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In consequence, at my request, His Excellency the Governor appointed a Committee:--
"To enquire into the teaching of the English language to Chinese boys in Government Schools, and to examine the question whether by a reduction in the number of other subjects more time can be devoted to such teaching.'
11
The Committee was constituted as follows:-
The Director of Education, Chairman.
The Hon. Mr. Percy Hobson Holyoak.
The Hon. Mr. Lau Chi-pak.
Mr. George Piercy.
Mr. Wilfred John Hinton.
Mr. Frank Macdonald Holman.
Mr. Richard Arthur Brabazon Ponsonby-Fane.
Mr. Edwin Ralphs, Secretary.
The Committee's Report was laid before the Legislative Council on 2nd August. It interpreted its powers in a very wide sense, and gave advice upon many points which seemed to it to hamper in one way or another the efficiency of the schools, and therefore to affect indirectly the teaching of English in them. It found that with smaller classes in better buildings and with better paid teachers better results would be obtained. It advocated medical inspection of the pupils in all Government Schools, and the dropping of Book-keeping, and suggested some trifling modifications of the syllabus. But its reply on the main question was that as regarded the Curriculum "We do not recommend any change in the present arrangement, and do not consider that too many subjects are being taught, or that too much time is devoted to such subjects."
7. British Schools.—The reports on the three British Schools may be considered quite satisfactory having regard to the peculiar conditions of these schools. They are adversely affected by climatic conditions, which make the attendance low during the summer months and which lower the stamina and therefore the mental powers of the children who do remain in attendance. As regards the higher Classes an even more serious disability is found in the small numbers attending. When there are only three or four pupils in a Class it is manifestly impossible to provide them with a number of special masters. A similar Class in a big school at home would have the Mathematics taught by a mathematician, and French taught by a French scholar; there would be suitable laboratories, and so forth. It might be possible to aim at something nearer this standard, if the three schools could be combined into one. That suggestion is frequently made; but without much regard to the difficulties. There is obviously the difficulty of the site. A school for British children should not be in the heart of a native city, and it should
0 3
In consequence, at my request, His Excellency the Govern appointed a Committee:--
"To enquire into the teaching of the English language to Chinese boys in Government Schools, and to examine the question whether by a reduction in the number of other subjects more time can be devoted to such teaching.'
11
The Committee was constituted as follows:-
The Director of Education, Chairman.
The Hon. Mr. Percy Hobson Holyoak.
The Hon. Mr. Lau Chi-pak.
Mr. George Piercy..
Mr. Wilfred John Hinton.
Mr. Frank Macdonald Holman Holman.
Mr. Richard Arthur Brabazon Ponsonby-Fane.
Mr. Edwin Ralphs, Secretary.
The Committee's Report was laid before the Legislative Council on 2nd August. It interpreted its powers in a very wide sense, and gave advice upon many points which seemed to it to hamper in one way or another the efficiency of the schools, and therefore to affect indirectly the teaching of English in them. It found that with smaller classes in better buildings and with better paid teachers better results would be obtained. It advocated medical inspection of the pupils in all Government Schools, and the dropping of Book- keeping, and suggested some trifling modifications of the syllabus. But its reply on the main question was that as regarded the Curriculum "We do not recommend any change in the present arrangement, and do not consider that too many subjects are being taught, or that too much time is devoted to such subjects."
7. British Schools.—The reports on the three British Schools may be considered quite satisfactory having regard to the peculiar conditions of these schools. They are adversely affected by climatic conditions, which make the attendance low during the summer months and which lower the stamina and therefore the mental powers of the children who do remain in attendance. As regards the higher Classes an even more serious disability is found in the small numbers attending. When there are only three or four pupils in a Class it is manifestly impossible to provide them with a number of special masters. A similar Class in a big school at home would have the Mathematics taught by a mathematician, and French taught by a French scholar; there would be suitable laboratories, and so forth. It might be possible to aim at something nearer this standard, if the three schools could be combined into one. That suggestion is frequently made; but without much regard to the difficulties. There is obviously the difficulty of the site. A school for British children should not be in the heart of a native city, and it should
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