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Class exercises; while at the Junior Examination of 73 pupils 60 passed in "English Essay". In other Divisions of Class 2 there is a varying standard, but with steady work the standard of Class 1 should easily be attained next year.
In Class 3A (Full Course) Composition is exceptionally good; other Divisions of Class 3 are not so satisfactory. In the Lower School, the work done in Class 7 calls for special mention.
More attention has been given to the teaching of the subject recently. I have several times carefully inspected the work of various Classes and offered criticisms and suggestions, which are being acted upon. If the printed "Rules regarding the teaching of Composition" are faithfully followed, a steady improvement in the writing of English will undoubtedly result.
English Reading (Prepared Author).—The weakest subject in Class 3, all Divisions, in both the Full and the Commercial Course, is English Literature. In the Full Course, of 67 pupils examined only 22 passed; and in the Commercial Course 44 were examined and only 4 passed. These deplorable results show clearly that the Subject calls for much more careful application and study. With the gradual improvement and increased interest shown in English Composition it is difficult to account for the lack of interest shown in this branch of English. Turning to Class 2, we find that at the Hongkong University Junior Examination of 71 pupils presented in the subject, 34 (or less than 50%) passed. Fortunately an improvement is shown in the University Matriculation Examination, where of 19 pupils presented in Class 1, 14 (or nearly 75%) passed.
Dictation. At the University Matriculation Examination of 19 pupils only 5 passed, and at the Junior Examination of 71 examined 54 passed. It must be remembered that a Dictation Test at a public examination is extremely unsatisfactory; that candidates are unaccustomed to the voice of the "reader", and those seated at some distance from him are at a great disadvantage as compared with those seated nearer him. At the same time, I would recommend that more practice be given in Dictation Exercises—a short piece occupying 5 to 10 minutes might be given daily.
Chinese. In view of the importance attached to the study of Chinese in the College, the results at the University Examination were disappointing in the Junior Section, where of 64 pupils examined only 40 passed. In the Senior Section the results were better, 11 pupils passing out of 14 presented.
Reporting on Translation from Chinese into English in Class 3, the Inspector of Vernacular Schools states that the passages set for Translation were too difficult for the Class; the results were on the whole fair, but the pupils were not able to analyse the passage set.
In Translation into Chinese there were poor results due to the inability of the pupils to write a proper Chinese Composition.
Shorthand.—A Visiting Master has been appointed to teach Shorthand and a gradual improvement is taking place in this subject, which last year was extremely unsatisfactory. In July the Examiner reported, after a very careful examination:—"The results,