26. The three Baxter schools sent up 72 girls for examination, of whom 59 passed. The highest standard taken was the fifth. These schools are ranked in Class 1, which comprises those in which Chinese education is given. The Manager is anxious to have them in the same Class as the Basel Mission School, where a European education is given in the Chinese language, and no doubt he will soon be able to have them there. The great obstacle at present is the want of qualified teachers and the increased expenditure which a change would involve. In the meantime, it is a question deserving his best attention whether it would not be better to concentrate his efforts rather than extend them. One good school in Class III would be worth half a dozen in Class I, as regards both the religious and secular portions of the education; and he has the means of accomplishing that, This, however, is merely a suggestion, and may be taken by him for what it is worth.
27. The London Mission School at Wán-tsai continues to maintain its high position. The master does his work very thoroughly. Out of 50 scholars presented only 6 failed. In reading, writing (from dictation), composition and geography the school is very strong; and, from the accuracy with which the boys explained what they had read, a high estimate could be formed of the master's care- fulness and ability. The Tai-ping Shán school was very unfortunate. At the end of the first six months, the teacher had to be dismissed for neglect of duty. It would be wrong, therefore, to attribute the great falling off to the present inaster. Of the 47 scholars presented 18 failed. In spite of this. there were sufficient indications of the present teacher's ability to lead to the belief that this year there will be a very different state of affairs. Great and much needed inprovements were made in the two school-rooms in the beginning of last year, but the sanitary arrangements still require the Manager's best attention, and modern desks and forins should replace, as soon as possible, the Chinese tables, which occupy by far too much of the present limited space.
28. It is very difficult to define the exact position of St. Saviour's Day School. In consequence of a complete change in the management, a request to have the school examined in the middle of November, instead of at the usual time, was complied with on certain conditions. In consequence of this, the school was deprived of more than a month of its most valuable time. The results now to he stated must, therefore, be viewed in the light of this explanation. Of the 54 scholars found eligible for examination, 33 passed and 21 failed, and, of the 33 who passed, 15 had to depend for their success on their handwriting, which under certain circumstances is allowed to count as one of the subjects of a standard. The school took in all the six standards, but only two scholars were examined in the fifth and one in the sixth. The reading was very good, geography was good, graminar was fair, writing (from dictation) was weak and arithmetic was very weak indeed. It is but justice to the late teacher to add that the partial assistance which he received necessitated his teaching the arithmetic of five of the standards himself, and that a week before the examination one of his assistants was withdrawn.
29. It is gratifying to be able to report that St. Stephen's Church School, which was reported on so unfavourably last year, has succeeded in more than regaining its original position. The new master had grasped the grant-in-aid scheme fully, as is proved by the fact that out of 49 who were presented only four failed. In two subjects only, writing (froin dictation) and composition, was the school inferior to the London Mission School at Wán-tsai. In all other respects St. Stephen's holds at present the first place among the schools of its own Class.
30. Victoria Boy's School, which is the only undenominational school in receipt of a grant-in-aid, presented 29 scholars for examination in the first four standards. There were 11 failures. The school belongs to the same class as St. Saviour's, namely Class IV (Schools in which a European education is given in any European language); and, of the two, it holds the higher place in all respects, with the single exception of reading. The weakest point in the school is arithmetic, to which the attention of all concerned is specially requested. The sums given at these examinations are exceedingly simple, being intended to test the scholars' knowledge of the science rather than their accuracy in the manipulation of an array of figures.
31. Looking simply at the percentage of scholars who passed, these nine schools may be thus arranged:-
1. St. Stephen's Church School.....................
2. London Mission School ( Wán-tsui ),......................88
92 per cent.
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3. Baxter School (Tái-ping Shán),
86
"J
4. Baxter School (Sai Ying-pún),
.83
11
5. Basel Mission Girls' School,
.82
11
6. Baxter School (Staunton Street ),
.77
17
8. Victoria Boys' School,
7. St. Saviour's Day School,
1
62
"1
.62
"
9. London Mission School (Tai-ping Shán), 62
"
Taking all the 346 scholars sent up by these schools, 265 passed and 81 failed. In other words, the total percentage of passes amounted to 77 per cent. This has reference solely to passes in the Standards. The percentage of passes in the various subjects taught in these schools will be found
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