1877 — Page 224

Minute by the Inspector of Schools.

Before the establishment of the Central School, English was taught in a few of the Schools by visiting Masters, who attended for that purpose a few hours a week. This, the Board of Education found to be highly unsatisfactory. Accordingly, when the Central School was established, the teaching of English was abolished in all the other Schools.

The only exception now is the Aberdeen School, which is, and has been, in such a backward state that I almost despair of the success of the experiment, and often think we should revert, in this School, to the teaching of Chinese pure and simple.

With this one exception, therefore, what are conveniently called the Village Schools are simply Schools where the children receive & Chinese education in their own language.

The School Book Committee's Series and Geography have been added to this course of instruction; but these subjects excepted, they are such Schools as might be found anywhere in any part of the Chinese Empire.

Except that there is no religious instruction, the Schools correspond exactly with the Grant-in- Aid Schools in Class I, namely, the Baxter, the London Mission, and the St. Stephen Schools. Neither Masters nor Scholars know anything of English.

FREDERICK Stewart.

29th January, 1878.

HONGKONG, 10th February, 1878.

MY DEAR MR. STEWART,-Looking to the views entertained by the Governor, and many others as to the expediency of giving greater facility to the boys at the Central School, for the study of the English language, it seems to me very desirable that we should have your views as early as possible as to the arrangements which should be made. Could you not therefore postpone your departure for a fortnight? If prior to sending in a report you would like to discuss the matter with the Governor, myself, and a few others, I am sure His Excellency will afford you every facility.

Frederick Stewart, Esq.

Yours, &c.,

J. GARDINER AUSTIN.

Inspector of Schools to The Honourable J. Gardiner Austin, C.M.G., Colonial Secretary.

[No. 23.]

HONGKONG, 11th February, 1878.

SIR,-In answer to your note enquiring if I could not postpone my departure for a fortnight, in order to give the Government my views on the expediency of affording greater facility to the boys at the Central School for the study of the English language, I have the honour to inform you that it would be exceedingly inconvenient for me to postpone it, for several reasons: this one among others, that I had to telegraph to Shanghai to secure a passage for the 21st instant, and that I have no chance of being able to get one by the following steamer. I should, of course, at once sacrifice my own private interests for the sake of the public service, did I think it necessary; but I expect to be able to send you to-morrow, or the day after, a communication which, I believe, will set at rest this question of English at the Central School.

I have the honour to be,

Sir,

Your most obedient Servant,

FREDERICK Stewart, Inspector of Schools.

Minute by His Excellency the Governor.

Let this await the further communication Mr. STEWART tells us he is preparing. I should be very sorry to stop him, 'for no Officer has earned his leave of absence better, but I fear he is somewhat over-banguine in thinking that 'the communication he contemplates will set this question at rest; and

•No. of Day Scholars in 1877, .....

No. of Evening Scholars in 1877,

Total,..

All these learn English; none of them speak it. The Master, Wong Káp, speaks English fairly.

30

21

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