10
satisfactory condition
6
I will cause the
creation
of the new Victoria College, which
to
has been too long delayed owing to causes known at the Colonial Office,
to be proceeded with as
fast as the limited resources of the Public Works Department permit.
I have the honour to be
Your Lordship's Most obedient
Humble servant,
J. Bowen
PRIZE DAY AT THE CENTRAL SCHOOL.
The annual distribution of prizes at the Central School took place yesterday afternoon. His Excellency the Governor presided, and amongst the visitors present were the Misses Bowen, Mrs. Marsh, Hon. A. Lister, Hon. F. Stewart, Mr. Justice Russell, Rev. W. Jennings, Major Lloyd, Captain Accioni (Italian Navy), Mr. Dejardin (French Consul), Mr. Loureiro (Portuguese Consul), Mr. Machida (Japanese Consul), Mr. Romano (Brazilian Consul), Lieut. Vyryan, A.D.C., Mr. H. E. Wodehouse, Mr. J. H. Stewart Lockhart, Rev. Dr. Eitel, Rev. Dr. Chalmers, Rev. E. Faber, Rev. R. Lechler, Mr. R. C. Wilcox, Mr. H. W. Hambling, Mr. Dorabjee Nowrojee, Mr. Lee Tak Cheong, &c.
Mr. G. H. B. Wright, M.A., the Head Master, said—Your Excellency, ladies and gentlemen, it is just two years since I arrived in this colony, and I am now taking part in the third annual distribution of prizes in which I have assisted. I can honestly say the excellent impression produced on me as a stranger at the first examination has deepened on further acquaintance into the conviction that the school is slowly, but steadily and surely, attaining its object of imparting a high-class English education to the youth of this colony. The total number of boys on the roll during the year was 556, and the average daily attendance 394, a higher figure than in the previous year. I do not wish to anticipate the report of the Inspector of Schools, but from the examination of the papers made for prize purposes, I conclude that 96 per cent. of the boys have passed. There has been, I am happy to say, a great improvement in the English subjects—composition, grammar, history, translation from and into English. During the last year, grammar was introduced as low as the ninth class, with excellent results in the examination. I am sure it is not necessary for me, after making these statements, to remark that the masters and assistants of this school deserve the highest credit and warmest congratulation for their work during the last year. I must not omit, however, to mention the zeal and interest displayed by Mr. Chape, who was acting master in the Middle School for ten months of the year. By the addition of Mr. May to the staff, I was enabled to divide the first class, which was a rather unwieldy-sized class, into two divisions. This division has produced marked results in the examination. The trustees of the Bailie's Scholarships have awarded two scholarships this year, the senior to the first boy in the first class and the junior to the first boy in the second class, for proficiency in general subjects. The capital of the scholarship presented by Mr. Neish Bain for engineering has been invested during the year, and the first competition will probably be held this time next year. In August last year, Your Excellency was pleased to approve of a suggestion of mine that four boys should be elected from outside district schools for free education in this school. Four boys were accordingly elected, and I am pleased to say they have all passed a creditable examination, one boy in the sixth class having gained the first prize. I have nothing further to add than to express my thanks to Your Excellency for presiding on this occasion and to those ladies and gentlemen who, by their presence to-day, have testified their interest in this school. (Applause).
HIS EXCELLENCY—Ladies and Gentlemen, it is with much satisfaction that I have come here to-day to preside for the first time at the annual distribution of prizes at the Central School, the chief educational establishment maintained by the Government of this Colony; and in which nearly all the students are Chinese. I assure that you all have listened with interest and pleasure to the remarks just made by the Head Master.
As already well known, the present very inadequate building will soon be replaced by a handsome and convenient College, furnished with all the necessary appurtenances. (Applause.) Looking to the great and growing importance of this institution, and to the mature age of a large proportion of the students, I have sought and obtained permission to have the new building called Victoria College. (Applause.) I am sure that this entire community will loyally appreciate the honour thus conferred upon it by our gracious Sovereign, the Queen of Great Britain and Ireland and Empress of India, the Tai Huang-ti of the English race. (Applause.) It is recorded in the Chinese Classics that the grand philosopher, the Aristotle of China,—Kung Tze, called by Europeans Confucius,—once, when gazing upon a river, compared its pure and ceaseless current to the transmission of sound learning and morality through successive ages of mankind. So let us hope that, under the blessing of Heaven, Victoria College may endure throughout the great future of China, a main source whence will flow the streams of education and knowledge to generations yet unborn. (Applause.) Your own Confucius, my Chinese friends, was the "Great Master of Knowledge," "Il gran maestro di color che sanno" in the Eastern world, as Dante said of Aristotle in the Western world. The moral philosophy of Aristotle has for centuries exercised a wide influence over the higher education of the Western nations; and so the teaching of Confucius has held predominant sway over the laws, the feelings, and the general life of the vast Empire of China; which comprises above one-fourth of the entire human race. In fact, the golden words of Confucius have the same force now as when they were first spoken twenty-five centuries ago. You should all treasure in your hearts what the Master said when he was asked—"Is it not pleasant to learn with never-failing application and perseverance?" And again, when he laid down the rule that "A youth when at home should be obedient to his parents, and when abroad respectful to his elders. He should be earnest and truthful. He should overflow with love to all, and cultivate the friendship of the good. When he has time and opportunity after the performance of these primary duties, he should employ them in polite studies." With regard to the art of ruling men, Confucius said—"A just Government is like the polar star which keeps its fixed place, while the other stars turn towards it." I assure all the Chinese in this island that the Government of Hongkong is desirous to treat them with justice, and not only "with dry but with sympathetic justice," to quote a phrase recently used by an eminent English statesman. (Applause.) In short, the Government desires to extend to them the privileges of British subjects. A most worthy representative of the Chinese race, Mr. Wong Shing, has been appointed a member of the Colonial Legislature. Moreover, I have thrown open the minor posts in the public service to competitive examination without distinction of race or creed. There will thus be a wide field for honourable employment for all the youth of this island. Again, provision will shortly be made at the public expense to send a certain number of the most distinguished pupils of the colleges at Hongkong to complete their studies in England, as members of the legal or medical professions, or as civil engineers. (Applause.) It will be remembered that more than 2,000 years ago your Chinese ancestors had already established a national polity, a national code of law, and a national literature; had built great cities, and had made much progress in many of the industrial arts, at a period when the ancestors of what are now the three most powerful nations of Western Europe—the English, the Germans, and the French—whose magnificent squadrons are now in this harbour, had not yet emerged from barbarism. But in modern times, while China has remained well nigh stationary, the Western nations have made rapid and constant progress in all the arts that can promote and adorn civilization. I hope that a long succession of the Chinese students of this college, after completing their education in England, may have the honour of bringing back with them, and of introducing into their native land, the results of the humane and enlightened jurisprudence, and of the improved medical science of modern Europe, or may, as engineers, help to cover the vast Empire of China, as Europe has already been covered, with a network of railways and telegraphs, those powerful promoters of commercial intercourse and of the arts of modern civilization. (Applause.) And now, my young friends, I will conclude this address by reminding you of two famous and excellent Chinese proverbs:—"Those persons are only asses and cows in men's clothes who neglect the study of the past and present"—Jen pu hsiao ku chin, ma niu mien chin chi; and "learning is far more precious than gold"—Huang chin yu chia, shu wu chia—Loud Applause).
HIS EXCELLENCY—I am very much pleased with everything I have seen, my young friends, and I think your general appearance, behaviour, and proficiency reflect great credit upon your excellent Head Master and on all the staff of masters. I am very much pleased with all that I have seen to-day. I am requested by the Head Master to announce that your holidays will now commence and last till Friday, the 22nd February. I hope you will enjoy the Chinese New Year, and that you will have much pleasure during that festive time, with plenty of crackers and fireworks of all sorts.
The boys then gave cheers for the Queen, for His Excellency, for the Head Master, and for the visitors.
Page 175