8. The appointment to the school in Battery Road was successful in every way, and was so from the first, although it was feared that there would be a falling off at the start, so difficult is it to calcu late beforehand what will be the effect of a change of master.
us
9. The fourth vacancy occurred at Wán-tsai. The master, who lived in a perpetual dread of rolibers, could never be prevailed upon to open the windows of his own quarters, and, as soon as school was dismissed, the whole premises were religiously shut up and barricaded. The consequence s that his health gave way, and the school suffered much in consequence. He retired in Apri llis place has been taken by a master who is rapidly recovering the ground which was lost, and who will soon make the Wán-tsai school what he previously made the one at Stanley, the best of the class to which it belongs. The taste, too, which he is displaying in cultivating the ground within the school enclosure is worthy of all commendation. From being a place which one was almost ashamel of, it has become the pride and the talk of the neighbourhood."
sary,
10. The school at Aberdeen, in addition to its other difficulties, the iteration of which is unneces
had this time to contend with sickness. The master had repeated attacks of fever, and it took much persuasion to induce him to return, after his last and very serious illness. The village, in spite of all that has been done to it, is little better than a swamp. The exhalations which arise from the heated nud, in breezeless summers like the lust, can only produce one result. Sickness interfered much also with the school at Shán-kí Wán. The building had an unenviable notoriety while it was occupied by the Police, but, until last year, there had been no cause for complaint since it became a Achoolhouse. It stands on the highest ground in the village, and is admirably ventilated; but in front there is a long stretch of muddy beach at low water, from which miasma cannot fail to exude under a broiling sun.
A denser vegetation both here and at Aberdeen would go far to counteract these evil influences.
11. In addition to geography introduced into all the schools in 1873, the first three books of the School Book Committee's series came into use last year, with highly satisfactory results. The new subjects were, as a rule, well taught, without any injury to the ordinary Chinese lessons. Arithmetic. which was referred to last year, was not adopted for two reasons; first, because time could not be found for the compilation of a suitable Chinese text book, and, secondly, because even if it had been ready, there was sufficient innovation for one year without it. It will not be lost sight of, and, when opportunity offers, it also will find its appropriate place in the schools.
12. The other Native Schools, thirteen in number and principally on the Kowloon side, which receive a monthly contribution towards the masters' salaries, remain very much as they were. The number of scholars was greater than in 1874, and the attendance was very much more regular. The new Looks just spoken of are gradually making way among them too; and five or six years hence perhaps, with patience and perseverance, these schools may do for the outlying places in which they are situated what the Government Schools, ordinarily so called, are doing in more favoured localities.
13. In spite of defective accommodation and other drawbacks, the Central School is steadily progressing. The total number under tuition was 556, and the average daily attendance for the year was 379. The corresponding numbers for 1874 were 528 and 347 respectively. Taking month by mouth, the average number on the books was 411, as against 369 for the previous year.
14. Nothing occurred during the year which requires any special mention. The school, as regards both masters and scholars, was wonderfully exempt from sickness and other causes of absence. There was consequently the less to interfere with the even tenor of daily duty. Scarcely any year has been so favourable to the school in this respect as 1875.
15. Remarks on this school might have ended here but for the discussion which educational matters have lately elicited. It will, therefore, not be out of place to give some idea of what the school is doing. This can be best tested by the examinations, but this Report would be overloaded with documents, if all the examination papers and the results connected with nine English and five Chinese classes were incorporated in it. A selection must therefore be made, and this will be found in the second appendix, which contains the papers set to the first class, and the marks in each subject gained by every scholar in it. The names only are omitted.
16. The examination papers and the results lie on the table of the examination ball, and are open to inspection at all times. The written answers given by the first class are also preserved for twelve monthis, and are equally open to the public for perusal. The examinations, which are a very laborions work, occupy
from eight to ten days, at the rate of two papers to each class a day. They are con- ducted by the masters in committee. The result more than counterbalances the exertion required, because we are able to fix exactly the status of each boy in the school in every subject which be has been taught during the year.
17. The subjects of examination comprise the whole work of the year. This is often attended with inconvenience, on account of the frequent promotions which have to be made as vacancies occur. It is hard on a boy to be examined on the work of a class in which he has been for only a few months, but this difficulty cannot be overconic, until the school's great drawback, short attendance, has been
removed.