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PUBLIC RECORD OFFICE, 10:

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PUBLIC RECORD

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No. 23.

GOVERNMENT NOTIFICATION.

The following Annual Report on the state of the Government Schools in Hongkong for the Year 1868, is published for general information.

By Command,

Colonial Secretary's Office, Hongkong, 4th March, 1869.

J. GARDINER AUSTIN,

Colonial Secretary.

VICTORIA, HONOrono, 15th February, 1880. Sin,-I have the honour to forward to you the Annual Report on the state of the Government Schools in this Colony

for the year 1868.

2-Adhering to the old distinction between the Central School and the Village Schools, I shall commence with the former. 3-The year was one of considerable anxiety. There were, first, the interruptions and inconveniences caused by the erection of a new class-ronin. Then, an attempt Înd been made to introduce a new subject-Algebra into the school-work, und I was afraid that not only would very partial success attend the experiment, but that it would be conducted at the expense

of something more elementary ani, therefore, more useful,

4.--The result of the year's work, tested as usual by written examinations and a strict system of marking, showed that,

in both cases, fears were groundless. The annoyance proceeding from the building operations caused no diusiaution or irregu larity in the attendance; and, although it was disappointing in a few cases to find boys in the first class getting more marke for Algebra than for Arithmetic, yet, on the whole, there was marked progress for the year. The standard of examination, Lou, in all the classes, both English and Chinese, was considerably higher than in previous years, but the result dispelled any additional saxiety that may have been felt on that account.

5.-The success thus obtained can only be considered partial, and does not diminish the necessity for the additional * assistance which is now expected. In the present state of the school, the best division into classes that can be made stili leaves, especially in the higher ones, considerable inequality as regards the attainments of the scholars. To proceed to advanced subjects is, in such a case, to neglect the portion of the class which cannot follow, and to attempt solely to bring up the backward is to disregard the interests of those who are capable of making more rapid progress. This happens more or less

in all schools, but it is to be hoped that, in the course of a few years, when the difficulties which attend a recent undertaking have been overcome, and when the system which has been adopted is carried out, not as at present it can be, but as it is in- temled to be, this drawback to the school will be so far removed as to cause but little hindrance to improvement.

6-The year has been characterized by much greater attention to, and apparent pleasure in, certain subjects which were before gone through mechanically, under a sort of tacit protest. Till within the last twelve months, anything beyond the mere acquisition of English was evidently looked on as so much waste of time. This is not so much the case now, and it seems to be mainly attributable to two causes,-first, the difficulty in getting situations in mercantile houses, and secondly, to a recent regulation by the Inspector General of Chinese Customs with reference to the examination which candidates for ad- mission into that service are expected to pass.

7-The former of these causes soemos to act in this way. The boys, like many other people in the place, hope that the period of commercial difficulties will soon terminate, and that brighter prospects will soon be before them. In the meantime, they think they may as well occupy their time with all the lessons which are prescribed to them. The baste to get employ tent having been stopped, their minds are left in a fitter state to give attention to work which they previously undervalued, if not despised. The benefit to themselves cannot fail to be great, and if it corresponds to the pleasure which it gives their teachers to see this change, they will never regret that the previous facilities of getting employment have been so much diminished. 8. The second cause has been very marked in its operation. A situation in the Customs service is an object of ambition to many of the boys, not only from the high salaries which are offered, but from the respectable position in which it places them. During the course of the year, the standard of examination was raised and a few new subjecte added. The interest with which the announcement of higher salaries and a higher standard of acquirements was received by the boys was great, and I shall not regret to see the Inspector General make a few more additions to the subjects of examination.

9.-It may be objected that this tends to deprive the Colony of the services of the boys, and that no equivalent is thas obtained for the expense incurred in educating them. I do not think so. The number in each year competent to join the service is but small, and were it greater, the Colony seed not regret it. If direct advantages are not obtained, the indirect ad- vantages are evident; and the more the boys are scattered over the Empire the greater, it is to be hoped, will be the good done, and the better will the school and the instruction given in it be appreciated. Besides, education is intended first for the benefit of the taught and then, as much as may be, for the advantage of the community. The Government has a higher object in view than simply getting a monetary equivalent for the instruction which it is the medium of imparting.

10.-"English conversation" is a subject of great difficulty to the boys, and I am sorry to find people so exacting in this matter. Several have been rejected, without trial, on account of this defect. It is very easily accounted for. The boys have no possible opportunity of speaking English except to their teachers at school. It cannot, therefore, be expected that immediately on leaving school they could be very proficient in it. Practice alone can give facility, and I alway's find that when the boys who have got situations come back to see me, as they invariably do when they return to the Colony should they happen to be employed elsewhere, they speak English with considerablo fluency. At school, they have laid a foundation in a grammatical knowledge of the language, and, when they come into close contact with foreigners, speaking is rapidly acquired. A liula reflection on this shows the reasonableness of it, and this reference to it may not be without its uses in fatore.

I had been told by

11-Mention has been made of the teaching of Algebra, and of doubts connected with its success. a mathematician, well versed in Chinese, that he had tried to teach it to a class at Shanghai, by way of an experiment to test the powers of the Chinese, and that he was so dissatisfied with their want of progress that he gave up the attempt. There is certainly no cause for boasting of what has been accomplished at this school, but the result, such as it is, gives fair hopes that, with increased facilities of teaching such subjects, no unimportant success may be obtained. The reasoning faculty is not wanting to Chinese Loys; it is simply dormant. "Elementary Chinese education makes no attempt at developing it, but the opportunity once given, its existence is soon apparent

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