1867 — Page 152

COPYRIGHT PHOTOGRAPHINGI TO|

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REPRODUCED PHOTOGRAPHIC- ALLY WITHOUT PERMISSION OF THE}

PUBLIC RECORD OFFICE, LONDON |

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PUBLIC RECORD OFFICE

Reference :—

123

1

1. What has just been said, has been said, of course, judging the schools by a European standard. Looking at them, however, from another point of view, as schools, namely, where a Chinese education is given to Chinese children, there are on or two things to which "more particular reference may be made. I stated last year why I thought these schools should b continued and encouraged, poor, in our estimation, though the education given in them be. It is painful to see the number of children in the Colony who seem to spend their whole time in the streets, generally at play, frequently at mischief, alwan watching for opportunities to pilfer, and thus commencing a career of idleness and crime." Could these children be made attend school, the opportunity at least of diving ceil weulit, so far, be removed. It were much better that they should be cos fined for the greater portion of the day in school, than that they should spend, as it is to be feared many of them do, the bes part of their days in prison. Even on this ground, low though it be, the schools, well attended, would be of no mean ad vantage to the well being of the Colony,

1. If it could be possible to make the Chinese here feel a greater interest in the education of their children, and if they could be induced to send them regularly to school, the work of reformation would be more than begun. It would be mud easier than to prevail on them to allow changes to be introduced than it is now when there is nothing but stolid indifference to appeal to. In many cases, the people do not conceal that they consider they are doing Government a favour by sending their children to its schools. It does not seem to occur to them that the advantage is at least mutual. I have had case where a father has urged as a reason why some request of his should be granted that he sent his son to the Governme school, and was therefore, doubth>s, entitled to a favourable hearing.

1. As regards particular schools. I am sorry to find such a fulling off at Tang-lung-chau. Two years ago, the attend ance at this school was upwards of fifty, Now it is scarcely twenty. This state of things is not due entirely to the remors of many of the inhabitants from the righbouri od lat to a cause with which it is more difficult to deal. In the early pan of last year, it was discovered that the Master was appropriating money which should have been spent in the payment of The case was a clear one against him and he was dis Moniter to assist him in school, to the payment of his own servant.

missed. A petition, signed by many of the people, was then brought to me praying that the Master might be re-instated because he was a good tearlier. The cause of his dismissal was completely ignored. When their request was refused, the scholars were sent to me in a body to ask that he should be allowed to return. No reasoning as to the flagrancy of his fan and his consequent unsuitability for such a trust as that of teaching the young had the slightest effect. They admitted max good tracker. Another and undoubtedly the best native Master m willingly that his conduct bad ben budd, but—he in o have, was sent to the school but one half of the children were withdrawn. Such are the people with whom we have to deal 13. The most gratifying circumstance connected with the schools is the increasing interest that is now taken in fetas In addition to the Girls School in Shinng-win with upwards of forty scholars, there is now another c education.

In several of the others, also, there are from two to six girls. To whatever cave Bowrington with apwards of seventeen. it is to be attributed, it is curious to find that the girls unke much more satisfactory progress than the boys. Neatnes characterizes everything they do, and their handwriting, especially, attracts the admiration of those Chinese who have bee shown it. In the school at Bowrington alone is needle-work taught, in addition to the ordinary routine of reading, writing and committing to memory, but I hope that it may soon be introduced into the other school also,

1. It is unnecessary, I trust, for me to state that English is carefully excludes from these schools. To the melanchi results which, in nearly every instance, have £Eowed from teching Chinese girls English I need not more particula allude. Its effect on the character of the boys is wv, I am sorry to find, what one could wish, but on the character of the girls it has proved to be fatal. And the reason seems to be this, that coming, as they nearly all do, from the poorer classs. the care, such as they have never experienced before, which is taken of them, the comforis, to them luxuries, which they enjoy, and the so called accomplishments, which they are tangat, totally unfit them for the sphere of life in which they wou otherwise naturally remain, and out of which it is impossible for them to rise.

1. The only aim which is attempted to be reached in the Girls' schools, which are under Government control, is that d making them honest and useful in their own humble sphere, and I am happy to say, from enquiries which I have mande, tla: the effort to do this has not been unsuccessful. The Master of the school in Sheng-win tells me that the scholars whe have left him, during the ten years in which it has been in existence, have, as a rulé been respectably married in their on native Districts of Naia-li and Pú'n-it.

1. Further than stating that the Struley school is, in the meantime, the most regularly attended and that a Girls' schod may be established as soon as there is a suitable school-house, I do not think it necessary to do more at present in connectio with t Village Schools than refer you to the statistics which are appendled to this Report.

1. I have now, in conclusion, only to refer to the Central School, unl, in doing so, I shall be very brief, as no importar changes have been made or results reache 1 beyond those previously reported,

1. The attendance was well sustained during the year.

It is a matter of some surprise to me that it was so; for, in th first place, the chances of obtaining situations have lately been rapidly diminishing, and in the second, it is not to be conceale! that the classes are by far too large for only two English Masters, with the allitional duty of inspecting the Village Schoo devolving on one of them. The progress of the boys is certainly not what it ought to be, or what I should like to see Strangers who pay a casual visit may find some cause for contoumulation, but those who are daily engaged in the actas working of the school fol mach that is unsatisfactory, and which either an additional Master or decreased attendance wond materially remedy.

1. In previous Reports I have referred to this ditïculty. I had hoped that ere this time the Revenue of the Cela would be in a condition to subuit of the appointment of another English Master but I fear such a proposition cannot, in th I content myself therefore, under the circumstances, with saying that nothing could me meantime, be entertaine:l. contribute to the efficiency of the school, and that it will not be efficient without it.

1. Allusion bus already been made to the main source of the apparent popularity of the school-the means of money making which are derive 1 froma a knowledge of English. In another respects, I was sorry to be told lately by one who li opportunities of knowing that those Chinese who have no sous at the school look upon the bays in anything but a favourab light. By giving themselves airs, by affecting a superiority they thu not possess, by forming clubs, to the exclusion of thes who do not know English, where all sorts of dissipation exist, the boys do not place the character of the school or the resul of the training which is attempted to be given them in the light which those, whose time and energy are spent in their behal have perhaps a right to expect. When one thinks, however, of even the effects of Christianity itself, in its earlier stage anil dat one Church in particular which had much to commend it had to be seriously cautioned, among other things, agad ʼn propensity to steal, one needs not despair at finding many things to annoy and disappoint in the promotion of Education Hongkong. Like civilization, or any other moral and intellectual change, education is a comparative term which bean relation not to this arbitrary standard or to that, but to the particular mental condition of the people among whom it is being From the six years' experience I have now h'el of the work, I do not expect to find any great or lasting resale disseminatel in my time. My only hope is that, at the close of my cotection with the schools, I may have done something which successor will not have to anda.—I have the bonour to be, Sir, your most obedient Servant,

The Honourable CECIL C. SMITH,

FREDERICK STEWART, Inspector of Government Schools.

1. Aberdeen 2. Bowrington

1. Central School

1. Girl's School

1. Shau-ki-wan

1. Stanley

1. Tang-inng-chau (Hakka).

1. Tang-lung-chau (Punti)

1. Webster's Crescent

1. West End

1. West Point (Punti)

1. Wong nai chung

THT

NUMBERS and Attendance at the Government Schools during 1887,

148

Maximum Enrolment.

Minimum Maximum Minimum Enrolment, Attendance. Attendance.

200

II. West Point (linkka).

*2829388281ZA

24

17

55

47

48

4.5

205 37 94

37

14

20

11

30

44

15

28 38 15

700

633

810

897-9888=3892 g

221

176

44

40

20

48

14

408

#3288822 | 8

SUMMARY of Exrolment and Attendance at the Gocerament Schools for the last Six Years.

1802.

1863.

1804.

1805.

1866.

1887.

Maximum Enrolment.

733

535

502

507

623

700

021

469

417

535

572

610

605

414

43+

418

435

533

Minimum Attendance

299

301

324

330

337

408

Number of Children in the Colony, under 16 years of age, as per last Census,

.19,349

Deduct, as being under 6 years of age,

6,049

Deduct, as attending schools of all denominations,

.1,000

8,549

.10,800

Maximum Attendance, Minimum Enrolment

Total Number of Uneducated Children in Hongkong,

ATTENDANCE at the Central School for the Half-year commencing 4th March, 1867. Head Master's Classes,

Assistant Master's Classes,

Preparatory Clase,

Total,

89 87

28

204

P

Number rejected at Preliminary Examination,

34

For the Half-year commencing 3rd September, 1867. Head Master's Classes, Assistant Master's Classes, Preparatory Class,

88

103

30

Number rejected at Preliminary Examination,

Number who left school during the year,

Total,.

221

75

FREDERICK STEWART, Inspector of Government Schools.

fc.,

Acting Colonial Secretary,

.fr., fc.