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Report was read by the Rector of the College, in which he said that besides English four languages were taught with Arithmetic, Geography, Algebra, Geometry, Music, and drawing; the European pupils were divided in two different classes, one Euglish another Portuguese. There were fifty European day scholars and a few Boarders mostly from the Philippine Islands. To S. Saviour's College were attached two classes for Chinese, one for learning Chinese only, and the others for Chinese learning English; the number of scholars frequenting both schools were up- wards of fifty. His Excellency the Acting Governor, before leaving the College, complimented in a short speech the Fathers of the College and said that he was happy to know that there was so good a school in the Colony, and so like- ly to be useful.
FOURTH PERIOD,
From 1866 to 1872.
On the 12th March 1866 appeared the first Report from Mr. Stewart Head Master at the Central School and Inspector of the Government schools. Mr. Stewart first ack- nowledges the embarassment of his position in having to re- port on the principal part of his own duties. Speaking first of the Central Schools, he says that instruction there given was still of an elementary character.
The books used in the school were those of the Com- missioners for National Education in Ireland,
The progress of the boys was satisfactory. Translation and Composition were subjects of considerable difficulty, Docility and regular attendance were as good as could be desired. The original constitution of the school has been altered by having the study of the English language obligatory for every one frequenting the Central School, and this explained the reason of the number of the scho lars having fallen down in 1862. They could receive only a certain number for want of competent teachers. The boys are too eager to get situations and there is a great want of them. There came the difficulty of having boys re- maining the time necessary to complete their education.
The Chinese assistants have given rise to great diffi- culty in the proper management of the school.
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One great defect in the school was the impossibi- lity of knowing anything of the private characters of the scholars.
On one point I must be candid, says Mr. Stewart, Formerly the reading of the Bible in Chinese formed part of the school routine. During the past year this practice has been departed from. The Chinese Masters in the school are not qualified to teach it and one of the teachers has been in the habit of drawing comparisons between the Bible and the writings of the Chinese sages by no means Under these circumstances I favourable to the former. cannot, give that prominence to the reading of the Scrip- a school in a Christian Colony, it tures by which, in
ought, perhaps, to be characterised."
Mr. Stewart would be glad to see the Europeans tak-
ing more interest in the school.
With regard to the village schools it appears the num- her of scholars had increased although they did not reach yet the number found in the beginning of 1862.
Mr. Stewart complains of the bad way in which rolls are kept at the schools by the Chinese Masters. However in the whole there was some slight improvement in the vil- lage schools. In all these schools the Scriptures are read and in the four schools which gave most satisfaction during the year, great attention, says Mr. Stewart is paid to the reading of the Bible in Chinese.
"Nothing seems to find favour with the Chinese, says Mr. Stewart, which does not bear a market value. Hence the comparative success of the Central School, English being convertible into Dollars; hence also the neglect of the Vernacular Schools, Chinese being unsaleable.”
The
Lastly attention is called to 12,180 children in Hong- kong who go to no school. "It is impossible, says Mr. Stew- art, to over estimate the detrimental consequences which must inevitable result to the well being of the Colony with so many growing up uneducated and neglected.” number of boys going to the Government schools amount to 897. The scholars going to other schools than the Go vernment ones are 1,273, and the children fit to go to any school are 14,000.
There is no mention made with regard to the ex- penses except that the Central school was maintained at a larger expense than before and to supply it the fees paid by the scholars amounted to $1,021, 89. Mr. Stewart hints at expenses increasing in the future. The children
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