as I stated in my Report a couple of years ago, oppose this idea of emulation between schools. The circumstances and advantages of schools differ materially. To institute comparisons between schools on such grounds as the difference between 75% and 84% pass in Dictation is most misleading. When a School consists of English boys, a second of Portuguese, a third of Chinese who reside as boarders and a fourth of Chinese day-scholars.
The general public have no means of investigating facts, and the custom of drawing such comparisons is prejudicial to the fame of schools, and has been the source of jealousy, and ill-feeling between establishments that have thus been forced into rivalry.
"First, I argue that as comparison between schools is not only not necessary but actually prejudicial, there is no need to alter the existing system with a view to applying one test to all schools under Government supervision in the colony.
Secondly. A uniformity of Test is only necessary as part of the system (Payment by Results) of Payment by Results, now so much decried and likely to be abolished in England. Any mechanical system checks the manifold advantages that arise from the individuality of masters. Many of my own College have found the most beneficial results ensue from my allowing great latitude to my masters in methods of teaching.
In the Thirdly, D'Este admits that the examination "rules (Grant-in-aid) for all the other similar schools" in the Colony are more liberal in that they put down having failed if he has less than two-thirds marks, instead of as at Victoria College less than 50 marks; "but they are more severe in that they declare a scholar a total failure, if he fails in two subjects out of five or six" instead of as at Victoria College if he fails in three out of five, four out of six. D'Este has more than once taken occasion to complain that "Prefer 'multa' to 'multum'" in this matter. I submit that the position is reversed, for it appears to me better for a boy to pass a higher standard in fewer subjects, than to pass a lower standard in more subjects.
Fourthly, there is no school in Hong Kong similar to Victoria College. The chief points of difference are:
(a) Victoria College is not a Grant-in-Aid school,
(b) Nine-tenths of the boys are boarders.
(c) Subjects which are optional in the Grant-in-Aid System are compulsory at Victoria College. In the Grant-in-Aid Standard, there are not more than six compulsory subjects, whereas in Victoria College there are compulsory subjects in the Upper Classes.
(d) In Victoria College, English Grammar is compulsory, and History is taught fully, as for the Oxford Local Examination. Any boy who completes his course has been drilled in Grammar (Accidence, Analysis) and History, not as in Grant-in-Aid System.