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MATERIALS FOR A HISTORY OF EDUCATION IN HONGKONG.
held under the presidency of the Governor, Sir John Bowring. Ten different natio- nalities, among which the British and Por- tuguese predominated, were represented in the School. When distributing the prizes, the Governor said that the want of such a School had long been experienced in this Colony, that he had felt much interest in the one now established and would always be glad to aid it in every possible way.' The Committee shortly afterwards applied for remission of rates and taxes for their School-premises, when they were informed that the Government had no power to remit them but would make a grant to the School equivalent to the amount of the rates and taxes. The Committee thereupon indig- nantly declined to receive such a pittance, and the School had thenceforth to struggle on without aid from the Government. On 24th March, 1856, the rules of constitution, embodying the resolutions passed at the public meeting of the preceding year, were approved by a meeting of subscribers. The Committee then had in hand a cash balance of $1,226,
A Chinese School, under the superin- tendence of Mrs. Johnson, of the American Baptist Mission, was established at Stanley, at an expense of $150, and secured an at- tendance of 15 boys and 12 girls. Mr. Ho Aloy, having resigned his connection with the Victoria School and the School Com- mittee, started, in conjunction with Mr. Cheung Ki-chan (formerly in the employ of the Roman Catholic Mission), an inde- pendent Anglo-Chinese School, on secular principles, at the Lower Bazaar in Queen's Road West. This private venture School was attended by 40 boys and cost $491, but there is no record whether fees were charged or not. The Roman Catholic Ecolesiastical School at Sookonpoo, under the charge of Père Chagot, bad an attendance, in the year 1856, of 25 students. The Seminary of the Society de Propaganda Fide, with 12 students, was under the tuition of Father Jerome Mangieri, Vice-Prefcet Apostolic of Hongkong, and
one Chinese teacher (whose salary amounted to $72). Sister Louise (probably of the French Convent) taught, during this year. an Anglo-French School in Hollywood Road, attended by 6 European boys and 6 girls. The Sisters of Charity of the French Convent in Queen's Road East conducted, in their Asylum, an Anglo-Chinese School at- tended by 30 boys and 20 girls (nationality and expenses not recorded). No other Ro- man Catholic School is reported as having been at work during this year. The two Chinese Schools, one of which used to receive a Government Grant, appear to have been closed in 1858.
Thirteen Government Schools, with an average attendance of 408 Chinese boys, were at work during the year 1858 under the supervision of the Committee (Dr. Legge and Mr. Odeli). In their report for this yeur (dated 28th January, 1857), the Com mittee mention the high estimation in which the Schools were held by the Chinese who seemed now to entertain more confidence in the educational motives of Her Majesty's Government. But the Committee once more expressed their regret at the absence of pro- perly constructed School-houses and again urged the appointment of an Inspector of Schools. Two new Schools were established this year, one at Siwan (Beleher's Bay) and one at Bowring-town,
1957. Tuition at St. Paul's College is reported to have been conducted, in the year 1857, in a new form, viz. by one Eng- lish teacher (name and sex not givenj and three Chinese teachers, there being in aver- age attendance 30 boys and 10 girls, at an expenditure of $3000. St. Andrew's School, removed to Hollywood Road, flourish. ed under the tuition of Rev. A. Taylor, assisted by Mr. W. Maxwell, the attend- ance having risen to 118 boys and 19 girls, while the expenses amounted to $3000.
As these two Schools are the only record- ed evidences of educational work conducted, during the year 1857, by local Protestant Missions, so the educational labours of the
MATERIALS FOR A HISTORY OF EDUCATION IN HONGKONG.
Roman Catholics appear likewise to have dwindled down to two Ecclesiastical Schools, viz. the Seminary, now in Wellington Street, which, however, though retaining the name, appears to have undergone a material transformation as it is reported to have been attended in 1837 by 20 boys and 4 girls under a Chinese teacher, and the Sockenpoo establishment under Père Chagot with 30 students.
The expenses
of the former were $900, those of the latter $750. Of the doings of the French Sisters there is no record whatever. And the absence of records seems really to indicate actual suspension of educational labours, as Bishop Raimondi, on bis arrival in 1858, reported to have found only & boys of the Catholic Faith under instruction in Hong- kong.
But as Voluntary Schools thus suddenly declined, the Government Schools de- veloped both in attendance and in or ganisation. Yielding to the continuous representations of the School Committee (Dr. Legge and Mr. Odell). Sir John Bowring promised (3rd February, 1867) to appoint a European Inspector of Schools, but asked that, first of all, his duties should be defined and his appointment associated with some definite organiza- tion. But the latter point was a subject on which the Committee could not agree Among themselves. Mr. Odell wished to perpetuate the system of placing the Pro- testant Bishop of Hongkong at the head of the Government Schools and working the latter as feeders of St. Paul's College. Dr. Legge was strongly opposed to this plan and privately suggested to the Governor the plan which was eventually adopted, under But Dr. Legge's advice, six years later. Sir John Bowring objected to a scheme which set aside the Bishop and which Was bound to develop into a secular system as 盘 Government Department.
On 28th February, 1857, the Committee once more conjointly urged upon the Governor the appointment of an Inspector.
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On the 4th of the following month, Mr. Odell sent in his resignation and handed over sole charge of the Government Schools to Dr. Legge, who, in his turn, after per- sonal consultations with the Governor, for- warded to the Government his resignation, three weeks later (21st March, 1857), coupled with the significant remark that, if a new Committee should be appointed, bis name should not be included, After a short delay, a new Committee, on the former clerical basis, was formed, and consisted (in the absence of the Bishop) of the Rev. J. J. Irwin (Colonial Chaplain), the Rev. M. C. Odell (Bishop's Chaplain), and the Rev. J. Chalmers (of the London Mission). This Committee, as soon as formally constituted (9th May, 1857), recommended that the Rev. W. Lobscheid (of the Rhenish Mission) should be invited to give half his time to visiting the Government Schools and be ap- pointed inspector of Schools. This recom- mendation was immediately acted upon and Mr. Lobscheid was appointed (12th May, 1857) Inspector of Government Schools for six months. After discharging his duties for six weeks, during which he in vain de- manded a scat on the Committee, Mr. Lobscheid resigned, but a few days after- wards, some slight compromise being made by the Governor, he withdrew his resigna- tion, understanding that he represented the Government in relation to the Committee, though not being a member of the latter. Six months later (1st December, 1857), the Governor decided that Mr. Lobscheid should give his whole time to the inspection of the Government Schools, that the Committee should consist of the Bishop and the Colo- nial Chaplain, together with Rev. J. Chal- mers and Mr. J. Scarth, that the Committee should make annual reports to the Govern ment after receiving half-yearly reports from the Inspector, and that annually a public examination of the Schools should be held, coupled with a public distribution of prizes. The Government Schools sensibly increased nuder this new arrangement, 568
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