SIR,
1841-1886
REPORTS EXHIBITING THE PAST AND PRESENT
Enclosure No. 9.
Hong Kong, January 12, 1853.
I HAVE the honour to acknowledge your letter No. 308, of the 11th ultimo, to the address of the committee in superintendence of Chinese Government schools, and in the absence of his Lordship the Bishop of Victoria, and of the chief magistrate, I beg in reply to make the following report upon the schools for the past year.
Since the Bishop of Victoria consented to act as chairman to the committee, and I became associated with his Lordship and Mr. Hillier in March last, the committee have availed themselves of the obliging aid of the Rev. M. C. Odell in visiting the schools, which have in consequence been subjected to a somewhat more effectual and frequent supervision than up to that time it had been found practicable to afford them. Notwithstanding the advantage thus secured, however, less attention than is desirable can yet be given to the more distant schools at Stanley, Aberdeen, &c., and the zeal shown by their masters, and the progress of the scholars are hence less satisfactory than the schools near at hand.
The returns periodically made by the respective schoolmasters show the average number of scholars monthly under tuition during the past year to have been as follows:
School Average Number of Boys Victoria 40 Wongneichoong 28 Stanley 31 Heong-Kong Aberdeen 13 26 27These averages are, however, somewhat overstated, the actual attendance, as determined by incidental observation, never having exceeded the following limits:
School Attendance Range Victoria 35 to 40 boys Wongneichoong 20 to 24 Stanley 8 to 14 Heong Kong 18 to 22 Aberdeen 13 to 24The small attendance at Stanley is mainly attributable to the fact that it contains two other schools, the one an eleemosynary institution in connexion with the Baptist mission, and the other an establishment supported by the inhabitants.
The course of study has been very much the same as that pursued in past years, consisting of Chinese classics, the Bible, and foreign composed elementary works. These have been principally learnt by rote, according to the usual Chinese method of rudimental education; but of late the committee have required the schoolmasters to give more attention to the instruction of the children in the signification of all they are taught to recite; and manifest improvement in this particular has already been noticed in many boys of the Victoria and Wongneichoong schools.
The committee have as usual used their discretion in fixing the amount of remuneration to be awarded to such masters as have had a smaller number of scholars than that which entitles them to the full salary fixed by Government. Any sums that may be saved by this means might, in my opinion and in that of Mr. Odell, on whom so much of the actual supervision has devolved, be appropriated with advantage to the purchase of trifling rewards of merit (besides the necessary books, maps, &c.), to be given, after general yearly or half-yearly examinations held in the presence of the committee, to such scholars as may show themselves worthy of the distinction. This would tend to excite a useful spirit of emulation, now so much required as an incentive to exertion; and if, in addition to this, the committee make it incumbent on the masters to adhere to a more methodical system of teaching than that now in vogue, we believe that speedy improvement in progress will be the result. I recommend this measure the more confidently in that the introduction of it by Mr. Odell into some schools under his own charge has already had, he tells me, a very good effect.
During the past year one scholar from the Victoria School, and four from that at Wongneichoong, have been admitted into St. Paul's College School, making, with those taken into that institution during past years, a total of eleven boys who have been thus privileged. One of these has been lately elected to a Government scholarship.
That much is yet required to make the schools real instruments of good is, I believe, the unanimous opinion of the committee; but, apart from the suggestion above made, I cannot, in the absence of the gentlemen with whom I am associated, venture upon any more important recommendations with a view to their improvement.
The Governmental grant appears to be well appreciated by the natives of the different villages. No measure is, I conceive, better calculated to conciliate and give them confidence; and every effort should therefore be given towards placing the schools upon the most efficient footing possible.
I have, &c. (Signed)
W. EL MEDHURST,
A member of the committee for supervision of Government schools.
The Hon. Lieut.-Col. Caine,
Colonial Secretary.
Page 210
Page 211
SIR,
1841-1886
REPORTS EXHIBITING THE PAST AND PRESENT
Enclosure No. 9.
Hong Kong, January 12, 1853.
I HAVE the honour to acknowledge your letter No. 308, of the 11th ultimo, to the address of the committee in superintendence of Chinese Government schools, and in the absence of his Lordship the Bishop of Victoria, and of the chief magistrate, I beg in reply to make the following report upon the schools for the past year.
191
Since the Bishop of Victoria consented to act as chairman to the committee, and I became associated with his Lordship and Mr. Hillier in March lust, the committee have availed themselves of the obliging" aid of the Rev. M. C. Odell in visiting the schools, which have in consequence been subjected to a somewhat more effectual and frequent supervision than up to that time it had been found practicable to afford them. Notwith- standing the advantage thus secured, however, less attention than is desirable can yet be given to the more distant schools at Stanley, Aberdeen, &c., and the zeal shown by their inasters, and the progress of the scholars are hence less satisfactory than the schools near at hand.
1 + $1
The returus periodically made by the respective schoolmasters show the average number of scholars monthly under tuition during the past year to have been as follows:-
Victoria
Wongneichoong.
Stanley
Heong-Kong Aberdeen
+
40 boys. 28
31
13
"
26
27
>>
These averages are, however, somewhat overstated, the actual attendance, as determined by incidental observation, never having exceeded the following limits :-
35 to 40 boys at Victoria.
集
20 24
等奖
8 14
***
#
18 22
**
-">
13 24
Wongneichoong,
Stanley.
Heong Kong.
Aberdeen.
The small attendance at Stanley is mainly attributable to the fact that it contains two other schools, the one an eleemosynary institution in connexion with the Baptist mission, and the other an establishment supported by the inhabitants.
The course of study has been very much the same as that pursued in past years, con- sisting of Chinese classics, the Bible, and foreign composed elementary works. These have been principally learnt by rote, according to the usual Chinese method of rudimental education; but of late the committee have required the schoolmasters to give more atten- tion to the instruction of the children in the signification of all they are taught to recite; and manifest improvement in this particular bas already been noticed in many boys of the Victoria and Wongneichoong schools.
The committee have as usual used their discretion in fixing the amount of remuneration to be awarded to such masters as have had a smaller number of scholars than that which entitles them to the full salary fixed by Government. Any sums that may be saved by this means might, in my opinion and in that of Mr. Odell, on whom so much of the actual supervision bas devolved, be appropriated with advantage to the purchase of trifling rewards of merit (besides the necessary books, maps, &c.), to be given, after general yearly or half-yearly examinations held in the presence of the committee, to such scholars as may show themselves, worthy of the distinction. This would tend to excite an useful spirit of emulation, now so much required as an incentive to exertion; and if, in addition to this, the committee make it incumbent on the masters to adhere to a more methodical system of teaching than that now in vogue, we believe that speedy improvement in progress will be the result. I recommend this measure the more confidently in that the introduction of it by Mr. Odell into some schools under his own charge has already had, he tells me, a a very good effect.
#
During the past year one scholar from the Victoria School, and four from that at Wong- neichoong, have been admitted into 'St. Paul's College School, making, with those taken into that institution during past years, a total of eleven boys who have been thus privi- leged. One of these has been lately elected to a Government scholarship.
!!
That much is yet required to make the schools real instruments of good is, I believe, the unanimous opinion of the committee; but, apart from the suggestion above made, I cannot, in the absence of the gentlemen with whom I am associated, venture upon any more important recommendations with a view to their improvement.
2
The Governmental grant appears to be well appreciated by the natives of the different villages. No measure is, I conceive, better calculated to conciliate and give them confi- dence; and every effort should therefore be given towards placing the schools upon the most efficient footing possible.
E
The Hon. Lieut.-Col. Caine,”
Buod queefydlo
mit „qonda Colonial Secretary,
I have, &c. (Signed)
W. EL MEDHURST,
A member of the committee for supervision
of Government school,
Page 210Page 211
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