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"The majority of those present were Chinese, and most "of the inhabitants of the city were also Chinese but he "was pleased to see Japanese, Portuguese and other na- "tionalities among them." (Mail).
In the China Mail of 15th February 1872 we find a well written correspondence in which it is urged on the Government to give a grant to the existing Catholic schools, where some hundred day scholars were educated and not a farthing granted by the Government. The reason was ex- pressed. "We know, the correspondent says, that the principles held by the Catholic world require that schools for Catholics should be erected and maintained and this is the reason why our Catholic friends are so hard at work to have schools of their own creed".
The same newspaper has a leading article on February 22nd of the same year in which the editor corrects a para graph of a contemporary with regard to a Pastoral issued by Father Raimondi in which the Very Rev. gentleman had stated the doctrine of the Catholic Church concerning education.
In reference to the criticism which appeared in the Daily Advertiser on the said Pastoral a Correspondent in the China Mail of February 27th writes thms: "The article (which appeared in the Daily Advertisor) it not the best calculated to promote harmony between the Head of the Catholic Community, and his flock, and the Government and if the Editor of the D. A. has only this way in his hand to make his party triumph, he has committed a gross mis- take in writing the article. When he first wrote that the Pastoral had created great disatisfaction in the Portuguese Community, he was ignorant of the fact, that he could not inflict a greater injury on the Portuguese Community than by making that assertion. The Portuguese Community is prond of being Catholic; and as Catholic cannot be dis- pleased with hearing what the Catholic Bishops, with the sovereign Pontiff, in a word, their Church says with regard to education.” The correspondent continues af- terwards. "After all, what has Father Raimondidone? what all the Catholic Bishops do now and again. The Catho- lie Bishops of Ireland issued a Pastoral in which after ha- ving exposed the doctrine of the Church concerning educa- tion in stronger terms, than it has been done by Father
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Raimondi they address their flock saying: "We must urge upon you to join your Bishope and Clergy in asking our ru-
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lers by the right of the constitution to grant us a pare
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"Catholic education" With concern to the tenor and con- tents of the Pastoral the correspondent says: "The Rev. Prefect exposed before his flock what has been taught by the Catholic Church, avoiding reference to any parti- cular school urging only that the decision of the Churchi shall be complied with; shall not Father Raimondi be free to do his duty ? The doctrine referred to is exposed afterwards; The Catholic Bishops with the Sovereign Pontiff have emitted their decision grounded on the experience and long study of years and years proving that schools where only secular education is imparted cannot do for Catholic chil- dren. "Of the intention of the Fatherthe correspondent says: He had to explain the doctrine of the Church he had not the least intention of offending or attacking any body; his duty speaks by himself and he does it."
In the Report from Mr. Stewart for the 1871 we read that the Central school continues steadily to advance in number, but at the native schools the number of the enrolled and the attendance diminished. He says that the Che mistry class has been highly succesful. The number of those who left the school was greater by 80 than in 1970 and of the 184 boys who left during the year 50 have obtained situations.
With regard to the instruction to be given, the prob- lem which the Coutral School is working out for itself is, says Mr. Stewart, whether it is to be one of elementary instruction for the many or of higher instruction for tho few. It would be premature, at present to attempt to solve the problem, and it might be disastrons to adopt at once, either courses.
Mr. Stewart, says the Editor of the China Mail "puts the number of children in the Colony who get no education at 11,000 (ronglily).".
To accept the number of uneducated children above given as implying that there is either a necessity or possibility of providing schools for them would be erroneous, and he suggests, that some ap- proximate statistics of the relative proportions of elegible and inelegible children the position and means of whose parents would render any education, except that of the most elementary nature in Chinese possible or useful to thera. Here is the question how many are such. We must not of course, be added be understood to overlook the importance of affording facilities for that pure elemon-
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