1841-1886
REPORTS EXHIBITING THE PRESENT STATE
the master,—a safeguard, I am sorry to say, not so unnecessary as it might be.
29. These hopes are a long way from their realization. Application for a grant in aid in too many cases means simply a source of revenue to the village. Government is a fair object for plunder. The want of a school is first discerned by a needy and placeless schoolmaster. The next step is a circuit of the village, full of promises of many good things to come. The next is a petition, composed by himself, but purporting to be from the villagers, setting forth the poverty of the village as extreme, the ignorance of the children as appalling, and the merits of the aspiring schoolmaster as unparalleled. The last step is a deputation for the presentation of the petition. All this is, outwardly, as it should be; but, behind so much fair-seeming, there has been no lack of chicanery,—a hard-driven bargain on the part of the villagers for so much hard cash for the privilege of teaching their children, but probably taking the form of so much rent for the school-house, albeit the petition distinctly states that the village provides the school-house free.
30. When the master is appointed, everything goes well for several months, perhaps for the whole year; but, by that time, envy has done its work. Another candidate appears, and larger promises are made or exacted. The petition is now to the effect that the master is as bad as he was formerly good, and that the new candidate is the only man who can repair the injury done to the school. When any reluctance is shown to comply with the request, it is pretty plainly intimated that if the new man is not accepted there will be no children at school next year.
31. Something of this nature is now going on at Little Hong Kong. The master there was the people's choice some years ago. It so happens that the Ti-po of the village has a son who aspires to the office of schoolmaster. Towards the end of the year, the Ti-po headed a deputation from the village and presented a petition against the present schoolmaster, and in favour of the aspiring one. The catalogue of the former's demerits was long, but not longer than that of the latter's merits. An attempt was made to convince the deputation that they were greatly to blame for not making the charges at the time the faults were alleged to have occurred, thus giving an opportunity of inquiring into them. They had no time to come and do so, was all their answer.
32. The schoolmaster was informed of what had been done, and probably taxed the villagers with their deceit, for they soon returned with a complete change of argument. The present master had enjoyed the salary for many years, and it was now time that another should have his turn of it. This was not to be listened to, and the deputation was plainly told so. Shortly after the Ti-po returned alone, and wanted to know definitely whether the new master would be accepted or not. When told that he certainly would not, the old man retorted so impudently that there should then be no scholars, that nothing but his gray hairs saved him from forcible extrusion. A scheme of a similar sort is understood to be maturing at Ma-t'au Ts'ün. As has been often said, the Government is the obliged party when the villagers condescend to let their children learn to read,
Page 387
Page 387
Page 387
1841-1886
REPORTS EXHIBITING THE PRESENT STATE
the master,—a safeguard, I am sorry to say, not so unnecessary as it might be.
29. These hopes are a long way from their realization. Appli- cation for a grant in aid in too many cases means simply a source of revenue to the village. Government is a fair object for plunder. The want of a school is first discerned by a needy and placeless school- master. The next step is a circuit of the village, full of promises of many good things to come. The next is a petition, composed by himself, but purporting to be from the villagers, setting forth the poverty of the village as extreme, the ignorance of the children as appalling, and the merits of the aspiring schoolmaster as unparalleled. The last step is a deputation for the presentation of the petition. All this is, outwardly, as it should be; but, behind so much fair-seeming, there has been no lack of chicanery,-a hard-driven bargain on the part of the villagers for so much hard cash for the privilege of teach- ing their children, but probably taking the form of so much rent for the school-house, albeit the petition distinctly states that the village provides the school-house free.
30. When the master is appointed, everything goes well for several months, perhaps for the whole year; but, by that time, envy has done its work. Another candidate appears, and larger promises are made or exacted. The petition is now to the effect that the master is as bad as he was formerly good, and that the new candidate is the only man who can repair the injury done to the school. When any reluctance is shown to comply with the request, it is pretty plainly intimated that if the new man is not accepted there will be no children at school next year.
The
31. Something of this nature is now going on at Little Hong Kong. The master there was the people's choice some years ago. It so happens that the Ti-po of the village has a son who aspires to the office of schoolmaster. Towards the end of the year, the Ti-po headed a deputation from the village and presented a petition against the present schoolmaster, and in favour of the aspiring one. catalogue of the former's demerits was long, but not longer than that of the latter's merits. An attempt was made to convince the depu- tation that they were greatly to blame for not making the charges at the time the faults were alleged to have occurred, thus giving an opportunity of inquiring into them. They had no time to come and do so, was all their answer..
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32. The schoolmaster was informed of what had been done, and probably taxed the villagers with their deceit, for they soon returned with a complete change of argument. The present master had enjoyed the salary for many years, and it was now time that another should have his turn of it. This was not to be listened to, and the deputation was plainly told so. Shortly after the Ti-po returned alone, and wanted to know definitely whether the new master would be accepted or not. When told that he certainly would not, the old man retorted so impudently that there should then be no scholars, that nothing but his gray hairs saved him from forcible extrusion. A scheme of a similar sort is understood to be maturing at Ma-t'au Ts'ün. As has been often said, the Government is the obliged party when the villagers condescend to let their children learn to read,
387
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