558
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8. As has been often repeated in these Reports, no one who has not had actual experience among the schools could believe what difficulties have to be encountered in connection with them. These difficulties are not to be removed by any ordinary means, for they originate almost entirely from igno- A firm determination to bear th rance, from prejudice, and not infrequently from something worse. the people, in the faith that good must ultimately accrue from an attempt to protect the children from the misfortune of the parents is almost the only inotive for perseverance that can be supposed to exist. 9. These Annual Reports have also contained repeated references to the kind of education imparted in these village schools. It is needless to repeat that, at best, it comes far short of anything which would be dignified with the name of education in the West. Still, it has been that or nothing since the establishment of the schools; and, although a hope has been cherished that the present state of things would soon give place to a better, no opportunity for the realization of the hope has occurred until now.
10. How far the experiment will be successful, it is impossible to say; but if the Government is prepared to sauction it, it will now be made. The school-master at Aberdeen has allowed his school so to dwindle away both in numbers and in efficiency, that it will be necessary to make an application for his removal. That granted, his place will be filled by the lad who proved himself the best scholar in the Central School at the recent examinations.
11. The school will then be conducted on the plan of the Central School. One half the day will be devoted to English, and the other half to Chinese. English books will be read as a means of impart- ing knowledge in subjects which there is no hope of ever having taught in the Chinese Language by the present class of masters. Chinese books will also be read, because no attempt will be made to denationalize the boys.
12. If this plan succeeds, the children of Aberdeen will, before long, know something of, at least, Arithmetic and Geography, in addition to the very laudable aphorisms about "Benevolence and Righte- ousness," which are at present so drearily dinned into their ears. Committed to memory with a facility which is marvellous, and retained there with an equally surprising tenacity, these sayings of the sages may be ever ready on the tongue; but for all purposes of information, and of education in its strictest sense, they are, for such young children as we have at our village schools, practically useless. The children, certainly, learn to read and write; but, with the exception of a few boys in the best of the schools, this is all the good that is ever gained, if we except the opportunities for mischief which are avoided by confinement in school.
13. The difficulties which underlie this scheme are these. The teacher's knowledge of his own His knowledge of English will, with some, language will be ignored by many, and undervalued by all. be fit subject for contempt. His youth will expose him to no little interference on the part of the old people in the village, and, greatest difficulty of all, it may be a serious drawback, as regards character and conduct, to the prosperity of the school. As matters now stand, the Inspector of Schools cannot exercise that constant supervision which he could do before the establishment of the Central School. Unless, therefore, the young teacher has force of character enough to keep himself straight, the con- sequences to this experiment may be very disastrous.
14. It is not now for the first time that this plan for the gradual supersession of the present masters has been thought of. Hitherto, lads who would have taken the posts were not such as could have been trusted in them, and those who could have taken them were always able to command higher remuneration for their services elsewhere, than could have been given them as teachers. It so happens that, at present, everything bids fair for a first attempt, and, if it should ultimately fail, we might do worse than revert to Confucius for another decade. If, on the other hand, it succeeds, it will be the commencement of a new educational era in the Colony.
15. The Central School has made another rapid advance in numbers. It has fur outgrown the limits of the present building, and not of that only, but of the teaching power of the present staff of masters. A hope was expressed in last Report that another year would see a more commodious and suitable building in course of construction. If increased accommodation and an additional English master were necessary then, still more so are they necessary now. Last year showed very plainly the effects which result from even the temporary absence of one of the masters. Certain subjects had to remain in abeyance, and the masters on duty were overworked. If anything should happen which would necessitate the prolonged absence of one of the English musters, the only course that could be adopted would be a reduction of the numbers. This is too serious a step to contemplate. There is no help, therefore, but to bring the subject once more to the notice of the Government, and beg for it the consideration which it deserves.
16. If a new building and additional masters were obtained, the Central School might be made to supply all the educational wants of the Colony. That the Chinese alone are not the only persons who need such a school is yearly becoming more and more evident. Last year, there were no fewer than 88 boys of other nationalities at the school, and that number might be considerably increased. As long as these boys formed only a mere fraction in each of the classes, their presence interfered but
little with the ordinary rontine of the school; but now that their importance is increasing with their numbers, and our duty to them is as imperative as that to the Chinese, another arrangement of classes is absolutely necessary to secure to them the education which they require. As, however, this is subject which was relegated to a committee appointed for the purpose on behalf of the com- nanity, it would be trenching on their duties to discuss this subject further. Perhaps this reference to it will accelerate their final decision.
I have the honour to be,
Sir,
The Honourable CECIL C. SMITH,
Acting Colonial Secretary,
HONGKONG.
TABLE I.
Your most obedient Servant,
FREDERICK STEWART, Inspector of Government Schools.
NUMBER OF SCHOLARS taught in the Government Schools during 1872, and Expense of each School.
1. Aberdeen,
2. Ap-li Chan,
3. Central School,
4. Girls' School,
5. Hà Wán,
6. Hok Up,..
7. Hung Hoar,
8. Little Hongkong,
14. Sai-ying P'ún (Pun-ti),.
15. Shái Văn,
16. Shán-ki Wán,
17. Shek Ö,
18. Shek-tong Tsúi,
Boys.
GIRLS.
TOTAL.
EXPENSE.
30 59
2
32 59
124.00 117.00
440
440
11,397.63
1
65
66
566.00
30
36
355.00
14
14
62.00
18
18
61.50
B
13
02.50
9. Má-tau Chung
20
20
62.50
10. Má-t'an Ts'ün,
21
21
64.00
11. Mong Kok.......
20
20
62.00
12. Pok-fit Lam,
10
11
60.50
13. Sai-ying Pún (Høk-ha),
70
78
251.00
72
77
254.00
19
19
50.00
57
57
121.50
26
26
47.58
43
43
288.00
41
252.00
38
326.00
35
35
43.06
62
64
269.00
27
30
121.50
37
37
148.40
26
26
63.00
16
20
62.50
19
15
40.00
50
23
70
362.00
22
22
122.50
24
1
25
63.00
1,368
112
1,480
$15,879.67
TABLE II.
lạ. Shanng Wán,
20. Stanley,
31. Tái kok Tst,
22. Tái Vung Kung,
23. Tang-lung Chau, (Hak-ka),
2. Tăng hàng Châu, (Pun-ti),
25. To-kwá Wán, (Hak-ha),
20. Tò-kwá Wán, (Hok-lo),
27. Ts'at Tsz-mái,
23, Wan-tsai,
20, Wong-nai Chống.
30. Yan-0 Ti,.
AVERAGE EXPENSE of each Scholar at the various Government Schools during 1872.
Outlay for 1872,
Deduct fees from Scholars at Central School,
TOTAL,.
1. Average Expense of each Scholar at the Government Schools,
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3.
71
$1
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27
Central School,
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73
71
Village Schools,.
$15,870.67 1,691.75
.$14,187.92
$9.58
22.06
4.31
Nors.-Item 2 should perhaps be two dollars loss, and item 3 one dollar more, because part of the Salary of the Head Master of the Central School,
who is also Inspector of Schools, should be charged against the Village Schools.