42. St. Paul's College was placed upon the Grant List as from 1st July, 1919. Of the non-Government schools which at the coming in force of the Education Ordinance were excluded from its operation there now remain two only: St. Stephen's Colleges for Boys and for Girls. They had an average attendance of 139 and 86 respectively (132 and 60 in 1919).
Boy Scouts.
43. The Boy Scout movement has been revived, and put on a sound basis. H.E. the Governor is Chief Scout, and Lieut.-Colonel Bowen, Commissioner. Towards the end of the year the following troops were raised: The St. Joseph's College Troop, the Murray (Garrison School) Troop, the Wesleyan (Wanchai) Troop, and the St. Andrew's (Kowloon) troop, with an enrolment of nearly 140 boys. Further considerable developments were pending at the end of the year.
Girl Guides.
44. Preliminary steps were taken to organize this movement, of which Lady Stubbs has kindly accepted the Commissionership.
Athletics and Prizes.
45. In Appendix A under the Heading Queen's College there is given a description of extra-mural activities which may be regarded as a sample of what takes place at all the principal schools of the Colony. This realm of sport is probably the one where the character of British Masters most surely influences their pupils; but there is some danger that the ordinary school work may lose prestige in comparison. Perhaps the immature mind does not have such a view of relative values forced on it: possibly it regards play and work as belonging to separate and incomparable worlds. I hoped it was so when I saw recently a silver pot 12 inches high won by a little girl for a fifty yards egg and spoon race.
46. But prizes are absurdly overdone anyhow. At some schools the prize winners number 75 or 80% of the total.
E. IRVING,
Director of Education.
EDUCATION OFFICE,
Hongkong, 6th May, 1921.