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Overcrowding. Even under the present rules, this still occurs though it has been greatly reduced.
The following extracts are from the Headmaster's report. His sympathetic reference to Dr. Wright will appeal to all who knew him:
"By the retirement on pension of Dr. Wright, this institution has lost one whose services have been at its disposal for considerably over a quarter of a century.
Dr. Wright arrived in Hongkong, and assumed duty, on 22nd January, 1882, and finally retired on 7th April, 1909, having thus completed more than 27 years' service. In all, 9,401 boys were enrolled during the term of his connection with the College. Dr. Wright's capacity for work was, at all times, amazing. His tireless devotion to duty was a model for all with whom he officially came in contact. His name, like that of the first Headmaster, Dr. F. Stewart, will be honourably and imperishably bound up with that of Queen's College and its traditions. The measure of the high esteem in which he is held cannot be better gauged than by the fact that whilst he was still with us, three of his old pupils, in pious gratitude, created the Wright Scholarship to perpetuate his name. A widespread movement is now afoot to found a further Scholarship, possibly at the local University, to record the lasting services that our late Headmaster so conspicuously rendered to education in the Colony.
The average attendance has fallen to 805, from 911 last year.
The smaller numbers are attributable chiefly to the fact that we no longer feed our Lower School from a Preparatory Division, the last Class of which was abolished in 1908; partly to the increased and increasing educational facilities offered elsewhere in the Colony; as well as to the strict enforcement of an age-limit. At least a score of boys have been refused admission on the ground of over-age: others, doubtless, have not presented themselves knowing that their age was a bar.
Generally speaking, attendance is very regular. There is still, however, too much importance attached to certain family festivities—birthdays and other anniversaries. A portion of the central flat roof over the Hall was again partly blown off by the typhoon which visited the Colony in the night of the 18-19th October.
The Revenue of the College, smaller numbers notwithstanding, shows a satisfactory increase of $9,745 over that of 1908. In consequence, the average cost of each scholar for the year has been considerably reduced, while the percentage of Revenue to Expenditure is higher than it has been in any year since 1901. The general health of the school has been satisfactory: 23 boys have been off the roll on account of beri-beri, 12 for...