examined (several boys had gone away to the country), 73 passed or 89 per cent. (last year 97 per cent.) In English history. English composition, and elementary science 100 per eut passed: reading, geography, physical geograpliy, 97; writing. 96; enelid, 90; grammar, 86; mensura- ition. 85: dictation. 79; arithmetic, 75; algebra. | 61. These percentages are not quite equal to last year. This is due chiefly to two ́causes : (1) the unusual amount of sickness in the autuma and winter caused boys to be often absent and others to go off to their native villages; (2) the extreme difficulty of certain papers in arith- metic and algebra; simple-looking problems often prova very complicated and tedious in solution.
The increasing number of schools where Eng. lish is taught by Chinese has had a perceptible effect on our lower standards, which are becom- ing the smallest classes in the school, whereas formerly they were the largest. Now that the Colonial fuances are flourishing we are hoping to revive the the Government will be able Government scholarship which has been in abeyance three years, but formerly furnished such an incentive to study,
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[January 301896.
tend these occasions year after year-one being very much the same as another and to make a speech at each must very often be a bore." (Laughter). On that occasion, as on this, there was a chiel among us taking notes and as be 'printed' them I fairly expected that they would be fresh in the recollection of the Bishop and Mr. Cobbold, and that some newer and more eloquent and ready orator than myself would have presided this afternoon. Such not being the case, I must come to the conclusion that the Bishop and Mr. Cobbold are two very hard hearted men and that they have combined together with a view of my sacrificing myself on the altar of boredom. Nevertheless, it is now my clear duty, with all deference to the views of a very able writer in the colony, to proceed like the Israelites of old to make the proverbial bricks without the proverbial straw. I have, however, two or three little bits of straw to fall back upon in these returns with which I have been kindly furnished by Dr. Eitel, and after I have made use of them I will hand them over to the representatives of the press for publication. Well, ladies, and gentlemen, as they say at all public meetings, you have heard the report read, and I must say I think it is a very satisfactory one. This school. I would remark, is a charitable one, and to the public it is a most practically useful institution. At the risk of repeating what the Head Master bas said I would call your atten- tion to a few statistics. The average attendance has been progressive on the whole since 1890, and there is a marked improvement between 1894 and 1895, probably connected with the plague. In 1894 the average attendance
was was only 78, and in 1895 it on much as in former years. Careful attention
The proportion of scholars examined bas has been paid to health and physical as well as
steadily increased-in 1890 it was 71, in 1895 mental and moral training. Happy Valley be.
I have asin examined the teaching of it was 82. The last examination shows a ing so far away, cricket, football, and other games: Holy Scripture in the school, and can reportslight falling off in the number of passes in the have been played twice a week on the rough very favourably on the result. Great pains lower standard, but there is a corresponding patch of land near Robinson Road grauted by i have evidently been taken both by masters and increase in the passes gained in the higher. the Government for the use of St. Joseph's boys, and the papers sent in show that most of standards. The Government grant earned has College, Victoria English School, and curselves. the boys have understood what they have been steadily if slowly increased. In 1890 it was The ground is very uneven and forms two ter.
taught. The marks are on the whole better: 8984; in 1895 it was 81.275. This amount, how- It would be a great improvement if it
than last year.
In each form, except in the two ever, is hardly ten per cent. of the current ex- could be levelled; this should no teost much. In lowest, the second boy is very nearly equal to penditure of the school. The strong point of summer the boys have regular excussions for the first, so that besides the prize winners the the Diocesan School lies in the teaching of the sea bathing and swimming.
following boys deserve honourable mention: higher subjects of an English education, and in Elplänstone. Long. Macbeth. Tregillus. Fan imparting a good grasp of the English idiom in Kow. The boys should be taught to writ more concisely in an examination
DISTRIBUTION OF PRIZES BY THE GOVERNOR,
At noon on the 27th Jun. his Excellency the; Governor, Sir William Robinson, distributed the prizes to the pupils of the Diocesan School and Orphanage. There was a large attendance af friends, amongst those present being the Right! Rev. Bishop Burdon, Hon. W. M. Goodman (Acting Chief Justice. Rev. R. F. Cobhold. ; Mr. G. Piercy (Head Master), and Captain Sterling, A.D.U.
Mr. Piercy, the Head Master, submitted his annual report as follows:--
The school has been uninterruptedly carried
races.
¦
Our best thanks are due tỏ Dr. Atkinson for careful attention to sick boys; to Mr. T. Jackson for kindly contributing to the Christmas tree; and to Sir F. Clarke, Hon. W. M. Goodman, and Hon. E. R. Belilios, C.M... Rev. R. F. Cobbold, Messrs. Ho Tung, J. I. Humphreys, T. Jackson, A. B. Johnson, AJ Mackie, W. Quincey, and G. Sharp and three former pupils for again | 1oviding the prizeS.
SCRIPTURE EXAMINATION,
!
100.
wak'ug and writing. Dr. Eitel tells me that the papers in Euclid, physical geography, elementary R. F. COBROLD, M.A." science, and history displayed a sound mastery of HONOURS WON BY PUPILS IN 1-95.
the rudiments of these subjects. The majority Oxford University Lood Examination-Seniors of these papers I am informed were unusually twith title of A. A.-T. Penning W. Burns, S.good. In fact, the examination of the higher Elphinstone, Junin x—HT Perley. H. S. Pevan, classes displayed the results of a superior style Chan Kwok-tin, D. Elphinstone, U. Hayasaki, I'
of teaching. Mr. Piercy and his assistant R. C. Moone. Preliminary.-E. S. Ford; III. Classe
masters are to be congratulated most heartily Honours, distinguished in treography and Religious on these most satisfactory results. There were, Knowledge, (i. Peming, R. I Kotowall, L. Long.
Pelilios Medal and Prize Examination.-S. Elphin lower standards than there ought to have been, as I said before, fewer passes gained in the stone (2nd); W. Burns (3rd); T. Henning (5th).
but I believe that some of the papers were un- CLASS Prizes:-Seniors-$. Elphinstore. Standard-E. S. Ford. VI. Standard-R. II. Kote usually stiff; therefore the boys who failed wall. V. Standard-Li Cheng-lan IV. Standard
need not be disheartened, but must try again, (1) Li Chi-on, (2) Chau Tin-yan. III. Standard Boys, I must tell you that these examinations are meant to test the extent of the know- -Chan Yam-teng. II. Standard-Choy Posin. I.
ledge you have attained to, and your readiness Standar?-Kaw Sco-hoe.
to meet any emergency which would require the practical use of that knowledge. They are therefore of very great value in more ways than one. I am very pleased to find-and this colony-that the books which I have given remark I think applies to all the schools in the
away as prizes are very useful books in most
VII.
The present members of the staff have worked well and harmoniously. Mr. Haynay came in February to take the place of Mr. Cooke, who
In August Mr.¦ has gone to South Africa. Ralphs arrived from England; he is a trained and certificated muster aud an associate of the London College of Music and has greatly assisted Quartermaster-Sergeant Gornell bringing our drum and fife band to its present state of efficiency. Mr. Barclay has been here sixteen months. It is with great regret that we find the condition of the School funds necessitates our giving up his services, at any rate in part. The school grows steadily larger, and particularly the boarding department; the boarders number between 60 and 79, and come from Japan, Borneo, the Straits, and all parts Their supervision in dormitory. lavatory, dining-room, and playground involves a great amount of work in addition to teaching
SPECIAL PRIZES:-Senior-Euclid and Physio- in school hours; and if a master falls ill, as is graphy, H. R. C. Moore. VII. Standard-Mathe Hayasaki. VI. Standard-Algebra, likely in this climate, the pressure on the others matics
Enelid, and Physiography, L. Long. V. Standard becomes greater. The income from fees was $1,200 more than in 1894 and was the highest-lebra and Euclid, Kong Slan-jak. Music
Algeʻra and Euclid, W. Heiners IV Standard ever attained, but unfortunately the subscrip Hastings. Drawing-Ten Ying-yeng Band (Fifes) tions and charitable contributious were less. -Tang Shing, (Drums) U Hayasiki. Drilling-
Last January five boys entered the Belilios | T. Mae oth Medal and Prize Examination, of whom S Elphinstone won the secondplace, Burns the thi?, T. Benning the fifth. But although twelve months have elapsed they have not received either medal or prizes. No examination has been held this January.
of China.
At the Oxford Local Examination in July 3 Seniors entered and all passed; of 9 Juniors 6 passed. This is equal to former years. A new examination called Preliminary was held for younger boys: 11 entered, of whom 4 passed. This is fairly good for a first effort, especially as one boy Ford was distinguished in geography and religious knowledge and was placed in the Honours division. So far as I am aware no Hongkong candidate had previously attained to Honours at the Oxford Locals. Of 83 Hong. kong competitors only 36 passed; of our 23 candidates 13 passed, which may be considered
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Map drawing Lan Chuh-shang. SCOPTERE PRIZES AWARDED BY REV. R. F. ConnoL9:-VII. Standard—A. J. Mackie. VI. Standard-3 II. Kotewall. Y. Standar Hoing them. hing. IV. Standard-Li Chi-on, III. Standard— Lom Kam-fak II. Standard-J. E. Piercy. Standard-A. Piercy.
I.
Good ConducT PRIZE AWARDED BY THE Boys' Vorts-P. Tregillus.
After distributing the prizes,
His EXCELLENCY said My Lord Bishop, ladies, and gentlemen, owing to the cruel kind ness of my friend and spiritual adviser the Rev. Mr. Cobbold. I find myself again in the difficult position which I have occupied pu several pre- vious occasions. 1 really thought that this year I was safe, for what did our good Bishop say in 1894? I will jog his Lordship's memory. The words you used, sir, were as follows, and they were used in Mr. Cobbold's presence, "To at.
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A study of such books will be of lasting benefit to you. They will enable you to utilize your odd moments to advantage instead of wast- Some of them are books which you can always keep by you, and to which you may refer for useful information on important sub- jects. They are a great improvement on the rubbish which is generally patronised. 'There are two matters mentioned in Mr. Piercy's report which I will look into the first is levelling the piece of ground which the boys use as a playground, and the second is the possibility of reviving the Government Scholarship. And now, boys, I ought to say something more to you, something that may be useful and stimu. lating to you. I have often told you and all the other schoolboys in the colony that if you wish to get on in life, and to succeed in life, you must be industrious and must be persevering. If you are not you will, as our American cousins