1877 — Page 229

Minute by His Excellency the Governor.

Send copies of these Minutes to Mr. STEWART, and say I should be glad if he would prepare an approximate estimate of the total cost of the whole scheme of Government Education, assuming that the Legislative Council will concur with Mr. AUSTIN in thinking that political and commercial interests render the study of English of primary importance in all Government Schools: and that as regards the principal Government School (the Central School) smaller classes be formed, and a stronger staff of

teachers be obtained.

As regards providing increased accommodation, I signed warrants last year for over ten thousand dollars for this object, in addition to more than forty thousand spent by my predecessor; and in this year's Estimates, I have taken a further vote on account of the new Central School of $25,000.

J. POPE HENNESSY.

14th February, 1878.

[No. 29.]

GOVERNMENT CENTRAL SCHOOL,

HONGKONG, 1st March, 1878.

SIR, I have the honour to inform you that this school was re-opened to-day after the Chinese New Year holidays. There were 218 applicants for admission, and only 40 vacant seats.

I have the honour to be,

Sir,

Your most obedient Servant,

FREDERICK STEWART,

Head Master.

The Honourable J. GARDINER AUSTIN, C.M.G., Colonial Secretary.

Minute by His Excellency the Governor.

Request Mr. STEWART to have a list made out of all the pupils now on the books of the Central: School, marking with red ink the names of the pupils who can speak English.

Minute by the Inspector of Schools.

J. POPE HENNESSY.

In accordance with His Excellency's request, I enclose a list of the names, 453 in number, of all the scholars on the books of the Central School at this date. They compose the nine English classes into which the scholars are divided.

As the "speaking of English," that is, the ability to converse in the English language, is a term of variable application, I have thought it advisable to arrange the list under the following headings, namely:--

1. Those marked A, numbering 8, who are English or other European boys speaking English idiomatically.

1. Those marked B, numbering 33, who are European and Indian boys speaking English with considerable fluency.

1. Those marked C, numbering 18, who are Chinese boys speaking English with considerable fluency.

1. Those marked D, numbering 58, who speak English with diffidence.

1. Those marked E, numbering 336, who cannot be said to "speak English" at all.

Government Central School, 5th March, 1878.

Minute by His Excellency the Governor.

FREDERICK Stewart,

Inspector of Schools.

1. Publish in the Gazette Mr. STEWART'S report on the result of his own examination of the pupils in the Central School as to their capacity for speaking English.

1. To the register number of each pupil should be added his nationality, his age, length of time at the Central School, and (using in every case the words of Mr. STEWART) his power of speaking English.

1. In the list as copied by one of my clerks a mistake was made respecting No. 255 who was actually only twenty-two months at the School, whereas in the copy put into my hands he was stated to have been 10 years and 2 months at School.

Before sending Mr. STEWART's report and the list of pupils to the printer, I should be glad if Dr. EITEL would be good enough to have the list carefully compared with the results obtained by Mr. STEWART at his examination in last March and with the records of the Central School.

J. POPE HENNESSY.

30th April, 1878.