January 4, 1909.]
CHINA OVERLAND TRADE REPORT. that time but at the glose of this year we have of China, I have on the Saturdays of the second two students, one from Pakhoi, two from Shiu-half year given a series of lectures on the hing, who, having completed their training, have Parliament of England, as illustrating the been accepted by the Mission as catechists. The gradual growth of our constitution. students' class has never been so large as this year. In addition to the two men just men- tioned, nine others entered in February last after examination, and on the recommendation of native or foreign clergy.“
Of the fifteen members of the Class who have been accepted by the Church Missionary Society for employment during the past seven years, four have resigned, two have been removed by death (one during this year) and the remainder are still carrying on good and faithful work amid surroundings which often are far from
easy.
During the year the average number of boy's in the schools was 60. Of these, twenty-four were in the Upper School and thirty-six in the Preparatory School in Kowloon City. The latter school is held in an old yamen, the property of the Colonial Government, who kindly allow us the use of it at a nominal rental, on a repairing lease. During this, the second year, good work has again been done by the little boys under the charge of Mr. Leung Kin Foon the head-master, and his assistant Mr. Li Po Sam. The health of the latter has prevented him performing his duties during the last few months and his place has been tem- porarily taken by Mr. Kwan Tak Yan. Each of those three young masters are old boys, and their work has shown that their interest in their old school has not flagged.
At the beginning of the year this school was one of four schools which provided for the needs of the sons of our Christians; the others being held at Canton, Pakhoi, and Shin-hing. (All the boys who entered the College this year had passed through one or other of these schools.) When the Rev. A. Iliff was removed. by death in August last, it became impossible to continue that school, at least temporarily, and we received eight of the boys into the Kowloon School. Their knowledge of Scripture and English shows how faithful and thorough was Mr. Iliff's work among these little boys during the last months of his life, during which he devoted several hours each day to them.
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The BISHOP then distributed prizes to the following:
Upper Schools-Class. Prizes-First-Tsang Sung; Second-Wan Tak Woh; Third-Lam Chak Yan. English Prizes (presented by W. L. Pattenden, Esq.) Upper (divided) Au Tin Shang and Lam Chak Yan. Second, Tong Sik. Geography and Map Urawing: First Wan Tak Woh, Second-Li Po Ching. The Bishop's Divinity Prize:Wong Heung Len.
Mr. Li Ping's Prize: Loh Tak Fuk. Preparatory School (Kowloon City) Class Prize: Upper Hoh U Ming; Middle: Shom Wai On; Lower: Shom Wai Cheong. Prizes for Holy Scripture: Upper Class: Ho. U Ming; Middle: Wong A Wan; Lower: Shom Wai On and Fung Sik Hung (equal).
Conduct Prizes: Upper Class: Kwong Cheong Hing; Middle: Lam Chak Hong; Lower: Chung Yan Lap.
and through all its long history it was never » more necessary and · never more efficient than it is to-day. They should be thankful for the excellent report, and for the It may not be improper to say a word about encouraging words of Pastor Fok. His the finances of the College. The students are Lordship desired to express his thanks and ap supported by an annual grant from the,hurch preciation of the work of the Principal, the Missionary Society, which is not available for Vice-Principal and the staff. Long before he the Boys' School, except for the salaries of the came here he heard from friends at home of the masters. The expenses of these schools are good qualities of the Principal and Vice-Prin- defrayed from two sources; school fees and the cipal. It pleased his Lordship to bear witness subscriptions of friends in Hongkong or into the good conduct of the students. He lived England. During the first years, the Boys' side by side with them, and hardly knew there School was entirely free, by the advice of the was a college near him. He emphasised the great late Bishop Hoare; in 1903 the sum of $6 per importance of the work of training teachers; annum was charged, (a nominal sum as the the people of China were becoming more and boys were boarders.) In 1906 the fees were more educated every day, and educated people raised to $20 per annum, and this year to certainly necessitated educated clergy. Refer- $30 in the ollege, and $25 in the Preparatory ring to the question of emoluments which School. Experience seems to show that we have Paster Fok mentioned, his Lordship- said he reached the limit of fees, as most of our Christians would touch the other side of the question: are poor, some very poor, and the boys have to Christians should pay their pastors' and teachers become wage earners on their own account, or better, and he hoped that the time would soon help their families, as soon as possible. Never come when the clergy would be better paid. He theless the sum received for fees in the Upper congratulated the boys on their work for the School increased from $54 in 1903 to $645 in last term. He was very pleased with the report 1907. At the present time, of sixty boys in of the scripture examination, and was pleased to the two schools, only fourteen are supported in hear that there had never before been such keen the sense of having school fees paid for them. competition for the prizes. These are supported by friends, who usually select one boy for temporary adoption. No boy is supported from the general funds, nor any boy clothed from those funds, for we are a School not a Home. At the same time the sum of $30 paid by parents or supporters is only sufficient to feed boys during the ten months of the school year. Hence, for apparatus, and funds to provide for those other expenses necessarily involved in the efficient working of the school, we are bound to depend on subscriptions. In conclusion, we wish to express our thanks to the many helpers who have by their personal service, or their gifts, rendered this ninth year of the College successful:-to the Right Rev. the Bis. hop for presiding here to-day and for his gift of a Scripture Prize; to the Rev. Fok Tsing: Shan, and Messrs. Tung, Leung, Li, Lin, Lui, hu and Kwan, for their instruction during the whole or parts of the year, to Mrs. Bunbury and Miss Stewart for giving instruction in English Progress has been steady in the Upper to older boys: to Miss Storr for the weekly School, but studies suffered a severe setback singing class at the Kowloon School; to Mr. when in the middle of May the outbreak of Chau Kwan Lam for gratuitous instruction in beri-beri rendered it necessary to evacuate for mathematics during several weeks in the spring; a time the College. buildings. We did our best to Dr. Harston for his care of boys suffering for the boys, and our thanks are especially due from trachoma; to the authorities of the Alice to the Headmasters of the Sai-ying-pan and Hospital to whom, as in past years, Yau-ma-tai Government Schools for allowing the College owes a debt of gratitude: to Messrs. boys whose homes were in Hongkong to com- Lazarus for the gift of spectacles in a case of plete the summer term in those schools. Mr. defective sight; to Mr. W. L. Pattenden for an Stewart's commencement of work in the English Prize (for which he has also examined); ( College has made possible more advanced teach- to friends in Clifton and Hongkong who have ing than in earlier years, when I was the only aided in the annual sale of work, and to the foreign master. It is probably known that in many others whose names appear as donors of this school the medium of instruction, is subscribers. To the renewed kindness of the the Chinese language, and that English (in Colonial Government the Kowloon School owes which a daily lesson is given to each class) is a its present quarters, while the thanks of both 'subject. Much may be said for, and much boys and masters in that school are due to Mr. against, the use of a foreign language as aLi Ping for having free of charge laid in medium of instruction, but this at least appears certain, that à technical vocabulary is rapidly being created in Chinese by the labours of a multitude of teachers and writers both native and foreign, and that a complete acquaintance with English, though desirable, is not essential to the pursuit of knowledge. The new Govern- ment Schools in the Empire of China (of which Hongkong is not a part) employ the Chinese language only, while giving intruction in some European language (usually English) as a com- pulsory subject. Hence it was with deep in- terest that I was able to visit three seconary schools in Shiu-hing, and study their methods of work. As a result of these observations a few slight changes have been made in our course of studies at the College, in the direction of assimilation with these schools. In Feburuary last, two senior lads completed their course and were appointed to assistant-masterships in preparatory schools. One resigned in the autumn: the other remains with us. Another boy, a visitor from the 8. P. G. Mission in Borneo, stayed with us one year and is now a school-master in Kudat. As regards studies, the usual subjects have been taught, but more time has been devoted to history and map, drawing than in previous years. In view too of the interest taken in the proposed constitution
concrete the whole floor of the large class room. Last, but not least, to the donors of tennis balls and bats, we again express our best thanks.
Pastor Fox of St. Stephen's Church then addressed the boys in Chinese, and the Rev. Mr. BUNBURY gave a résumé of the address in English. The Pastor told the boys of the difficul- ties which might attend their desire to serve God. There were three types of difficulties, he said, the first being opposition, the second inclin- ation, and the third the question of the comparative emoluments which were obtained by nate preachers and by those who did. Lot do church work. Mr. Fox concluded by advis- ing the boys to look to the end when beset by any of those difficulties.
His LORDSHIP, BISHOP LANDER, then addressed the gathering. He stated that St. Paul's was one of the oldest institutions in the Colony. He had found in its archives- mildewed statute documents dating back some 60 years, when the college was founded by the liberality of a brother and sister. The object of the college primarily was the training of native clergy and Christian teachers for the propagation of the Gospel in China according to the doctrine of the Church of England. Daring its nearly 60 years of existence the college had passed through many vicissitudes,
The prize in the Student Catechists class was.. obtained by Mr. Loh Yan Hin.
THE POLICE DANCE.
Members of the Hongkong Rolice Force Keld their annual dance at the City Hall last night, (Chritmas Eve). As in previous years, it was well attended, and was from every point of view a decided success. What was lacking in the splendour of the decorations found ample com- pensation in the hospitality extended by the hosts to the 300 odd guests. An abundance of greenery and an ample supply of flags adorned the walls of the halls in requisition, and lent colour. to the entrance. When the dance was decided on, preliminary arrangements were taken in hand by energetic committees who did not overlook any detail, and were thus responsible for an excellent evening's entertainment. To the music of Machado's string Band, the devotees of St. Terpsichore danced in St. Gorge's Hall, while these who preferred a quiet game of cards found accommodation and ac.. comodators in the old, Chamber of Commerce. room. Supper was served in St. Andrew's Hall, Mr. Lai Ying Ki, the caterer, giving every satisfaction.
There was a long and varied programme for the dancers which included three waltzes; two quadrilles; one highland schottische; two lancers; two barn dances; two waltz cottilions, a Strathspey reel; two Cireassian circles; two polkas; two Caledonians: two valetas; a schot; tische; two d'alberts; a military two step; and a waltz and gallop. :`.
The committees whose labours were crowned by such an enjoyable evening were:---
General Committee:-Messrs. Baker, Hanson. Withers, Parr, Gordón, Appleton, Wilson, Watt, Ogg, Paterson-McDonald, Cooper, Ferguson, Stuart, Brooks, Elicot and Lee (secretary).
Bar Committee Messrs. Ferguson, Elicot and Kendall.
Supper Committee Messrs; Lee and Parr Card Committee:Mesars, Wilson, Adlington and Bell.