14. The simple fact however is quite otherwise. Every boy in the Central School is taught English during four hours every day, a period which I think it impossible to extend with any good result. In addition to this teaching of English, but in subordination to it, the boys are also taught their own language by non-English-speaking masters; for I hold that no boy can master a foreign language without a competent knowledge of his own, unless he resides in the country in which the foreign language is spoken.
15. When I said to His Excellency that only 50 or 60 of the boys spoke English, I referred to those who had been some years in the school, and who were about to leave it on obtaining employment. When I used the word "imperfectly," I did so in contradistinction to the facility with which one speaks a foreign language from actual experience in life, as apart from the slow and imperfect speaking of it which one acquires by learning it only from the lips of a master: and I did not for a moment intend to suggest that none of the others knew anything of English.
16. In the "China Mail's" account of the proceedings already referred to, His Excellency is reported to have said, "I asked His Lordship when I came in this morning what was the number of Portuguese in the school, and what number left the school, able to speak English. He answered, first, that there cannot be far short of 200 Portuguese trained in the school, and that all these, practically speaking, leave the school able to speak English more or less."
17. If His Excellency will take the same reply from me now, I can give it, without hesitation or reservation, as regards the boys at the Central School.
18. That more can be done at the Central School as it is, than is being done, to teach English, I believe to be impossible: that more could be done at the school as I should like to see it, than is done now, it would be impossible to deny: but, to reach that stage, the new school must be built, more accommodation provided, smaller classes formed, a stronger staff of teachers obtained, and a play ground supplied as the most practical of all forms of teaching the boys to speak English.
19. I have repeatedly referred to all these matters in my Annual Reports, but it is now necessary to repeat and emphasize them; and, as much evil must result to the school from the currency given to the impression that is now prevailing, I venture to request that His Excellency will permit the publication of this letter in next Saturday's Gazette, in order that this serious public misapprehension may be authoritatively removed on the earliest possible occasion.
I have the honour to be,
Sir,
Your most obedient Servant,
FREDERICK Stewart, Inspector of Schools.
The Governor to the Colonial Secretary.
As the Colonial Secretary was with me when I put the questions to Mr. STEWart about the amount of English spoken in the double class-room where there were one hundred and fifty boys being taught by three Chinese teachers, and about the amount of English spoken by the six hundred and ten pupils in the whole school for 1877, I should be glad if he would record his recollection of Mr. STEWART's answer.
J. POPE HENNESSY.
12th February, 1878.
Minute by the Colonial Secretary.
The information given to Your Excellency by Mr. STEWART conveyed an impression to my mind that only 50 or 60 of the boys knew anything of English, Indeed when these figures were given in Your Excellency's speech I understood Mr. STEWART to say, when turning round to me, that he feared they were in excess.
I must confess that in consequence I left the school with an unfavourable impression as to the extent to which instruction was being given in English, as I hold that political and commercial interests render the study of English of primary importance in all Government schools.
I quite agree, however, with Mr. STEWART that we should obtain better results with more accommodation, smaller classes and a stronger staff of teachers.
J. GARDINER AUSTIN,
Colonial Secretary.
13th February, 1878.