546
Report of the Morrison Education Society.
Oct.
rest on trial, so that with the former class of six, there were in Nov. 18411, twenty boys enjoying the Society's patronage. On the 10th of December, another was added to the school. This lad had be- longed to the class of 1840, and had been in the school nine months, when he was suddenly removed by his father on the day of the battle of the Barrier though on his part very reluctantly. Since then he has often made application for re-admission, but for the sake of ex- ample to others who might desire to violate their engagements with me respecting their sons, it was deemed best to put him off from time to time, until it should be seen that such a breach of good faith would render it difficult for a pupil to be restored to the school. As however, in this case the boy was not in fault, but his father, after the the lapse of eighteen months, he was again received on the list. He had been absent twice as long as he had been at school, yet on his return, I was surprised to find that he could read and speak English nearly as well as when he was taken away. His conduct since then has been very pleasing, evincing deep interest in his studies, and strong attachment to his teachers.
This accession would have made our whole number of pupils twenty-one, but five, at the expiration of their month of trial, being found either too deficient in capacity to learn, or else too little de- sirous to improve, were dismissed, and thus for the last ten months the school has consisted of sixteen boys. These vary in age from ten to sixteen years, and are divided into two classes, with the ex- ception of one who is midway between the two.
In regard to their studies, the same general plan has been pur- sued that was described in ny last communication to the trustees. The first half of each day has been assigned to Chinese books and writing, the rest to English studies. In Chinese they are still taught after the fashion of the country, by the same native master who was employed the last year. He is probably as efficient in his departinent as the majority of teachers in China, and feels as much interest in his work as most of them. Ten of the boys have committed to me- mory all or nearly all of the Four Books, and reviewed them, while one of the more advanced class, has taken up the commentary on these books by Chú fútsz', and is now endeavoring to understand it. Most of them comprehend the meaning of the books of Mencius, fewer the writings of Confucius, and none of them but here and there a passage in the Book of Odes, which is the most difficult. Some of them are able to translate passages from Mencius into intel- Jugible English They have also been exercised somewhat in translat