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EDUCATION OF BRITISH CHILDREN IN HONGKONG. IMPORTANT DISCUSSION BY THE BOARD OF EDUCATION, THE WHOLE QUESTION TO BE REVIEWED.
14
A number of interesting questions were discussed at a meeting of the Education Board, held yesterday afternoon, Tho Director of Education (the Hon. Mr. E. A. Irving) prisided and there were also present: the Rev. Dr. T. W. Pearce, the Rev. Fr. Maria, the Rey, A. D. Stewart, Dr. Wan Man-kai, Mr. N. Teesdale Mackintosh, Mr. B. Wylie, Mr. U. Rumjakn, Mr. S. W. To, Mr. A. F. B. Silva-Netto, the Luspector of English -Schools (Mr. E. Ralphs), the Inspector of Vernacular Schools (Mr. A. R. Chalier) - and the Secretary (Mr. Y. P. Law).
THE HONGKONG DAILY PRESS,
Mr. MACKINTOSH: I accept your raling, Sir, but I do suggest that you cannot, ther you are going to teach shorthand in in fairness, consider this point as to whe
British School, until you have decided what kind of education you intend to gim to British children in the Colony,
The CHAIRMAN: Yes, if they won't take too long to consider it, I think they will report on the galler question sooner.
Mr. MACKINTOSH: I do not want to come to a decision on, the smaller question without coming to a decision on the whols question.
The CHAIRMAN: Well, unless you are
*
The CHAIRMAN Will you propose a resolution 7
TUESDAY. NOVEMBER 7TH,
CORRESPONDENCE. MUSICAL WAYS AND MEANS. [TO THE EDITOR OF THE HONGKONG DAILY ERESS."]
STR-I am not sure how far it is in good taste for one of your occasional
vacs
Mr. WYLIE Baid he was against the teaching of shorthand in Kowloon British prepared to recommend that the British Contributors to double the role of corres School; he thought it would be simply a Schools shall not prepare for University that Mr. Bevan's recent remarks on the pondent, but I think it will be agreed Waste of time. He entirely associated examinations, there is not much prospect musical apathy of the Colony deserve himself with the remarks the Chairman of changing materially, the nature of more than a cursory attention. With de, on the subject during the course of the education they give. I think we can much of what he said no one will is the Budget debate. Shorthand was advise the Government as to Victoria is, if possible, to deflect the question agree, and my only object in writing subject which required intensive study School without raising a very wide into the realm of practical politics, and if it was intended to teach it, as part theoretical question.
Now take, for example, Mr. Oro's last of the curriculum of the school it would Mr.MACKINTOSH: I am sorry, Sir, as possible for anyone with any musical concert-about as attractive a programme require a tremendous amount of home did not realise it was a theoretical ques-taates: work before any real success could be tion; "I thought it was a very practical smaller than usual but, copsidering the the audience was going what chirved. Thenverage, boy did not want question.
population here, would not compare too shorthand. Instead of trying to teach
recitals in London, still less with, say, unfavourably with some of the lesser. The Charzias, dealing with the eati- shorthand at Kowloon British School" it mates, mentioned that they had been pre- would be more to the point if the children
an occasional provincial concert given Mr. MICKINTOSH: I propose that a sub by the best local painoforte teacher. The pared in a new and simple form this year were taught more English. To teach a committee be appointed to consider the seats were quite well covered (to Another Inspector of the vernacular boy shorthand who had not a sufficient British children in the Colony, before any moderately so, and the 2/6 ones almost
whole question of the education of seep up the simile), the schools had been appointed and would be grasp of English was ridiculous, and new expenditure is recommended in son.full. Now I am coming to the point. I af very great assistance. He was very even what little English was given world nection with British education.
happen to know that this particular con- strongly or opinion that, in strengthening be spoilt because of phonetics' which must! The CHAIRMAN: When is your con-t resulted in an actual dead loss. vernacular education, more trained puas-be observed and understood before a boy Mr. MACKINTOSH: I could tell you that Last winter the very interesting and
mittee going to report!
One more example and I am done. ters and more trafund mspectors were could properly understand, shorthand. after the committee had been appointed. well-attended series of recitals by the same Deword. For any continued, extension of vernacular ethicsdun, it was importat remarks of Mr. Mackintosh and find a building for the children before
Dr. PEARCE associated himself with the rather a practical one. We have got to only decent grand piano had been sold
The CHAIRMAN: The point I raise is pianist had to be cut short because the have strong inspretorial staffa Re- ferring to British stalls, the Chairman Wylie.
the other is pulled down, and tell the about it?
The question is: What are we to do said several masters bhu arrived during
Government what we want.
You can provide water for the year but the staff, was still short. Od
Mr. MACKINTOSH: I quite agree, but 1-though I hope Mr. Bevan's scathing the horse, hit you can't make him drink the other hand, the staff of assistant mie His experience at St. Joseph's Collegeam not sure we can tell them unless we remarks may increase the consumption. treswa did it very largely increased convinced him that it would be a mis from huise seven or eight mistresses take to include shorthand in the cur brace all the British children in the water for the horse to drink when he bring forward a scheme which will em-The danger is that there may be so lad artved in the last few months The enlum of the school.
Colony: " Chairman poko- of the frequency with The subject was then dropped, the
to make all artists its pensioners. (though wants to. I don't want the Government which changes took place either through Chairman observing that the meeting
so); but I do think it might do something. marriage or sickness amongst the women
it would have Plato's anthority if it did ion that shorthand should not be taught present, year there had been three head-
at the School. mistresses at the Victoria School; thest
exactly what a concert now costs-piano, changes were all due to illness. As to the INVESTIGATION OF BRITISH EDUCA
room and printing. If the piano is the Vernacular Normal School, this was
TION IN THE COLONY,
chief expense I think Government, or the formed two years ago with the idea of producing a supply of moreé
City Hall aided by Government, night The CHAIRMAN antiuard that the V nined teachers for the
run to one. It is all very sordid, but vernacular oria British School bathing would have schools of the Colony,
to come gown in camngeniou with the new The two years
accordingly very necessary. aut 4&-ར་མིག་ཏུ་་་་།། མཆམ།duct;ch.a. 'hltc"; ttacL+ of the present year. In theory, the levels, It was just as well, for the budu. School ought to have turned out 20 men though aut partioperly unsuitable and 20 women, but he was afraid therewight be better and was very old. This "would not be anything like that number
It had been rather hard to persuade the mea, especially, to complete the full course. They did not yet realise what it would lead to; they were not quite are that, after they had spent two years going through the course, they would ad re- munerative employers at the end of it, He hoped that results would show that their fears
were illusory.
The Rev FATUER MARIA said he could also subscribe to all that hail, been said.
teachers, and nienticned" that during the #ppeared to be unanimicusly of the opin kitteshaa a meraber of the sub-committe: To start with, someone might find out)
or less
.
לי
}
was then carried.
MY. WYN seconded the motion which The CHAIRMAN proposed Mr. Mac Dr. T. W. Pearce and Mr. Wylie were: also nominated,
The CHAIRMAN: 1. think the Depart ment ought to be represented. ¡ Mr. MACKINTOSH : T propose Mr.
Ralphs.
These members ..WO appointed.
UNIVERSITY SCHOLARSHIPS FOR
GIRLS
Mr. MACKINTOSH proposed:-
Thold herinsics want to measure how many glasses of port were the equivalent in terms of pinasure to reading a sounet of Shakespeare, but I as an opportunity to consider where the
think most of us now-a-days Fealise that That the Board of Education should there is no ratio possible between the school should go. It was not now on a
Fremmend to the Government that material and the spiritual, I suppose a central spot, and, of course, there was the constant difficulty that the topography
scholarship in education in the Uni. grand piano would cost about as much authorities To bave that desideratum of Hongkang imposed upon educational
versity of Hongkong be opened to com-as cutting off a single corner of thie a big school with a large staff-neant that
petition by girl candidates from all Jubilee Road. But I think our Govern schools in the Colony to be awarded ment is sufficiently edlightened to realise chituren would have to travel long is on the results of the Matriculation that for fitty people to hear a Beethoven distances and parents would not like that, Examination, in November in each year Sonata even once a year is out of all In reply to Mr. MACKINTOSH, the Chair- and, if possible the first be awarded on proportion more important than for five Hongkong world want most of the graduates for to send bak to-die Victoria. Send the In November, 1979,
man mentioned that it was only proposed the results of the examination to be held hundred motorists to be able to negotiate vacancies in the Education Department and any others would, he thought, bavu Birl not the boys who had hitherto Mr. MACKINTOSH reminded the Board difference is (and use the word in its a curve, without slacking speed. The very little difficulty in finding work elsomunications had been received from scholarships for boys and girls from the
gone to the Kowloon British Schou that, just a year ago, he proposed that fullest sense) infinite. where. There did not seal to be much the parents of Quarry Bay during the grant-ir-aid schools should be awarded preparing to provide in is free libraries dificulty in getting women to finish the holidays as to the inconvenience of send in the University and the Board's re-set of gramophones and padded cells- 1 see that one Municipality at home is course. He believed that quite a numbering girls to Kowloon. He thought there were completing it with a view to improv was a great deal in it and had under- Government. Since then the higher edu-delectation of the masses, so Hongkong ing and extending their acaden had taken to do his best to and sufficient staff cation of girls had become more import- need not fear the accusation of fantastic WHA accepted by the mean oind-proof cabinets-for the not so much for puttubsidies for verna- of next term. to money value. The
their knowledge to restore Class III. from the beginning ant; one always knew it was only a Utopianisma if our paternal Government. cular schools in Hengkong had been in creased by several thousand dollars, and
Mr. MACKINTOSH: Again, I feel 1 ought the education of girls in Hongkong and pat on the head of the Muse. Yours, question of time before the question of should condescend to give an encouraging he would like the vote to be still further
to protest against any discussion of China would have to be tackled. increased. but not more than a small num policy it. It is useless to discuss the time had come more quickly, even, than new building until we know what our
The etc., ber of these scheals were sufficiently good building until we know the type of school be expected. In the entries for examina-
MUSICIUS. to justify the expenditure,
When they and type of education we want. were, he had no doubt a grant would be
ition to be held this month there were forthcoming. When they get more mas
BRITISH PEOPLE STILL ters and mistresses from the Normal School ther would doubtless we a great improvement in the schools and be able
THE TEACHING OF SHORTHAND.
The next item on the agenda was the advisability of teaching shorthand at Kowloon British School.
commendation.
where there were something over 1000 for the Senior Local and 72 for the
Mr. WYCIE thought that Quarry Bay, eight girl candidates for Matriculation; CONSTITUTIONALLY SOUND. children, should be kept in mind, but, Junior Local Examinations. The 72 (TO THE EDITOR OF THE HONGKONG
DAILY PRESS."]
Que.
in reply to the CHAIRMAN, he said he did Junior Local examinees became Senior not go so far as to suggest having a school Local next year and, the 38 Senior to increase the subsidies very considerat Quarry Bay, but perhaps a temporary Locals became Matriculation candidates ubly.
The CHAIRMAN remarked on the difficul-"If I were a mathematician,"
next year, subject to mishaps by the way, nominers at the recent Municipal elec SIR. The defeat of the Labour Party's a British population Totted along the figures, at least, by twe. The eight girl Attempts have been made to capture the ties of supplying the educational needs of Mr. Mackintosh, should divide these people are still constitutionally sound. remarked tious at Home indicates that the British enormous diance from West Point to candidates for Matriculation, this year, vote of the working-men by extravagant The CHAIRMAN said he presumed every tral school: school at one end or the opened to boys and girls and they repre- the revolutionary doctrines preached, in Shaukivan. The problems were a cen-were all competitors for the scholarship promises which were to be the fruits of bedy had read the debate on the estimate other; a school at both ends; or a school sented practically all the schools in the some ches, by misguided patriots, but and had noticed that the senior unofficial at the centre and at both ends. The big Colony. It was clear that girls had a chiefly by men without principle, coun- memben had recommended the teaching of ger the sehcols were, the better from the very hour chance of winning the scholar- try, or ideals. shorthand Kowloon School. He ve point of view of economical staffing. tured to say at the time that he was not conviteed that shorthand was a desirable yes was laid upon geography when con-like physics and chemistry which the of the war, and it is to these men that MACKINTOSH thought that too much boy's Boys were able to offer subjects financial distress as a direct, consequence
ship while they were competing against subject to be taught at the School, but it sering sites for schools, rather than in
Thousands of men in Britain are in was certainly a matter which the Board baking about the form of education regirls could not offer; and, further, those the agitators usually address themselves. night very well take into consideration, fired. We are considering British subjecte counted just double the marks Under such circumstances, it is not to He had been in communication with the dren," continued Mr. Mackintosh, awarded for drawing, history and geo-be wondered at that men who fought so Headmaster who had written that he had berefore we may reasonably make some graphy which the girls could take. The herocially during the late greet war aro talked the matter over with one of the kind of comparison with conditions at boys also had a tremendous advantage in only too ready to listen to the blandish lady teachers who was a shorthand expert heme. I doubt very much whether parents thematics at which they had spent ments and she was of the opinion that the mini-at home choose a school for geographical more years than bad the girls mum time which would have to be devoted reasons. That is, to my mind, the great Mackintoak referred to the Director's will be given a chance to help these nien af denationalised oily-tonged to the subject per week was two periods mistake we are all making in Hongkong remarks at prize-givings in favour of back to n anter and more healthy outlook Mr. forators. Oh Armistice morn Hongkong of three-quarters-of-an-hear cach, angestel that it should be started in which consists of children of parents em- added that a scholarship open to girls Day.
She You have a community. at Quarry Bay encouraging girls to matriculate und by contributing towards the "Poppy Class IV, and be taken after school hours ployed in B. & S.,"-practically would have the same encouraging effect Branch of the British Legion. It is as no extra, subject. The Chairman said that if it was taken after school hours as will require quite a different type of offered had upon boys' schools. There the above facts when paying for their
B. & S. community.
Drive organised by the local an extra subject it would not concern education from the children whose parents was a tremendous number of candidates poppies, and not obtain the latter for These children upon girls' schools as the one already hoped that the publié will bear in mind the Board much except in so far as it are in a different station and walk in for the one scholarship already founded protective purposes at a minimum figure. was likely to interfere with the boys play life, and we must keep that in mind when The Colony suffered from a great dearth-Yours Taithfully, and their preparation. He thought the we attack a problem of this sort." real point was whether it should be taken The CHAIRMAN suggested the appoint- train them. For supply they would in school hours, and if they decided in ment of small sub-committee to con- have to go to girls trained in Chinese of women teachers and must begin to favour they would have to say what subsider the question. What Mr. Mackintosh or other schools, Government or grant-
ONE OF THE LEGION. ject should be abandoned in its favour
-6th November, 1926. MY. TRESDALE MACINTOSH said he had had said was very true, theoretically, but in-aid, and perhaps most of all to the read the debate on the subject and had it was extremely difficult to get mothers grant-in-aid schools. It might be said noticed with some amusement the alarm their children travel mome miles by Framone teacher, but it would have a very to sex that their chinctions to letting that one scholarship might not produce that appeared to be in the minds of some and then by ricks, get a of the honourable members and of a sec-meal and perhaps get wet during the real influence in persuading girls to take tion of the Press with reference to the education of British boys and girls As journeyings, that all these objections interest in a vocation and in voca the Chairman had referrisd: to the Govern era mera side invata and that they ought tional training,
Ecratch"
"less to tenon shorthand except in an inten Mr, MACKINTOHN: They don't pay the
sive way He wanted to know what was
the object of teaching shorthand at all privato school.
THE PREVALENCE OF MALARIA.
QUESTIONS BY DR. KOCH.
Dr. W. V. M. Koch has given notion
vizat debate he made no apology for education. It was very hard to persuade that, speaking from long experience, questions at today's meeting of the
to look, stendily at the quality of the describing the proposal to teach short people not to expect a school near their girls' schools were one of the most satis Sanitary Board:
Dr. T. W... PEARCE seconded. He said of his intention to ask the following Shand in Kowloon British School as a very amateur attempt to deal with the require
doors. ments of British children in the Colony.
Mr. MACEINDAH In that can they Colony and they deserved the encourage,
factory aspects of education theWhether there has been an increase He quite agreed with what the Chairman
must, pay for it. said on that occasion that it was use
The CHAIRMAN: They do' pay.
ment of a scholarship.. The Colonial
in the prevalence of malaria in Government did a great thing when is
Hongkong and the New Territory Government pays. Let them have are an impetus, years ago to girls'
during this year. education and a great object lesson-in The CHAIRMAN renewed his suggestion the words of Sir John Davis when Governor-had thereby been provided: for however, necessary from time to time, motive in providing chication for British better to appoint a small committer to scholarship at the University; especially Mr. MACKINTOSH: Would it not be ad such an impetus would be a girls' children in the Colony
The CHATEMAN: Really Mr. Mackintosh consider the whole question of British valuable at this time of change and move we must have notice of that question: Weducation in the Colony apart from the ment of men's and women's minds must confine ourselves to the subject ictoria School case; they are all linked The resolution was carried and the pro- under discuraton.
together:
Loeedings concluded.
at the School All atteramte to bolster of a sub-committee to get the facts about to China. A repeated stimulus was, up the education of British children in the available British child population Hongking would fail until they had an Bvored this question": What is our near Victoria British School,
2. What method has been adopted to ascertain the incidence of malaria in the Colony.. Whether the extensive building ope rations now in progress might be held accountable for the increase of malarin, if there be any increase.
4. If so, whether say prophylactic method can be adopted, such a ensuring the administration of quinine to the workmen and coolies engaged on such work, w
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