1
who would be Headmistress of the Girls' School (I have not yet spoken of this side of the question, but a Girls' School attached would be a very advantageous and not costly addition. The salaries of the Headmaster and Headmistress might be about $200 and $100 a month respectively with free quarters. This is rather more than I recommended for the British Kowloon School, and rather more is required. This is all the staff that would be needed for the start. It could control about 50 boys and as many girls at most, and could easily be supplemented as the school progressed. I think an attendance of 80 boys and 50 girls might fairly be counted on in the near future. Supposing they paid fees of $3 and $2 respectively, this would give a yearly income of about $3,300 as some reduction would probably be made for the second and third scholar of the same family. This it will be seen would barely pay the salaries of the Headmaster and Headmistress making no allowance for compensation and would with the engagement of only one Assistant master on $150, leave a deficit (taking one thing with another) of perhaps $3,000 or $4,000 a year. Perhaps the fees could be raised. It is a subject on which there is much difference of opinion. At $8 and $4 for boys and girls the school by my reckoning would be almost self-supporting.
320
There would be considerable difficulty in finding a site. Unless it develops into a success, perhaps the Belilios Reformatory might be adapted to this use.
P. S.
(Sd.) Edward A. Irving,
Inspector of Schools. 27 Feb 1901
I should add that I am in agreement with the points raised in the Petition to which I have not alluded except in the matter of religious instruction. I hold that if this is given at all it should be before or after school hours.
(Init.) E. A. I.