No. 45.
136
GOVERNMENT NOTIFICATION,
The following Annual Report on the state of the Government Schools in Hongkong for the Year 1871, is published for general information.
By Command,
Colonial Secretary's Office, Hongkong, 1st March, 1872.
No. 12.
CECIL C. SMITH, Acting Colonial Secretary.
HONGKONG, 15th February, 1872.
SIR,
I have the honour to forward to you the Blue Book Returns for the year 1871, together with the Annual Report on the Government Schools for the same period.
2. Although two new schools were opened in the course of the year, the total number under instruction was less than in 1870. There were then 1,302 scholars, as against 1,292 for last year. With one or two exceptions, the attendance at all the schools was less; and this, coupled with the fact that the school at Shek Shán, which had a large attendance in 1870, was discontinued in the beginning of 1871, will account for the diminution, amounting in the gross to ten, in the numbers for the year.
3. Not only was the number enrolled for the year less, but the regularity in the attendance at most of the schools was considerably interfered with, especially towards the end of the year.
4. As this was owing to circumstances connected entirely with the Village Schools, both those supported and those aided, the causes will be fully considered in that part of the Report which refers to them.
5. The Central School continues to advance steadily in point of numbers. The number present during the year was 367, as compared with 337 in 1870. The average monthly enrolment was 249, as against 237 in the previous year; and the average regular attendance for 1870 and 1871 stands as 225 and 234 respectively. The highest and lowest monthly enrolments were 265 and 232, as compared with 248 and 208 in 1870.
6. It is evident from these numbers that causes which tend to interfere with the Village Schools in no way affect the Central School, which has not only held its own, but has advanced steadily, in spite of periodical commercial depressions, and other exceptional causes.
7. On the 10th of next month the school will have had a history of ten years. Although it would be wrong to measure its progress by decades and not by years, I cannot help reverting to the state of things on the opening day, the 10th of March, 1862.
8. Having arrived in the Colony but a few days previously, I had no knowledge of Chinese. I found congregated in the two Chinese class-rooms a crowd of nearly 300 boys, about one half of whom were scholars under the three Chinese masters, whose schools had previously been in various streets in the Upper and Central Bazaars. The rest were either candidates for the English classes, or stray-comers for the gratification of curiosity.
9. The normal state of a Chinese school is that the lessons are shouted at the pitch of the voice. My entrance was the signal for a startling display of this diligence. Unaccustomed to such a deafening din, my first feeling was surprise, and my second anger. I shouted “Silence!” This was tacitly interpreted to mean "Read louder!" Another attempt at order meeting with a fresh accession of noise, I retreated, almost in despair, to one of the lower class-rooms, where I had interviews with my young friends in more manageable detachments.
10. In the course of a day or two, 141 had been arranged in three classes for the learning of English. Of these 55 had some previous knowledge of the language, and 86 had to begin with the alphabet. The remaining 117 read Chinese only. An attempt was made for about six weeks to teach the English classes, with the help of two Chinese assistants, who, at that time, should have been in rather than over a class. The attempt proved abortive, and an appeal to the Board of Education had the effect of reducing the numbers to 94. Excessive as even this number was for a commencement, it was desirable, for many reasons, that it should be maintained. Only one reading book, a very elementary one, could be found in the Colony, and this had to be used in all the classes till school materials could be obtained from England about seven months after.
No. 45.
136
GOVERNMENT NOTIFICATION,
The following Annual Report on the state of the Government Schools in Hongkong for the Year 1871, is published for general information.
By Command,
Colonial Secretary's Office, Hongkong, 1st March, 1872.
No. 12.
CECIL C. SMITH, Acting Colonial Secretary.
HONGKONG, 15th February, 1872.
SIR,I have the honour to forward to you the Blue Book Returns for the year 1871, together with the Annual Report on the Government Schools for the same period.
2. Although two new schools were opened in the course of the year, the total number under instruction was less than in 1870. There were then 1,302 scholars, as against 1,292 for last year. With one or two exceptions, the attendance at all the schools was less; and this, coupled with the fact that the school at Shek Shán, which had a large attendance in 1870, was discontinued in the beginning of 1871, will account for the diminution, amounting in the gross to ten, in the numbers for the year.
3. Not only was the number enrolled for the year less, but the regularity in the attendance at most of the schools was considerably interfered with, especially towards the end of the year.
4. As this was owing to circumstances connected entirely with the Village Schools, both those supported and those aided, the causes will be fully considered in that part of the Report which
refers to them.
5. The Central School continues to advance steadily in point of numbers. The number present during the year was 367, as compared with 337 in 1870. The average monthly enrolment was 249, as against 237 in the previous year; and the average regular attendance for 1870 and 1871 stands as 225 and 234 respectively. The highest and lowest monthly enrolments were 265 and 232, as compared with 248 and 208 in 1870.
6. It is evident from these numbers that causes which tend to interfere with the Village Schools in no way affect the Central School, which has not only held its own, but has advanced steadily, in spite of periodical commercial depressions, and other exceptional causes.
7. On the 10th of next month the school will have had a history of ten years. Although it would be wrong to measure its progress by decades and not by years, I cannot help reverting to the state of things on the opening day, the 10th of March, 1862.
8. Having arrived in the Colony but a few days previously, I had no knowledge of Chinese. I found congregated in the two Chinese class-rooms a crowd of nearly 300 boys, about one half of whom were scholars under the three Chinese masters, whose schools had previously been in various streets in the Upper and Central Bazaars. The rest were either candidates for the English classes, or stray-comers for the gratification of curiosity.
9. The normal state of a Chinese school is that the lessons are shouted at the pitch of the voice. My entrance was the signal for a startling display of this diligence. Unaccustomed to such a deafening din, my first feeling was surprise, and my second anger. I shouted “Silence!" This was tacitly interpreted to mean "Read louder!" Another attempt at order meeting with a fresh accession of noise, I retreated, almost in despair, to one of the lower class-rooms, where I had interviews with my young friends in more manageable detachments.
10. In the course of a day or two, 141 had been arranged in three classes for the learning of English. Of these 55 had some previous knowledge of the language, and 86 had to begin with the alphabet. The remaining 117 read Chinese only. An attempt was made for about six weeks to teach the English classes, with the help of two Chinese assistants, who, at that time, should have been in rather than over a class. The attempt proved abortive, aud an appeal to the Board of Edu- cation had the effect of reducing the numbers to 94. Excessive as even this number was for a com- mencement, it was desirable, for many reasons, that it should be maintained. Only one reading book, a very elementary one, could be found in the Colony, and this had to be used in all the classes till school materials could be obtained from England about seven months after.
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