95
15. The result of the examination just held by me for prize purposes, and on which suitable promotions can be made next month, appears to me very satisfactory, 645 boys out of 676 examined, or 95 per cent. having passed. I did not expect so good a result, as the transfer of the school in the middle of the summer upset all the arrangements for the year, and 494 boys, i.e., all below Class IVA, were examined on barely a half-year's work in the classes to which they were allotted. But masters and boys were determined not to bring discredit on the College and they deserve much credit for success. Though not wishing to intrench on the province of the Inspector of Schools, I cannot refrain from pointing out that the great weakness in the Lower School betrayed in Arithmetic is compensated by the unusually good results in English Grammar. In the Upper School (6 sections) remarkably good work was done, though IIIB is only moderate in its tone.
Classes IVA and Va are conspicuous for high-class work. In the 9 sections of the Lower School, and Class VIIA of the 5 sections of the Preparatory School deserves special mention.
16. Last July we sent up ten boys. Of these eight passed, three as Seniors and being under nineteen years of age were declared Associates in Arts, while five passed the Junior Examination.
17. The following Table gives some idea of the manner in which the teaching of English subjects has been extended in the school, together with the introduction of higher subjects in the Upper Classes. The figures are the total number of boys examined in each subject in the following years.
Month188118851889 January, February, March, April, May, June,676 July, August, September, October, November, December, Trans. E to C C to E, Grammar,301379676 Geography,172312547 Composition,144253477 History,83127360 Euclid,3075143 Algebra,75143 Mensuration, Latin,2524117 General Intelligence,83 Shakespeare,24 Trigonometry,171818. That this College supplies a large demand for clerks in this Colony is sufficiently attested by the following facts culled from the Annual Summary of the past six years: 32 appointments have been obtained in the Colonial Service, 150 boys have been engaged by European professional and mercantile firms in the Colony, besides many clerks engaged by Hongkong firms for Japan, Shanghai and the Coast Ports. The Chinese Government too has in this period employed from this School 80 boys in its Customs, Medical, Diplomatic and Telegraph services.
19. I will conclude by expressing the gratitude of the masters and boys to the many friends of this College who continue year after year, so generously to provide prizes for the encouragement of our young students. The Government Grant on this head, liberal as it is, would go but a small way in providing rewards for 21 English and 12 Chinese classes. But these donations coming from all nationalities and all classes should be viewed in a further light, as an expression of public interest in the work done in these walls, and as a vote of public confidence in the manner in which that work is performed.
I have the honour to be,
Sir,
Your most obedient Servant,
GEO. H. BATESON WRIGHT, M.A., Oxon.,
Head Master.
Honourable A. LISTER,
Acting Colonial Secretary.
1889.
VICTORIA COLLEGE,
MonthNumber of ScholarsNumber of AttendancesNumber of School DaysAverage Daily Attendance January4669,93926 February54012,74124 March5366,993525 April52011,79621 May51111,21026 June78315,909712 July7893,4809 August78811,31831 September76619,44226 October72318,48226 November71015,14926685.00 December688 Total139,060233 Total Number of ATTENDANCES during 1889139,060 Number of SCHOOL DAYS during 1889283 Average DAILY ATTENDANCE during 1889596.824 Total Number of SCHOLARS at this School during 1889919GEO. H. BATESON WRIGHT, M.A.,
Head Master.
AVERAGE EXPENSES of each SCHOLAR at Victoria College during 1889.
$24,369.00
Expenditure,
Deduct School Fees,
$9,838.00
Sale of Books,
$12.80
Total Expenses of the College
$9,350.80
$15,018.20
Average Expenses of each Scholar per Number on Roll,
$19.61
per Average Daily Attendance,
$26.11
GEO. H. BATESON WRIGHT, M.A., Head Master.