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THE HONGKONG WEEKLY PRESS AND
| seem to the audience other than the children to | speak idly. It is somewhat difficult to hit the mean in these matters. However, I will do the best I can. You see as regards the school that the report consists of a statement as to what has been done during the past year. As re- gards the individual scholars I think this is an opportunity for them to look back on the past year in regard to their individual acts and see what they have done. It appears that a great many of them have done well, but still I think all of them cannot have done well. There must have been, I sup- pose, some idle and careless girls, and I am quite sure there have been some idle and care- less boys. I put it to you boys and girls who have been in that plight to mend your ways dur- ing the coming year. Remember the great importance of forming good habits at school. Remember the very great value of making the most of teaching given you at the school by acquiring habits of industry and patience, and steadiness with regard to your lessons. Of course children are not all born alike. Some are born what is called clever and some what is called dull or slow. I should like to tell you my ex- perience has been that it is very often the dull or slow child who gets the better of the clever child both at school and in after life, and the reason is that the clever child is too apt to rely upon his cleverness and not to give that earnest application to its studies that is necessary if excellence is to be attained, whereas the dull or slow child realises that he must make an effort and is generally inclined perhaps to be more steady and industrious than the clever child. I ask you who are clever to acquire the habit of steadiness and industry, and this habit added to your cleverness will enable you to excel. Remem- ber that you are forming whilst at school habits which will abide with you during your after life. If now you are careless, idle, inattentive, heed not what your teacher says to you, depend upon it those habits will stick to you in after life and interfere with your usefulness and advancement in life. That is so true that it is almost unnecessary for me to dwell upon it. I must confess that the more one looks back upon this period of childhood the more one wishes the children to realize that it is the time of brightness and happiness, and wishes our young people to get the full measure of bright. ness and happiness from it. I have the greatest sympathy with the children, and I only wish they could realize what a time of happiness and blessedness the early portion of their life is. The poet said—
girls who are taught at the schools. With regard to the schools generally, it appears from the report which has been read by Mr. Braidwood that the past year has been on the whole a very satisfactory one. I find that at the Gov- ernment examination in December last 161 'pupils were presented that is to say 69 boys and 32 girls. Out of the candidates presented 94 per cent. of the boys passed, but the girls did still better, the whole of them passing. (Applause.) It is satisfactory to see that in the important subjects of reading, copy-writing elementary science, and book-keeping the whole of the candidates passed. (Applause.) In arith- metic, grammar, and geography 98 per cent., or nearly the whole, passed. (Applause.) In con. nection with the important Oxford local examin- ation these schools sent up a very fair percent- age of scholars, and out of 16 presented ten were successful. (Hear hear.) These 16 were made up as follows: boys seven and girls nine. Of the seveni boys three passed and of the nine girls seven passed. (Applause.) You will see there that the girls did distinctly better than the boys, and furthermore, Miss Mehta was distinguished in Scripture. That, I think, is the only distinction gained by these schools at that examination, and that is a very creditable thing for Miss S. Mehta to have done. I hope she will repeat and enlarge her successes in subsequent years. (Hear, hear.) Mr. Belilios and Mr. Naphtali were the lucky winners of the prizes given by the Navy League in order to infuse a spirit of patriotism among the scholars of these schools. (Hear, hear.) I am glad to see from the report that the boys, and I presume the girls also, are drilled by a competent instructor. It gives the Commandant of the Volunteer Corps great pleasure to see that the schools form a good recruiting ground for the volunteer corps. (Hear, hear.) You will see the result of teach- ing them drill in school is that they like to keep up their drill as young men and join that force which I really believe is useful in the colony-the Hongkong Volunteer Corps. (Applause.) Now, ladies and gentlemen, so much with regard to the school generally, I think Mr. Williams and Mr. Braidwood may rest satisfied that the schools have done good work in the past year, and I hope they will continne to do good work in the future. I was very much interested to see the class of boys and girls taught at these schools. I should imagine, with regard to the girls at any rate, that there are not many means elsewhere of their gaining so efficient an education as they have gained at these schools. With regard to the superiority-as it indeed is of the girls 88 compared with the boys in these schools, one may make a few remarks on the subject of female education. I have That is very true. It is a great satisfac- not seen
many decades, but still I have tion to be able to look back upon your seen quite enough to recollect that during the childhood days and think you have spent earlier of those decades female education was a them well and to the best advantage, that thing of scraps and shreds. Female education you got from them that happiness, that very was carried out in a very perfunctory and in-highest happiness, which a kind providence complete manner. But now in various depart- destined you to receive during that period of ments of learning women equal and rival men. time. I think I should like to impress upon You boys must not allow the girls to take away the girls and boys one or two other things. from you the intellectual superiority which the These are the very great value of cultivating a men have held for so long. (Hear, hear.) I do kind, courteous manner in regard to your fellow not say that for one moment by way of jealousy pupils and in regard to your teachers, and in of the women. Far from it. I am exceedingly regard to your brothers and sisters and others at glad to see that women now have the means home. I believe myself, so far as my observation of acquiring so much higher and better educa- goes, that a great deal of the happiness of life tion than in times past, but at the same time arises from self-sacrifice and consideration for while we are glad to welcome the girls on others. (Hear, Hear.) I think, girls and boys, the same plain with us We must not let you will always find that to be true. It is them get on to a higher plain, and I do especially the lot of girls and of women hope that next year the boys will not allow to be self-sacrificing and to surrender their this state of things to be repeated. (Hear, rights and previleges in favour of others, hear.} You must by all means be at least and that is why girls and women are such the equals of the girls. Let the girls ex- blessed parts of Creation. I am afraid they cel, but you must excel also. (Hear, hear.) carry that self-sacrifice and kindness sometimes Now with regard to the boys and girls generally to the extent of spoiling as men. I am afraid of course I do not propose to read a sermon to we are more or less selfish-at least we are you, you would not thank me if I did, but at the same time my past experience tells me that on these occasions it is expected of the older per- son who addresses the girls and boys that he will offer them some counsel and advice which may be of use to them in their school days and possibly in their after life. It is a somewhat delicate subject to deal with, because of course if you put it on too high a level, so to speak, you go over the heads of the children and if you use language of too homely à character you' and afterwards.
Sc
Oh, talk not to me of a name great in story; The days of our youth are the days of our glory,
And the myrtle and ivy of sweet two and twenty
Are worth all your laurels, though ever so plenty.
often told so--and I am afraid the tendency of modern times is not to lessen that particular failing. We all live so fast, the time goes so quickly, that we look more and more to ourselves That is a thing and less to those around us. we ought to fight against and endeavour to resist as far as we can, and we look therefore to the younger generation to endeavour to form those habits of self sacrifice which will bring them happiness both at the time
| April 2, 1898. pressing my thanks to Mr. Williams for kindly asking me to come here this afternoon to perform the pleasant function of giving these prizes and also to express my sincere wishes for the welfare of these schools. I am quite sure you all feel more or less interested in these schools by virtue of your being present, and I hope you will join with me in expressing the very sincere wish that they will continue to prosper and turn out scholars who will make good and useful men and women in this colony and who will become citizens of whom the colony will be proud. (Loud applause.)
Hon. E. R. BELILIOS-Ladies and Gentlemen, I have listened with much pleasure-as I am sure all present have listened to the remarks made by his Honour the Chief Justice, and I hope the pupils will lay to heart what he has said.". We are all very much indebted to Sir John Carring- ton for presiding on this occasion and thus giving us the cheerful light of his presence. Those engaged in the work of education in this colony, whether they be employed by the Government or engaged in private establish- ments, require a little encouragement, and I am very glad to see the Chief Justice so ready to give that encouragement and advice. The scholars, too, feel when they are commended by so high an authority, an incentive to fresh exertions to out a still worthier figure at the next examination. I hope frequently to meet his Honour on such occasions in the future, and I am confident be will find the time devoted to the interests of education has not been wasted. With so great & pressure on his time and attention it is most kind and considerate on his part to devote some of it to matters unconnected with the most important department over which his Honour so ably presides. With these remarks I beg to move a hearty vote of thanks to the Chief Justice for presiding at this meeting and I ask you to show your approval by acclamation.
The request was heartily responded to as also was the request of the schoolmaster for three cheers for Sir John Carrington.
The following was the prize list:-- Oxford University Local Examination.- Senior, A.A.-Serene Mehta, (distinguished in Scripture), Augusta Souza.
Juniors. Annie Baker, Mary Rodger, Iss Henderson; Joseph Joseph, Eneas d'Aquino, J. H. Ruttonjeo.
Preliminary.Mozelle
Ivanovich.
Marcus, Augusta
Navy League Essay. Command of the sea'-H. Naphtali; 'Use of the British Navy.' D. Belilios.
BOYS' SCHOOL.
Math. and Composition; R. Basa, Geog, and Standard Ex VII. Class Prizes.-H. Rapp,
Mapping.
Standard VII.-J. H. Ruttonjee, History and Grammar; A. Seedin, Math; D. Belilios,
Mapping and Painting.
Standard VI.-P. Basa, Reading; F. Rapp, Mathematics; C. Alves, Geography; A. Lopes, Cemposition.
Standard V.-L. Zialcita, General Excellence; S. Tsuchyia, Arithmetic; F. M. da Silva. Mapping; S. Rotes, Reading,
Standard IV.-P. Kohn, Reading; M. Abra- ham, Arithmetic; G. Mackie, Writing.
Standard III.-A. Ribeiro, Arithmetic; J. Casimero, Reading; F. Ortega, Writing.
Standard II.-Julio Botelho, Arithmetic; Y. Kunisaki, Writing; P. Komar, Reading.
Standard I.-G. Klinck, Reading; F. Marti, Writing; G. Komar, Arithmetic.
Special Prize.-M. Abdullah, Painting.
'GIRLS' SCHOOL.
Standard VII. Mary Rodger, Geog., Phys. Geog. and Gen. Proficiency; Serene Mehta, History, Composition and Gen. Proficiency Mable Seth, Needle Work, French and Draw- ing; Rosario Basa, Arithmetic; Annie Baker, Good Conduct and Gen. Proficiency; Maria Xavier and Augusta Yvanovich, Drawing.
Standard VI.-Mozelle Marcus, Geog. and History; H. Schmidt, Composition; Rose Mac- kenzie, Arith., Writing and Drawing.
Standard V-Eva Lewis, Comp., Reading and Geog.; Carmen Botelho, Needle-Work; Helens Yvanovich Arith, and Algebra.
Standard IV. Lily Tregillus, Dictation; A. Carvalho, Needle work; Rachel Silas, Geog Let me conclude by ex-'raphy; E. Pereira, Arithmetic.