a definite opinion at present, but of this I am convinced, both from what I observed in the Central School in 1878 and in these schools in 1879,-that when both English and Chinese are taught side by side, the results are poor with the best teachers, and that when English is taught in a school to the exclusion of Chinese, or Chinese is taught to the exclusion of English, the results are fairly proportionate to the efficiency of the teacher. In other words, when both the English and Chinese languages are taught side by side in the same class, the children learn neither English properly nor Chinese satisfactorily. In learning the Chinese language, mere proficiency in reading and writing requires nearly ten years' exclusive teaching. The children in these schools all speak Chinese without exception; they are all, or nearly all, born here, and therefore British subjects; their own interests, as well as the interests of the Government, dictate that they should learn English, and they might learn it, one and all, in six years tolerably well, if their time and strength were not wasted on the bootless attempt to learn the two languages at the same time. As the decision of the Secretary of State refers only, as I understand it, to the introduction of the optional system into the Central School, and not to the outside schools, I am inclined to recommend that all these outside schools be kept open for all who come to learn, but that no boy be compelled to try and do the impossible, whilst English be taught to those who wish to learn English, and Chinese to those who wish to learn Chinese, with a view rather to make the boys learn one language properly than to make them smatterers in two.
As regards the purely Chinese Schools, the schools at Sheung-wán, Stanley, and the Girls' School, had to be classed as "very good," the schools at Há-wán, Tang-lung-chau, Yau-má-ti and Sai-ying-p'ún, as "good," and the remainder as "fair," with the exception of the schools at Mong-kok and Little Hongkong, which were conducted so badly that, unless speedy improvement takes place, serious measures will be necessary. I regret to have also to mention that I had to exclude two schools, that of Shau-ki-wan and that of Tai-tam-tuk, from the benefit of prizes, because, on two separate occasions, when I paid a surprise visit to these places lately, I found one school shut up and the other without scholars, at a time when both ought to have been at work.
His Excellency then distributed the rewards to the teachers, and, after putting the pupils who had been learning English through a little viva voce examination in spelling and reading, he distributed the prizes to the boys.
The GOVERNOR then said,—I am glad to have the opportunity of meeting here the representatives of the 29 Government Schools, exclusive of the Central School,-26 masters of those schools being present. It is satisfactory to see such a large assembly of school-boys, more than one hundred of whom have been learning English, whilst all, or nearly all, of these boys were born in this Colony, and therefore British subjects. No doubt you are all aware that, apart from the moral effects of education on habit and character, the high-road to worldly prosperity, to social rank and position in this Colony, lies in the direction of English knowledge. I am glad, therefore, to be able to say that, in addition to the four English Government Schools, outside the Central School, at present existing in the Colony, two more will be opened for English teaching, after the Chinese New Year. Furthermore, Sir MICHAEL HICKS-BEACH has sanctioned the building of five new schools at a cost of $10,000, and in these schools also English will be taught.
From what the Inspector has just said, it is manifest that the Chinese residents of the Colony appreciate the advantages now offered to them by the Government in acquiring a knowledge of English. This is indeed most satisfactory, as it is clearly desirable to see from year to year an Anglo-Chinese Community rising up in this Colony, Chinese in manners and customs, but English in law-abiding devotion to Her Majesty the Queen, under whose rule you are living here in security and comfort.
I am aware that much is to be learned in Chinese books that is not, perhaps, inculcated now-a-days to the same extent in Western literature, as, for instance, filial piety, gentleness of conduct, and the formal restrictions of social etiquette. But there need be no difficulty in combining those lessons of a Chinese education with a thorough study of the English language. Nor, in doing so, need there be any departure from the ancient modes and forms of Chinese school life.
You have an example of what can be done in this way in the Chinese residents of another British Colony not far off, Singapore and the Straits Settlements, where many of the Chinese, without forsaking their Chinese customs and manners, make the English language their own. There is nothing to prevent the acquisition of a good knowledge of English by any Chinese youth in the Colony who may be really anxious to learn English; and no prize of material prosperity, social rank, or office so high that is not open to a British subject in this Colony, possessed of a thorough knowledge of English. I never make any distinction in giving away an office, except that I seek for the man best fitted by education, talent and character, be he of Chinese or foreign extraction. Let the Masters therefore do their duty by those willing and anxious to be taught, and let the pupils take heart, face the difficulties of the English language, and strive to gain for themselves a worthy position in this Anglo-Chinese community of Hongkong,-a community which, whilst thoroughly Chinese in family feeling and character, in sobriety and industry, and a credit to the ancient civilizations of China, will be obedient to English law and staunch in sincere loyalty to Her Majesty the Queen-Empress.
The proceedings then terminated.
a definite opinion at present, but of this I am convinced, both from what I observed in the Central School in 1878 and in these schools in 1879,-that when both English and Chinese are taught side by side, the results are poor with the best teachers, and that when English is taught in a school to the exclusion of Chinese, or Chinese is taught to the exclusion of English, the results are fairly proportionate to the efficiency of the teacher. In other words, when both the English and Chinese languages are taught side by side in the same class, the children learn neither English properly nor Chinese satis- factorily. In learning the Chinese language, mere proficiency in reading and writing requires nearly ten years exclusive teaching. The children in these schools all speak Chinese without exception; they are all, or nearly all, born here, and therefore British subjects; their own interests, as well as the interests of the Government, dictate that they should learn English, and they might learn it, one and all, in `six years tolerably well, if their time and strength were not wasted on the bootless attempt to learn the two languages at the same time. As the decision of the Secretary of State refers only, as I under- stand it, to the introduction of the optional system into the Central School, and not to the outside schools, I am inclined to recommend that all these outside schools be kept open for all who come to learn, but that no boy be compelled to try and do the impossible, whilst English be taught to those who wish to learn English, and Chinese to those who wish to learn Chinese, with a view rather to make the boys learn one language properly than to make them smatterers in two.
As regards the purely Chinese Schools, the schools at Sheung-wán, Stanley, and the Girls' School, had to be classed as "very good," the schools at Há-wán, Tang-lung-chau, Yau-má-ti and Sai-ying- p'ún, as "good," and the remainder as "fair," with the exception of the schools at Mong-kok and Little Hongkong, which were conducted so badly that, unless speedy improvement takes place, serious mea- sures will be necessary. I regret to have also to mention that I had to exclude two schools, that of Shau-ki-wan and that of Tai-tam-tuk, from the benefit of prizes, because, on two separate occasions, when I paid a surprise visit to these places lately, I found one school shut up and the other without scholars, at a time when both ought to have been at work.
His Excellency then distributed the rewards to the teachers, and, after putting the pupils who had been learning English through a little viva voce examination in spelling and reading, he distributed the prizes to the boys.
The GOVERNOR then said,—I am glad to have the opportunity of meeting here the representatives of the 29 Government Schools, exclusive of the Central School,-26 masters of those schools being present. It is satisfactory to see such a large assembly of school-boys, more than one hundred of whom have been learning English, whilst all, or nearly all, of these boys were born in this Colony, and therefore British subjects. No doubt you are all aware that, apart from the moral effects of education on habit and character, the high-road to worldly prosperity, to social rank and position in this Colony, lies in the direction of English knowledge. I am glad, therefore, to be able to say that, in addition to the four English Government Schools, outside the Central School, at present existing in the Colony, two more will be opened for English teaching, after the Chinese New Year. Furthermore, Sir MICHAEL HICKS-BEACH has sanctioned the building of five new schools at a cost of $10,000, and in these schools also English will be taught.
From what the Inspector has just said, it is manifest that the Chinese residents of the Colony appreciate the advantages now offered to them by the Government in acquiring a knowledge of English. This is indeed most satisfactory, as it is clearly desirable to see from year to year an Anglo-Chinese Community rising up in this Colony, Chinese in manners and customs, but English in law-abiding devotion to Her Majesty the Queen, under whose rule you are living here in security and
comfort.
I am aware that much is to be learned in Chinese books that is not, perhaps, inculcated now-a- days to the same extent in Western literature, as, for instance, filial piety, gentleness of conduct, and the formal restrictions of social etiquette. But there need be no difficulty in combining those lessons of a Chinese education with a thorough study of the English language. Nor, in doing so, need there be any departure from the ancient modes and forms of Chinese school life.
You have an example of what can be done in this way in the Chinese residents of another British Colony not far off, Singapore and the Straits Settlements, where many of the Chinese, without forsaking their Chinese customs and manners, make the English language their own. There is nothing to prevent the acquisition of a good knowledge of English by any Chinese youth in the Colony who may be really anxious to learn English; and no prize of material prosperity, social rank, or office so high that is not open to a British subject in this Colony, possessed of a thorough knowledge of English. I never make any distinction in giving away an office, except that I seek for the man best fitted by education, talent and character, be he of Chinese or foreign extraction. Let the Masters therefore do their duty by those willing and anxious to be taught, and let the pupils take heart, face the difficulties of the English language, and strive to gain for themselves a worthy position in this Anglo-Chinese community of Hongkong,-a community which, whilst thoroughly Chinese in family feeling and character, in sobriety and industry, and a credit to the ancient civilizations of China, will be obedient to English law and staunch in sincere loyalty to Her Majesty the Queen-Empress.
The proceedings then terminated.
a definite opinion at present, but of this I am convinced, both from what I observed in the Central School in 1878 and in these schools in 1879,-that when both English and Chinese are taught side by side, the results are poor with the best teachers, and that when English is taught in a school to the exclusion of Chinese, or Chinese is taught to the exclusion of English, the results are fairly proportionate to the efficiency of the teacher. In other words, when both the English and Chinese languages are taught side by side in the same class, the children learn neither English properly nor Chinese satis- factorily. In learning the Chinese language, mere proficiency in reading and writing requires nearly ten years exclusive teaching. The children in these schools all speak Chinese without exception; they are all, or nearly all, born here, and therefore British subjects; their own interests, as well as the interests of the Government, dictate that they should learn English, and they might learn it, one and all, in `six years tolerably well, if their time and strength were not wasted on the bootless attempt to learn the two languages at the same time. As the decision of the Secretary of State refers only, as I under- stand it, to the introduction of the optional system into the Central School, and not to the outside schools, I am inclined to recommend that all these outside schools be kept open for all who come to learn, but that no boy be compelled to try and do the impossible, whilst English be taught to those who wish to learn English, and Chinese to those who wish to learn Chinese, with a view rather to make the boys learn one language properly than to make them smatterers in two.
As regards the purely Chinese Schools, the schools at Sheung-wán, Stanley, and the Girls' School, had to be classed as "very good," the schools at Há-wán, Tang-lung-chau, Yau-má-ti and Sai-ying- p'ún, as "good," and the remainder as "fair," with the exception of the schools at Mong-kok and Little Hongkong, which were conducted so badly that, unless speedy improvement takes place, serious mea- sures will be necessary. I regret to have also to mention that I had to exclude two schools, that of Shau-ki-wan and that of Tai-tam-tuk, from the benefit of prizes, because, on two separate occasions, when I paid a surprise visit to these places lately, I found one school shut up and the other without scholars, at a time when both ought to have been at work.
His Excellency then distributed the rewards to the teachers, and, after putting the pupils who had been learning English through a little viva voce examination in spelling and reading, he distributed the prizes to the boys.
The GOVERNOR then said,—I am glad to have the opportunity of meeting here the representatives of the 29 Government Schools, exclusive of the Central School,-26 masters of those schools being present. It is satisfactory to see such a large assembly of school-boys, more than one hundred of whom have been learning English, whilst all, or nearly all, of these boys were born in this Colony, and therefore British subjects. No doubt you are all aware that, apart from the moral effects of education on habit and character, the high-road to worldly prosperity, to social rank and position in this Colony, lies in the direction of English knowledge. I am glad, therefore, to be able to say that, in addition to the four English Government Schools, outside the Central School, at present existing in the Colony, two more will be opened for English teaching, after the Chinese New Year. Furthermore, Sir MICHAEL HICKS-BEACH has sanctioned the building of five new schools at a cost of $10,000, and in these schools also English will be taught.
From what the Inspector has just said, it is manifest that the Chinese residents of the Colony appreciate the advantages now offered to them by the Government in acquiring a knowledge of English. This is indeed most satisfactory, as it is clearly desirable to see from year to year an Anglo-Chinese Community rising up in this Colony, Chinese in manners and customs, but English in law-abiding devotion to Her Majesty the Queen, under whose rule you are living here in security and
comfort.
I am aware that much is to be learned in Chinese books that is not, perhaps, inculcated now-a- days to the same extent in Western literature, as, for instance, filial piety, gentleness of conduct, and the formal restrictions of social etiquette. But there need be no difficulty in combining those lessons of a Chinese education with a thorough study of the English language. Nor, in doing so, need there be any departure from the ancient modes and forms of Chinese school life.
You have an example of what can be done in this way in the Chinese residents of another British Colony not far off, Singapore and the Straits Settlements, where many of the Chinese, without forsaking their Chinese customs and manners, make the English language their own. There is nothing to prevent the acquisition of a good knowledge of English by any Chinese youth in the Colony who may be really anxious to learn English; and no prize of material prosperity, social rank, or office so high that is not open to a British subject in this Colony, possessed of a thorough knowledge of English. I never make any distinction in giving away an office, except that I seek for the man best fitted by education, talent and character, be he of Chinese or foreign extraction. Let the Masters therefore do their duty by those willing and anxious to be taught, and let the pupils take heart, face the difficulties of the English language, and strive to gain for themselves a worthy position in this Anglo-Chinese community of Hongkong,-a community which, whilst thoroughly Chinese in family feeling and character, in sobriety and industry, and a credit to the ancient civilizations of China, will be obedient to English law and staunch in sincere loyalty to Her Majesty the Queen-Empress.
The proceedings then terminated.
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