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PUBLIC

RECORD OFFICE

Reference :-

0885

9 PUBLIC RECORD OFFICE, LONDON

ALLY WITHOUT PERMISSION OF THE BE REPRODUCED PHOTOGRAPHIC- COPYRIGHT PHOTOGRAPH-NOT TO

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they should illustrate, &c. On the receipt of this information an estimate of the cost would be obtained and a further communication sent to you.

5. I shall await with interest the report on the progress made in the teaching of hygiene during the year 1906.

The Officer Administering

the Government of

Enclosure in No. 51.

I have, &c.,

ELGIN.

PRECIS OF DESPATCHES WHICH HAVE BEEN RECEIVED IN REPLY TO THE CIRCULAR DESPATCH OF AUGUST 26th, 1905.

Eastern.

Ceylon.

The three weeks' course of lectures, of which the syllabus is given on pages 11-13 of the Précis which accompanied the Circular despatch of the 26th August, 1905, was held at the Ceylon Medical College in that month. The course was attended by 29 teachers in grant-in-aid Sinhalese Schools. The lectures were delivered by Government Medical Officers. A Sub-Inspector of Schools, Mr. H. D. Ľ. Wijesingha, who has a good knowledge of the subject, was present throughout the course and interpreted the lectures into Sinhalese. He also, with the aid of the lecturer, conducted an oral examination at the end of the 1st and 2nd weeks, and a written examination at the end of the 3rd week. The lectures were most successful; they were treated entirely from the point of view of local circumstances and were illustrated as far as possible by experiments, models, real objects with diagrams, and blackboard drawings, and a selection of models of springs and wells were constructed for these lectures by the principal students of the Training College. All of the teachers obtained over fifty per cent. on the final examination, and 27 were given certificates. The Sinhalese translation of Mrs. Brander's "Talks on Health" has been prepared. A copy of this will be given to every Government teacher, and he will be expected to study it in order to qualify himself to give intelligent instruction in conpection with the Sanitary Catechism. In order to improve teaching in Government schools of Nature Study and Hygiene, one Sub- Inspector of Schools has now been relieved of his ordinary duties and devotes his time on circuit entirely to these two subjects and to the improvement of school gardens. The sum of Rs. 1,000 was voted for 1906 for a similar course of lectures to be delivered after consultation with the Registrar of the Medical College.

Mauritius.

The Government have formulated a scheme which is outlined in Appendix II. and a sum of Rs. 1,500 was voted by the Council of Government in December last for the purpose of carrying the scheme into effect.

Straits Settlements.

The Port Health Officer, Singapore, has delivered a course of 12 lectures on hygiene, which extended over six weeks, to teachers in the English schools of the Settlement. The average attendance at the lectures was 40.41, and the total number 57, of whom 8 attended less than half the lectures. At the end of the course an examination was held, at which 34 presented themselves. A copy of each paper set is contained in Appendix III. Ten of the candidates obtained 75 per cent. or more of the maximum and 18 others passed with half marks or more; 6 failed. Of the teachers who obtained more than three-quarter possible marks, four are women, all mistresses at the Raffles Girls' School, and of the 18 passes, four also were women, while of the 15 who attended six lectures or more but did not present themselves for examination, six attended every lecture and nine were senior women teachers in the various girls' schools of the Settlement.

Seychelles.

The Governor has appointed a small Committee to consider and report as to the best practical method of introducing the efficient teaching of sanitation in aided schools. He is inclined to think that the only possible method-having in view the reduced administrative staff and the language difficulty in teaching Creole children -is that the Chief Medical Officer should deliver yearly a series of lectures to the teachers of primary schools on elementary hygiene for the teachers to commu-

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nicate to the pupils, as well as advanced lectures to the higher classes in the two secondary schools in Victoria.

Hong Kong.

The third paragraph of the Circular of the 26th August, 1905, deals with the necessity for a definite course of instruction for teachers, but in Hong Kong it has not been considered necessary to have special lectures such as have been provided in Ceylon, or a special local examination such as is held at Lagos. The Hong Kong branch of the Royal Sanitary Institute gives a course of excellent lectures on sanitary subjects in the winter months of every year, and lectures are also given on first-aid under the auspices of the St. John's Ambulance Association. Teachers are being encouraged to present themselves for examination for certificates of the Science and Art Department, South Kensington, in Elementary and Advanced Hygiene, and of the Royal Sanitary Institute under Practical Hygiene for School Teachers. Teachers who hold Royal Sanitary Institute or South Kensington certificates and have studied the advanced part of the "Course of Hygiene for the use of Hong Kong Schools," and the text book referred to in that course, should, in the opinion of the Governor, have a thoroughly sound knowledge of hygiene and of its application to the special conditions of the Colony. The "Course of Hygiene " is now being translated into Chinese by the headmaster of the Wonchai Anglo- Chinese School. The following rewards were given to teachers and pupils for proficiency at the examinations held in December, 1905:-

Advanced course :-

1st prize $100.

2nd prize $50.

3rd prize $25.

Elementary course :-

Winning team of 10 scholars from one school-A Silver Challenge Shield, to

be held for one year.

Prize to 1st scholar in winning team-$20.

Prize to 2nd scholar in winning team-$15.

Honorarium to instructor of winning team-$50.

Out of a daily average attendance of some 5,000 scholars in the Government and grant-in-aid schools of the Colony, over 1,500 in Standards III. to VII. received instruction in hygiene, and over 300 in Standards VI. and VII. studied the advanced course. The Governor considers that as the subject was a new one and had only been studied for a part of the year, the result of the examination was satisfactory.

Pacific.

Fiji.

In the present state of the schools of the Colony, the Governor fears that it would be useless to attempt to introduce the scheme recommended in the Circular, but he hopes shortly to introduce a better system of education, and will then bear in mind the suggestions contained in the Circular as to the teaching of hygiene. Hygiene has been systematically taught in Fiji for 10 years to the nurses in train- ing at the College Hospital. As regards the native pupils, he fears that it would be difficult effectually to teach them hygiene before they learn English, but it is proposed to establish a High school for natives, and it may, therefore, before long become possible to do something with the natives in the direction indicated in the

Circular.

Papua.

Owing to the backward condition of education among the natives it is not yet possible to do more than teach them the most rudimentary outlines of hygiene. It is a most difficult if not impossible-undertaking to induce a native to believe that disease and healing are caused otherwise than by the malefic enchantments of sorcerers. This deeply-ingrained superstition is the greatest obstacle that both the Government and missionaries have to contend with in educating the natives. The surest way, probably, of eradicating this obstinate belief is by treating as many sick natives as possible in hospitals under skilled supervision. There are at present three native hospitals in the Possession, and the returns from these institutions show that they are gaining popularity. But it may well be doubted whether a native, who has been discharged after undergoing successful treatment, goes away with

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