Page
March 26, 1904.]
$924 in 1902 (8 months). During the first six months of the year I visited the school every fortnigh!, and less frequently during the latter half of the year. As regard discipline and organisation, I bave nothing to say but praise. I think it would be hard to find anywhere a brighter or better ordered school. As regards the curriculum, I am not yet prepared to give a final opinion. It will be another year or two before the results of the very solid and practical course of study are fully seen. I should add that I have made no suggestions as to the curriculam which Mr. James has not adopted. I shall report more fully on the school work at the end of the school-year in July.
The following new features were introduced in the course of the year-a.) Towards the close of the year a Committee was appointed by the late Governor to consider the question of religious instruction. This Committee recom- mended that Biblical instruction should form part of the school curriculum. Scripture history will therefore form part of next year's syllabus. (b.) The celebration of Empire Day. The school met at the usual time, and after listening to an address from the Head. master, sang the national anthem, and was then given a whole holiday, (c.) The national anthem is regularly sung by the whole school befor dismissal on the last day of each week. (d.) The school is drilled by a military Drill Instructor once a week. (e.) A dancing-class is held on Saturdays. (f.) The infants have been taught paper-folding, which will be followed by clay-modelling. as 8000 as the necessary materials arrive from England (g.) Practical chemistry and brush-work are being taught in the Fourth Form. (h.) The addition to the Staff of a pupil-teacher.
BELILIOS PUBLIC SCHOOL.
I drew attention last year to a falling off in the number of attendances. which I attributed partly to the doubling of the fees charged in the latter half of 1901, and partly to the competi. tion of other schools. In 1903 the average number of enrolments was 224 as against 342 in 1900.
Though the decrease in numbers appears to have stopped it has only done so owing to a new demand which the school is satisfying for the time being. In 1900 4 per cent, of the scholars were Indian boys under eleven y ars of age in the Preparatory School. In 1903 the had increased to over 9 per cent. At least another 11 per cent. are Eurasian or Asiatic bays other than Chinese. There appears to be need of a school for thes boys; and I am glad to report that temporary arrangements have been made, thr: ugh the liberality of a member of the Indian community, by which a Grant School will at once be opened for them.
THE DISTRICT SCHOOLS,
These schools were entirely re-organised at the beginning of the year. Special attention has been paid to the improvement of the Chinese masters in the method of their teching, ́especially in the method of teaching English.
NORMAL CLASS.
|
A Normal class has already done much to improve their knowledge of the science of teaching. The fees paid by the scholars have gradually been raised, till now $2 a month is paid by new boys, and $1 a month by the scholars already in attendance. At Yaumat, fees were charged from the middle of the vear only. The total of fees collected was $1,507.50, compared with $152.50 in 1902, and nil in 1901. Attendances have as usual been extremely irregular. The average number in attendance at the three schools combined was 265 (Saiying- pun 95, Yaumati 74, Wanchai 96). The schools were well equipped during the year with books and apparatus ordered from England: but as these did not arrive till the latter part of the
year,
and as some time was inevitably taken up with arranging the curriculum accordingly, the schools upon their reconstructed basis can hardly be said to have been working for more than six months.
GRANT SCHOOLS.
CHINA OVERLAND TRADE REPORT.
Chinese Schools, three at least the Roman Catholic Cathedral School, the Ellis- Kadoorie School, and the S. Stephen's Anglo- Chinese School-have given evidence of a desire to attach due importance to the study of spoken English. The last is an encouraging example of a well-conducted school under Chinese mas- ters only. It has greatly improved in the last two years. The Vernacular Schools have on the whole greatly improved in the last two years. This improvement is naturally most, easily detected in those which elected to come under the new Code at once, and which were thus freed from a hard-and-fast course of study. The schools under the management of the Rev. H. K. Wells, of the London Mission, show great promise.
The Grant Code was adopted by some schools at the beginning of July, but I am not yet able to report definitely as to its effect. The Italian Conrent and one or two other Roman Catholic Schools drew up what appear to be very sonud courses of study under the provisions of the Code, and will, I feel sure, be materially improved by them. Of the Anglo.
HONGKONG OBSERVATORY IN
1903.
Mr. F. G. Figg, the Acting Director of the Observatory, says in his anuu I report that the results of the daily weather forecasts have been:
Success 58 per cent., partial success 34 per, cent., partial failure 7 per cent,, failure 1 percent. Following the method used in meteorological offices and ta ing the sum of total and partial success as a measure of succoss, and the sum of total and partial failure as a measure of failure, it follows that 92 per cent. of the weather fore- casts were successful in 1903. The China Coast Meteorological Register was printed every morning at the Observatory, and information regarding sto us was telegraphed to Hongkong and exhibited on notice boards as often and as fully as such information could be justified by the weather telegrams received. This happened ou 80 days in 19 3. 8 times, the rel south cone 3 times, the black I be red drum was hoisted drum 4 times, the black south cone 3 times, the black north cons once, and the black ball twice, Two lanterns were hoisted typhoon gun fired once.
once, and the Printed bulletins for general distribution were i-sued oa 4 occasions. About 60 copies of the China Coast Meteorolo. gical Register are delivered free daily to ship- ping firms and others.
During 1903 in addition to meteorological registers kept at about 40 stations on shore, 1,450 ship logs have been forwarded by the captains. The total number of vessels, whose log-books have been made use of, was 1836. The total number of days' observations (counting separately those made en board different ships on the same day) was 9.428.
Professors Shinjo, Otani and Yayayama, of the Imperial Japanese Geodetic Commission who were on a tour for the purpose of determin- ing the constant of gravity and the magnetic elements at various places in the Far East, spen a fortnight at the Observatory in the spring, the magnetic hut being placed at (their disposal for their work in Hongkong.
In 1903 the number of transits observed was 1,067. The axis of the transit instrument was levelled 217 times, and the azimuth and collima- tion errors, which are less liable to variation, were determined 10 times by aid of the meridian mark. The whole of the observations have been made and reduced by Mr. J. I. Plummer, and are now ready for the press. The standard sidereal clock by Dent continues to give com- plete satisfaction.
NOTES FROM THE BOTANIC GARDENS.
241
Brunfelsiu ramosissima resembles the above species in habit, but the flowers are rather darker and the leaves are elliptical and glabrous seen growing near those of B. macrophylla. on both sides. Plants of this species may be Both of these plants are natives of Brazil, and they have lately been. reduced to Brunfelsia calycina.
flowering at this time of the year is Viburnum An excellent shrub for growing in_pols and tomentosum, a native of China and Japan. The series of large, white, sterile flowers which most showy part of the inflorescence is the
surround the small, yellow, fertile ones. terile flowers probably serve the purpose of attracting insects to the plant to aid in its fertilisation. There are several of these Viburnums to be seen around the fountain in the old garden.
These
The rainfall for the last week has been 2.27 inches.
NEW ENGINE-WORKS FOR HONGKONG.
was
MESSES. GEO. FENWICK & CO. Queen's Road East that, when the new re- It must have forcibly struck passers down clamation scheme Geo. Fenwick and Co., Ld., with their large completed, Messrs. sheerlegs on the Praya, would, on account of losing their water frontage, have to find effect appeared in the Daily Press some four new premises. In fact, a comment to that months ago. Those interested in the company are to be congratulated, as their represents- tives on the 21st inst. piece of Crown foreshore and sea-bed at North secured a valuable Point, near the Bay View Hotel, for a term of rent to be fixed by His Majesty's surveyor, for 75 years, with the option of renewal at a Crown
tion, Marine Lot No. 285, has not yet been re- a further term of 75 years. The lot in ques- claimed, but when it is the boundary measure- ments will be:-N.W., 400ft.; S.E. 444ft.; N.E., 522ft.; S.W., 445ft.; and contents in square feet 201.132. Under the conditions of sale the purchasers, too, are required to reclaim the whole area of the Lot roads along
and public the North-East and South- East boundaries, and protect the same by means of substantial sea-walls
or other- wise as the Director of Public Works may approve and to his satisfaction; the whole to be completed within two years from the date of sale.
The roads are to become the property of the Government on their completion and will be surfaced and channelled by the Government. Some of the conditions of sale are rather onerous, but on the other hand, permission is given the purchasers to obtain all the earth required for reclamation from Crown land in the vicinity, and labour is not expensive in these parts. The annual rent of the lot is $2,078. The upset price being $70,400, Messrs. Geo. Fenwick & Company's representative called $70,600 and nobody bid against him. We are informed that the Company intend to build slipways and new engine-works.
HONGKONG ODD VOLUMES SOCIETY.
The annual general meeting of the above society was held on the 21st March, at 5.15 p.m., at the office of the Hon. Secretary, Hon, H. E. Pollock, K.C., 18, Bank Buildings,
The Hon. Treasurer, Mr. W. H. Purcell, presented to the meeting a statement of accounts, of which the following is a summary :— To printing and advertising To rent of hall, eto..
+
$107.85 287.88
To refreshments at Dr. Thomson's lecture 45.80 To shroff
10.00 75
To cheque-book To balance in bank...
The Brunfelsias are a very ornamental class of flowering shrubs, natives of the West Indies and South America. Several species are re- presented in the gardens, three of which ara DOW in flower, One of these is Brunfelsia macrophylla, a small shrub about three feet high with violet-coloured flowers nearly 2 inches in diameter. We are not quite sure that we have described the colour of the flowers correctly, The flowers are found at the ends of the branches as we feel certain a lady would call it heliotrope. By balance on last account, 11th April,
conspicuous features at the present time. The By interest to date ... in great numbers, so that the plants are very By subscriptions collected lanceolate leaves are about 4 inches long, glabrous and shining above, but glaucous underneath. Specimens may be seen in the big shrubbery in the new garden and on the bank above the Grevillea walk in the old garden,
1902
73.09
$525,37
$257.79
234.00
9.58
$525,37 W. H. PURCHLI,
Hon. Trenurer.
Hongkong, 18th March, 1904.