216
rich and poor alike descend to the dead level of the wanderer in the realms of the hereafter. But the sage who has from his countrymen, as represented by the Em- peror, been canonised feels none of these miseries. For him at the appointed times rich offerings are made, and smoke ascends from thousands of altars. He alone king and emperor, and when all others are for- gotten he still, in the shady realms of the dead, enjoys a greatness and an immortality denied to all.
:.
the belief in
in
QUEEN'S COLLEGE IN 1903.
(Daily Press, 15th March.)
THE HONGKONG WEEKLY PRESS AND
|
|
[March 21, 1904.
AND SHAREHOLDERS.
(Daily Press, 14th March.)
average atten lance 940 per day, prastically | A QUESTION BETWEEN DIRECTORS the same figures as in 1902. There was a small diminution of $200 in the revenue from fees, but this was due to the necessary closing of the Hall during the first five months of the year for repairs to the roof. The non-Chinese classes were abolished in February, 1903, the falling-off in numbers making the assignment of two English masters to them unjustifiable. The boys from
them were scattered among the mixed classes, the result being that the majority of them suffered for it. Chinese School, abolished in 1896, has been restored. five vernacular masters having been ap- pointed. During last January these mas- ters were employed in marking translations into Chinese, in examining boys already in the College with a view to their classification in Vernacular school, and in drawing up time-tables and regulations. A Normal Master, whom Dr. BATESON WRIGHT ap- pealed for as early as in 1887, has been granted at last, the appointment dating
from the 1st instant.
In a commercial community like that of Hongkong, certain questions are constantly arising to which answers are not immediate- munity there is necessarily a diversity of ly forthcoming. In any commercial com- interests, in spite of the common bond of commercial enterprise which keeps the Such is the practical and material view
various sections together, and there- which canonisation presents to the China-
fore, in order to arrive at an adequate man. The benefits which the most. holy of
answer to some vexed questions, it is sages can confer on the present generation are passed by as of no account by a
imperative to strike a mean or find a com- people with whom the
experience
promise which will satisfy, as far as possible, Une question has all parties concerned. been brought forward very prominently of of the past disfavours the supernatural, or
it
late, with reference to the shareholders and benevolent influence on the present. But,
the policy of the directors of different con- curiously, the reverse is not held to be the
cerns in the Colony. We do not propose to case. The departed can and does inflict
pronounce in any definite manner on the injuries, and to avert these is the aim of
merits of the case, but merely to call atten- every Chinaman. It is scarcely from an
tion to the point principally at issue. There undiluted feeling of benevolence that offer-
With regard to the Oxford Local Ex-are, as is a familiar fact, a number of ings are made to the departed, and hence aminations, the Head Master states that the thoroughly sound business concerns in the importance attached to the rite of im-good results of 1902 were surpassed in 1903. Hongkong, which every year can put forward perial canonisation, and the enforced offer-
39 certificates were obtained by Queen's a most satisfactory balance sheet, showing ings to their Manes.
College boys-5 Senior, 9 Junior, and 15 increasing prosperity and excellent prospects Preliminary. The mark G, next to Distinc- for the future. The shareholders in such tion, was obtained 40 times in 1903 as
concerns might be expected to be delighted against 16 times in 1902. The percentage at the fact that their money is invested in of passes was 83 in Senior, 43 in Junior, and absolutely trustworthy securities, where the 79 in Preliminary. "The inferiority shown risk of losing their capital is practically by the Junior candidates should prove a non-existent. But what do we find? Ă salutary lesson for the future," says Dr. large number of these shareholders are any. BATESON WRIGHT, as with very little thing but satisfied. And why? Their line more application several more buys might of argument appears to be as follows: have passed." In the Annual Examination We have put our money into this cencern, of the school last December and January 997 which every indication showed us to be a took part, a record figure for Queen's Col- sound one. We see it flourishing and its lege Dr. BATESON WRIGHT found the income increasing steadily. Therefore we result very satisfactory. Estimating 34 per expect an increasing return for our money. cent, marks as necessary for a pass, he We have already invested in other com- found that in the Upper School (266 boys panies, which have gone to the wall, thereby examined) 88 per cent. passed; in the Lower losing us our capital. If we suffer with the (493) 87 per cent, and in the Preparatory bad companies, should we not profit with (238) 93 per cent. In his observations on the good? But no! We find that in the the various subjects, he notes in English successful companies the Directors go in for reading considerable improvement in phras- a policy of consolidating and strengthening, ing, though mispronunciation of common of writing off on depreciation, and not of words requires attention. Dictation was increasing the dividends. Now, if we wanted very good, except in the junior section of simply a certain investment, we have the Class I. "Shakespeare," history, geography, Banks, with their four per cent. on fixed and composition were exceedingly well done. deposits, or there are Debentures, which We have preferred The results in conversation were most promise us six per cent. pleasing. As to grammar, Dr. BATESON to put our money in the concerns of which WRIGHT regrets once more to be obliged to we are now complaining, because we saw complain of the low standard reached. that they both were sound and offered Translations from and into Chinese were the prospect of large increases in revenue. well done, the former being better than the But we find that we do not profit with latter. Under the heading of mathematics, their growing prosperity. We have con- arithmetic was weak, but algebra a success- tributed our money to build up the ful subject; Classes I. and II. did well in concerns, but it rests with the Directors Euclid and book-keeping. The general whether we are to reap the reward. It may intelligence paper was better worked thau in Dr. BATESON WRIGHT's previous experience, the answers showing acquaintance with a wide field of information. On the whole, it will the Head Master's conclusions are
In November last we criticised in these columns a report on Queen's College by Messrs. A. M. THOMSON, E. A. IRVING, and 8. B. C. Ross. We have before us now the report of Dr. G. H. BATESON WRIGHT, Head Master of the school, on the past year's work. It is interesting to compare the two. It may be remembered that the examiners last year abandoned the attempt to draw up a graduated order of merit and set themselves to enquire whether the work of the school was laid upon the soundest possible lines. They devote about a fort. night, therefore, to the inspection, which included the examination of individual boys and a study of note-books and of the masters' methods. As a result of their investigations they drew up a number of General Recommendations," the gist of which was that colloquial English should be made the most important instrument .for teaching English, which it was not at that time; that the teaching of history and geography should be systematised through- out the school; that less attention should be paid to mathematics, at present the strongest point; that reading should be studied intelligently, not, as now, under the two heads of reading with, and reading without, comprehension of the meaning; that the teaching of Chin se should be altogether reorganised; aud that the less competent Chinese masters should be placed under the supervision of English masters. The Governing Body of Queen's College, generally speaking, agreed with examiners' recommendations, and we may widely different from those of Messrs. take it therefore that the review of the THOMSON, IRVING, and Ross last summer. system of teaching contained in the report We cannot suppose that a vast improve- was admitted to be just. We see, however,ment has been made in the interval, and must that the Head Master's reprt takes u therefore consider that the two standards notice of it beyond saying that the annual employed were totally unlike, either | examination of Queen's College in Decem- because the independent examiners were too ber and January is now held by the Head severe or because Dr. BATESON WRIGHT was Master, the inspection and examination by too lenient. And we must make allowance independent examiners being assigned to too for the natural tendency of the pupils to the summer. This strikes us as a rather appear to advantag: before one with whom curious omission. But we will turn to Dr. they are familiar rather than before three BATESON WRIGHT's report.
outside judges. Nevertheless we must cou- fess to finding the margin between the two estimates surprisingly large.
the be seen,
The total number of boys on the roll at Queen's College in 1903 was 1,453, and the
be that we sell out when we leave the Colony, after five years, during which time we have had but moderate dividends. The Directors may decide next year to give a more generous dividend, the benefit of which a man who has bought from us and has only held the shares a few months may enjoy. Are we not right in asking for a sort of equity of dividend, and a consis ent method of writing down-for example, a regular ten per cent. for depreciatio. not one year five per cent. and another ona, per cent? These concerns in which we are in- vesting are not like Fire Insurance coni- panies, where the risk is unlimited and the inanagers can never know when they will not suffer heavy losses; they are well established companies, with limited risks. In a word, we ask for consistency of writing down and for an equitable dividend.