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the education of any class. These children are our own, more closely related to us than Chinese, or Portuguese, or half castes. In number they may not be many, but there are sufficient of them to demand a special effort on their behalf. There are perhaps as many as forty, there may be more such children, male and female, even now among us. In years to come, as the Report states, this number will probably increase, Industries are on the increase in Hongkong which will in time bring out many from England who may be obliged to keep their children with them even longer than children are kept at present. There are no schools in Hongkong suitable for such children but the one we have opened in St. Paul's College. This is for boys. I have it in contemplation to open a girls' school also, if I can find the means of doing so. All classes of the community have contributed towards what has been already done and thus have shown their sense of the need of this work.
12. This it seems to me is sufficient answer to any objection that may be made to a largely increased grant, or to important modifications of the Grant-in-Aid Scheme, founded on the smallness of our numbers or the wealth of a few in our community. Our Government shows itself most sincerely anxious to help the cause of education generally in Hongkong. It provides thousands of Dollars annually for the education of the three classes already mentioned--Chinese, Portuguese, and half castes.
We plead for some arrangement to be made by which the generous effort of the English residents in the Colony to establish a school for the education of English children may be equally helped by Government in proportion to the necessity of the case.
13. In conclusion, I venture to offer two practical suggestions for the consideration of Your Excellency in dealing with this matter.
1st. The first is that a temporary grant of say $1,000 a year for two or three years be given, to enable us to establish our present school more firmly, and to start the girls' school which has been spoken of. The great difficulties of an undertaking like ours press most heavily at the beginning. It is very evident that we can obtain no assistance of any moment from the present Grant-in-Aid Scheme. If I have succeeded in showing its inapplicability to our case, and the actual necessity that exists for such a school as ours, Your Excellency may possibly be induced to take steps towards having the Scheme revised, or at all events some additions made to it. But this will take some time to effect, especially as it was so recently revised and settled at home. In the meantime our school may have to be closed for want of funds. A temporary grant of $1,000 for two or three years would give us the start we need for the present, and a firm footing for the future.
2nd. The other suggestion is that some modifications be introduced or additions be made, as soon as possible, to the Grant-in-Aid Scheme, which will ensure more support from Government to schools taught by Masters obtained at great expense from Europe. So far as the Hongkong Public School is concerned, the points to be considered are, the small numbers we have to draw from, the difficulty through climate alone of most of our pupils completing so many as 200 attendances, the four hours required from young boys, and the values of the passes in the different standards. I would respectfully suggest that the attendances should be somewhat reduced, and that in the case of boys under 10 years of age something less than four hours should be required for an attendance. As to the value of the passes it is difficult to make any suggestion. They might be left as they are, and a lump sum be added within a certain limit, to be decided by some Government Board according to the general efficiency of the school, the amount of its cost, and the voluntary help given to it. If the school could calculate on receiving from Government, partly by actually earning it, and partly by gift, at least half of the deficiency in ordinary years between the fees and the expenditure, I believe all fear of future difficulty would vanish.
14. It cannot be said that this appeal for Government help raises any religious difficulty. It does not touch the vexed question of Ecclesiastical Grants. This letter contains no petition for any Church or sect or denomination. It appeals for education only, the education of a very important class in this Colony. It is true the Holy Scriptures are taught in our school, but these belong to every Church calling itself Christian, and form a necessary part of the instruction given in every Christian School. We base our claim on the necessity of providing means for the education of our own children. Voluntary subscriptions and fees will meet the bulk of the expense, when once the school is well established. Are we unreasonable in asking that, if our school be found efficient, the Government grant should be large enough to cover the remainder?
I have the honour to be,
Sir,
Your Excellency's faithful and obedient servant,
(Signed) J. S. VICTORIA.
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