1841-1886
HER MAJESTY'S COLONIAL POSSESSIONS.
89
the Bazaar are nearly all untenanted. The school children come principally from the various clusters of houses which lie scattered between Wán-tsai Gap and the temple at Tang-lung Chau. The boat people have never forgiven their being sent from their former rendezvous, and they show their resentment by depriving us of the opportunity of educating their children. Incredible as it sounds, many of the people think they are conferring a favour on the Government by allowing their children to attend the schools.
7. In the case of Tái Wong Kung, the master who was dismissed contrived to elicit a good deal of sympathy from the parents of the scholars,—another remarkable feature, for the man was guilty of the grossest misconduct, and nobody dreamt of saying otherwise. Still, he was a good master, they said, and they wanted him continued. This could not be thought of, and the result is that they too are displaying a little resentment; but, in this case, it is likely to be short-lived, as the superiority of the present master is beyond all cavil.
8. The appointment to the school in Battery Road was successful in every way, and was so from the first, although it was feared that there would be a falling off at the start, so difficult is it to calculate beforehand what will be the effect of a change of master.
425
9. The fourth vacancy occurred at Wan-tsai. The master, who lived in a perpetual dread of robbers, could never be prevailed upon to open the windows of his own quarters, and, as soon as school was dismissed, the whole premises were religiously shut up and barricaded. The consequence was that his health gave way, and the school suffered much in consequence. He retired in April. His place has been taken by a master who is rapidly recovering the ground which was lost, and who will soon make the Wán-tsai school what he previously made the one at Stanley, the best of the class to which it belongs. The taste, too, which he is displaying in cultivating the ground within the school enclosure is worthy of all commendation. From being a place which one was almost ashamed of, it has become the pride and the talk of the neighbourhood.
10. The school at Aberdeen, in addition to its other difficulties, the iteration of which is unnecessary, had this time to contend with sickness. The master had repeated attacks of fever, and it took much persuasion to induce him to return, after his last and very serious illness. The village, in spite of all that has been done to it, is little better than a swamp. The exhalations which arise from the heated mud, in breezeless summers like the last, can only produce one result. Sickness interfered much also with the school at Sháu-kí Wán. The building had an unenviable notoriety while it was occupied by the police, but, until last year, there had been no cause for complaint since it became a school-house. It stands on the highest ground in the village, and is admirably ventilated; but in front there is a long stretch of muddy beach at low water, from which miasma cannot fail to exude under a broiling sun. A denser vegetation, both here and at Aberdeen, would go far to counteract these evil influences.
1841-1886
HER MAJESTY'S COLONIAL POSSESSIONS.
89
the Bazaar are nearly all untenanted. The school children come principally from the various clusters of houses which lie scattered between Wán-tsai Gap and the temple at Tang-lung Chau. The boat people have never forgiven their being sent from their former rendezvous, and they show their resentment by depriving us of the opportunity of educating their children, Incredible as it sounds, many of the people think they are conferring a favour on the Government by allowing their children to attend the schools.
7. In the case of Tái Wong Kung, the master who was dis- missed contrived to elicit a good deal of sympathy from the parents of the scholars,-another remarkable feature, for the man was guilty of the grossest misconduct, and nobody dreamt of saying otherwise. Still, he was a good master, they said, and they wanted him continued. This could not be thought of, and the result is that they too are displaying a little resentment; but, in this case, it is likely to be short lived, as the superiority of the present master is beyond all cavil.
M
8. The appointment to the school in Battery Road was successful in every way, and was so from the first, although it was feared that there would be a falling off at the start, so difficult is it to calculate beforehand what will be the effect of a change of master.
425
9. The fourth vacancy occurred at Wan-tsai. The master, who lived in a perpetual dread of robbers, could never be prevailed upon to open the windows of his own quarters, and, as soon as school was dismissed, the whole premises were religiously shut up and barricaded. The consequence was that his health gave way, and the school suffered much in consequence. He retired in April. His place has been taken by a master who is rapidly recovering the ground which was lost, and who will soon make the Wán-tsai school what he previously made the one at Stanley, the best of the class to which it belongs. The taste, too, which he is display- ing in cultivating the ground within the school enclosure is worthy of all commendation. From being a place which one was almost ashamed of, it has become the pride and the talk of the neigh- bourhood.
·
10. The school at Aberdeen, in addition to its other difficulties, the iteration of which is unnecessary, had this time to contend with sickness. The master had repeated attacks of fever, and it took much persuasion to induce him to return, after his last and very serious illness. The village, in spite of all that has been done to it, is little better than a swamp. The exhalations which arise from the heated mud, in breezeless summers like the last, can only produce one result. Sickness interfered much also with the school at Sháu-kí Wán. The building had an unenviable notoriety while it was occupied by the police, but, until last year, there had been no cause for complaint since it became a school- house. It stands on the highest ground in the village, and is 'admirably ventilated; but in front there is a long stretch of muddy beach at low water, from which miasma cannot fail to exude under a broiling sun. A denser vegetation, both here and at Aberdeen, would go
far to counteract these evil influences.
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