16. The Basel Mission has now three schools under its management, namely, the Shuu-ki Wán School, and the Girls' School and the Boys' School at Sai Ying-p'ún. They occupy the fourth, twelfth and fourteenth places on the list. The two new ones have made a good beginning, the Shúu-kí Wán School especially so. The scholars presented at it were only in the first standard; but the work was so well done that, if regular attendance can but, be secured, the school is sure to prosper. The master of the Boys' School was not so successful as he might have been, if he had less self-confidence. The result of the examination was rather disappointing, but no one now sees where the defect lies more clearly than the master himself, and this is a good guarantee for amendinent. The Girls' School advanced four per cent. in the number of passes over the previous year. The school would have taken a very high place, but for certain failures in the first and fifth standards. In the former several very young children were presented, and in the latter the teacher fully anticipated the result. A .consider able number, too, of the best scholars left for Honolulu with their parents a few weeks before the examination. In spite of these drawbacks the school produced 85 per cent. of passes.in Reading, 72 per cent. in Writing, 80 per cent. in Arithmetic, 72 per cent. in Geography, and 91 per cent. in History; and a school which can do that must be admitted to be in a very efficient state.
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17. The Diocesan Home and Orphanage was examined for the first time last year, and the results were very satisfactory. The school occupies the seventh place on the list. Of the 30 scholars presented, 26 passed and 4 failed. Grammar was rather weak, and Arithmetic especially so; but in Reading: the percentage of passes was 97; in Writing, 90; and, in Geography, 100. These are high figures, and they show what may be expected of the institution now that the nature of the examination is fully understood. The only suggestion that need be made here is that, in the teaching of Arithmetic, the sums should, as a rule, be dictated to the children, and not simply copied by them from, a book or the black board. It is astonishing how awkward children are at writing the simplest numbers from dictation, when they are only accustomed to copy them from sight. When dictation is used, and the ordinary sums are varied with such as are calculated to draw out and exercise the reasoning powers of the scholars, Arithmetic is a valuable means of training; but, when it is allowed to be purely mecha- nicul, so to speak, its advantage is very doubtful,
18. St. Paul's College School holds the sirth place among these schools. It had two European masters last year, instead of one, as formerly; and the advantage of this was clearly seen in the results of the examination. Nearly 90 per cent. of the scholars passed, and the percentage of passes in all the subjects was very high. The total number of scholars taught during the year was 135, and the average daily attendance was 74. In both these respects the school stands very much higher than it did in 1876. This school is well conducted in every way. The discipline and appliances leave nothing to be desired.
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19. The Victoria Schools occupy the fifth and thirteenth places on the list, the Girls School taking the precedence. In the Boys' School, Reading, Grammar and Geography stood very high. Arith metic and Writing (from dictation) were the weak points. The latter, always a difficult subject in a foreign tongue, needs very careful attention. The Girls' School is admirably taught. Upwards of 90 per cent, of the scholars passed, and the percentage of passes in the various subjects was na "follows: Reading, 95 per cent.; Writing (from dictation), 90 per cent.; Arithmetic, 76 per cent.; Geography, il per cent.; and Graiumar, 100 per cent. There is much careful work in these two schools, and they deserve every encouragement.
20. The School Book Committee's Series is rapidly advancing in public estimation. Several of the Missions in various parts of China have introduced the books into their schools, and speak highly of them. The second edition of the Primer and First Book is nearly exhausted, and the Second Book will also have to be reprinted. The Committee will soon be in a position to undertake a thorough revision of the whole series; and the experience which is now being gained of its merits and defects will be of great assistance to them when they resume their work once more.
I have the honour to be,
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The Ilonourable J. GARDINER AUSTIN, C.M.G.,
Colonial Secretary,
fr.,
St.,
Sir,
Your most obedient Servant,
FREDERICK STEWART, Inspector of Schools.