1871 — Page 180

11. The wonderful docility of the Chinese soon led to the production of order out of what, at first, seemned but a hopeless chaos; and, from that year to the present, beneficial changes and steady progress have been made. A second English master was added in 1864, and a third in 1869. We are now ready for a fourth. In 1862, from want of school materials, from the inexperience of the teachers, and from other patent causes, the instruction was of the most elementary character. Reading, Writing, and Arithmetic was all that could be attempted. As an inlication of the state of things now, the papers set to the boys in the highest class, at the last examination, have been apponded to this Report. These papers were not prepared with any view to publication, but simply as the usual test of proficiency in the year's work. A glance at them will show more of the progress that has been made than any amount of explanation which could well be given.

12. The standard which must be reached before a boy is considered to live passerl, and to be, therefore, eligible for promotion, is one-third of the total number of marks assigned to the various subjects taught in the class. Judged by this standard, the fellowing is the percentage of those who passed, in the various English classes, on the work of last year :---

First (highest) class..........60 per cent.

Second

Third Fourth

11

82 .72

.........47 *1

!!

**

Fifth class,. Sixth

*

57 per cent. ...56 .....80

11

"1

Preparatory class,..................................80)

13. Although little else could have been expected, it was very disappointing to find so low a percentage in the highest class, especially when it stood at $7 per cent in the previous year. The class was very unfortunate in some respects. No fewer than 29 out of the 36 boy's which it contains got situations, and left at various periods during the course of the year; and their places had to be filled as they beenme vacant by promotions from the junior classes. In addition to this, nine, or one fourth of the whole class, were absent from the examinations, some for their marriage, and others on account of sickness. With two exceptions, these nine absentees would have held respectable places in the class list, had they been able to be present. In the previous year only one was absent, and the class, as a whole, was much more permaient during the year.

If the

14. Looked at in this light, the school has a great practical difficulty to contend with. classes could by any ments be minde permanent for a year, or even for half a year, there would be no difficulty in passing a very high percentage of the boys; but, when it is considered that no fewer than 134 left school in the course of the year, it will be evident that, if promotions were not made as vacancies occurred, the school would be always half empty by examination time. Not only is this sa, but when promotions have to be unde during the three last months of the year, those so promot- ed, while they would have been the first if they lind remained in the lower class, are almost sure to fail in the higher one; and this is particularly the cuse in promotions from the second to the first, where the range of subjects is so much more extensive than it can possibly be in any of the junior classes.

15. Looked at in the light of the situations which are obtained and the promotions which are male,—both high prizes in themselves, the result to the scholars is a fortunate one, but it is other- wise to the masters when they come to reckon np the tale, and render an account, of the year's work.

n

16. Another English master is very much required, not merely for extending the school us to minnbers, but for removing, to a great extent, the difficulty alluded to. With his assistance, there can be no doubt that the transition from one class to another would be rendered less abrupt, and the result of the final examinations made more satisfactory. Every effort is made to do this at present, but, with the limited means nt our disposal, only partial results can be obtained.

17. It is quite certain that, with another master and additional necommodation, another hundred could be added to the attendance, and the sphere of the school's usefulness thereby enlarged. The school has firmly established itself as one of the permanent institutions of the Colony; and the Chinese, both here and in the adjoining province, regard it with increasing confidence, "They now Feem to understand its aim and purpose. They do not find in it an attempt to exereise some sinister influence, either religious or political, or both, as was at first more than half suspected. In other parts of China too, and also in Japan, the school is beginning to attract some attention; and, if' nothing untoward happens, there is good reason to believe that, before long, the latter country will be more numerously represented at the school than it is at present.

It is

18. Nearly all the nationalities in the Colony have now their representatives in the school, whose doors, it cannot be too well known, are open to all without regard to creed or colour. rather surprising still to find, in quarters where one would expect more correct information, grave doubts as to the position which the school holds with regard to religion. There are some who think that we attempt to proselytize. There are others who think that we have a nervous dread of a clergyman entering the place. Both parties could not possibly be more mistaken; but it seeins to be the fate of secular education to be distorted and misrepresented. It will not be so always. Ten years will see the superstition exploded; and I hope I shall never again have the humiliation of asserting our honesty in this particular. It is surely too late in the day to assert, on the one hand,

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