"Secondary English Education.
3. It seems that the practical object of teaching the Chinese to speak and write good idiomatic English is too much lost sight of in the endeavour to explain obsolete words and obscure allusions in Shakespeare and impart knowledge fitted for University Examinations, but of little utility to the Chinese.
4. The time spent in the attempt of the English Masters to teach translation to and from Chinese is mostly wasted. There are very few Europeans capable of giving Chinese boys lessons in Chinese Composition. A Master with a mere smattering of the language, who can scarcely write an intelligible Chinese sentence, attempts to teach a class of boys translation, he must lose their respect.
Lessons in translation should be given in a special class, if there be one Master in the College fully qualified for such work. As a rule, all that can be expected of the average English Master is to give help to junior pupils in English by means of Chinese Colloquial.
6. The Chinese language is best taught in a purely Chinese School, whether inside Queen's College or elsewhere. The time of the English Master should not be taken up with this at all.
II. Examinations:-
1. The College should undoubtedly be examined annually and reported upon by a competent authority from outside. The contention of Dr. Wright to the contrary is unreasonable. Neither the Government nor the rate-payers could ever consent to the exclusion of independent Examiners from this public establishment supported by the rates. As the Acting Registrar General aptly suggested, the Treasurer might with equal reason object to the visits of the Auditor.
2. It would not be possible at present to form a Board competent to examine the College. Few people, whether official or unofficial, would willingly consent to act on such a Board, knowing that Dr. Wright objects to outside Examiners.
3. Dr. Eitel, under present conditions, should not be required to examine any part of this College.
4. The conviction is forced upon us that the first thing to be done is to disabuse the mind of the Head Master...