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emory rather than the untried art, and the modicum of geography and Arithmetic, which I have.
duced in these schools who during the last few years, rather relieves, by the change of occupation, than overburdens the brains and the nervous system. In schools where Portuguese only or English only is taught, there is likewise little danger of over-pressure, except through the imposition of home lessons which too commonly are given and rob children of the amount of rest and sound sleep they need. Some Schools, specially the Victoria College, are great sinners in this respect, as I have known them to punish a naughty boy by giving him 400 or even 500 lines of print to copy out overnight. Another cause of overpressure in Hong Kong is the multiplication of examinations and the introduction of the Oxford and Cambridge Local Examinations has brought in an additional source of danger, applying tests of knowledge to children which are very reasonable in England but are excessive in the case of children who, born and bred in the climate of Hong Kong, have not the physical stamina of children reared in England. But the principal cause of over-pressure is the combination of English and Chinese studies as in the Victoria College.
Twelve years ago I recommended for this reason that the study of Chinese should be made optional throughout the Victoria College. My recommendation was violently resented at the time, though my recommendation was supported by a majority of an Educational Conference.